The Ikon Pass – A Bargain for Travelling Australians

February 28th, 2018


Revelstoke is a partner resort, the Ikon Pass giving you seven days skiing at the legendary Canadian resort. Photo: Gabe Rogel

Mountainwatch | Reggae Elliss
After weeks of speculation the details of the new IKON Pass were released last Friday. It is sure to create a lot of interest, taking on Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass head-on and the Ikon Pass is good news for Australian skiers and snowboarders.

Driven by the recently formed Alterra Mountain Company, the IKON pass gives unlimited access to resorts owned by Alterra, including Mammoth Mountain, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, Steamboat, and Winter Park and seven days at Deer Valley. It also offers seven days at a number of independently owned North American resorts.

Alterra is a joint venture that was created when KSL Capital Partners, owners of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows and Henry Crown and Company, owner of Aspen skiing company, purchased Intrawest, Mammoth Resorts and Deer Valley resort in 2017. It now owns 12 ski resorts throughout the US and Canada:

Steamboat and Winter Park in Colorado; Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain and Big Bear Mountain Resort in California; Stratton in Vermont; Snowshoe in West Virginia; Tremblant in Quebec, Blue Mountain in Ontario; Deer Valley in Utah; and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures in British Columbia.


Jackson Hole. A powder day here is a day you’ll never forget. Photo: Tony Harrington

When the name of the new company was announced (a fusion of altitude and terra/terrain) the press release also said it was working on a new season pass. Last month Alterra announced it has entered into a partnership with a number of independent resorts in the US and Canada including Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Aspen Snowmass, Revelstoke and Lake Louise, the result being the Ikon Pass, a multi-resort season pass that includes some of the best, and most iconic resorts in North America.

The costs and benefits of the pass are impressive and there are two passes available, offering different levels of access – the IKON Pass at US$899 and the Ikon Base at $US599.

IKON PASS

Offering unlimited access to 12 destinations plus 7-days and 7-days combined at 13 destinations, with zero blackout dates, and a starting price of $899.

Access:
Unlimited: Steamboat, Winter Park Resort, Copper Mountain Resort, Eldora Mountain Resort, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort, June Mountain, Stratton, Snowshoe Mountain, Tremblant, and Blue Mountain

7-Days: Deer Valley Resort, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Big Sky Resort, Killington Resort, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Sugarbush Resort

7-Days Combined:

  • Aspen Snowmass: Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk
  • AltaSnowbird
  • SkiBig3: Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, Mt. Norquay
  • Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Loon Mountain

Blackout dates: Zero

Child promotion:

  • Discounted Child Passes (12 and under) will be available through April 9, 2018 for $199 with the purchase of an Adult Ikon Pass


Unlimited access to Mammoth Mountain makes the Ikon pass a great buy. Photo: Mammoth Mountain

IKON BASE PASS

Offering unlimited access to eight destinations plus 5-days and 5-days combined at 17 destinations, with three blackout periods, and a starting price of $599.

Access:
Unlimited: Winter Park Resort, Copper Mountain Resort, Eldora Mountain Resort, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows (holiday restrictions), Big Bear Mountain Resort, June Mountain, Tremblant, Blue Mountain, Snowshoe Mountain

5-Days: (Holiday restrictions at all)
Steamboat, Mammoth Mountain, Deer Valley Resort, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Big Sky Resort, Stratton, Killington Resort, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Sugarbush Resort

5-Days Combined (Holiday restrictions at all)

  • Aspen Snowmass: Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk
  • AltaSnowbird
  • SkiBig3: Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, Mt. Norquay
  • Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Loon Mountain

Blackout dates: Dec. 26 – 31, 2018; Jan. 19 – 20, 2019; and Feb. 16 – 17, 2019

Child Pass Promotion

  • Discounted Child Passes (12 and under) will be available through April 9, 2018 for $149 with the purchase of an Adult Base Pass


Squaw Valley, one of the bucket-list resorts that is included in the Ikon Pass with unlimited access. Photo: Tony Harrington

This IKON Pass is the latest initiative to take on Vail Resort’s Epic pass which has been very popular since it was first launched a few years ago. The Vail Pass covers a number of resorts including Vail, Beaver Creek, Park City, Heavenly and Whistler, all of which are Vail-owned resorts. It was also a game changer for Australian skiers and snowboarders when Vail acquired Perisher, a Perisher Epic Season Pass granting travelling Australians access to all Vail resorts.

Up until now the Epic Pass’ competition has been the Mountain Collective, a collaboration of independently owned resorts, including Aspen, Jackson Hole, Squaw Valley and Mammoth. The Mountain Collective pass offers four-days free skiing at a number of US resorts and then half price tickets for any subsequent days.

The Mountain Collective pass will still be available for the 2018/19 North American season, but after that it is fair to say its future is under a cloud. Telluride has already jumped ship and is now part of the Epic Pass. Given the number of Mountain Collective partners which are now part of the Ikon Pass you have to question why they would remain part of the Mountain Collective.

If resorts like Mammoth, Squaw Valley, Aspen and Jackson Hole are no longer part of the Mountain Collective it quickly loses its appeal.

From an Australian perspective, the possible demise of the Mountain Collective would affect Thredbo season pass holders, who enjoyed 50% discounts at Mountain Collective resorts.
At the time of writing Thredbo was not part of the IKON pass. However, if Thredbo was to be included in the Ikon Pass sometime in the future, and this is pure speculation, then a Thredbo season or 365 Pass would be an attractive option for Australian skiers and a strong competitor to Perisher’s Epic Pass.

The Australian market is one of the most important overseas markets for US and Canadian resorts, regularly the number one international in-bound market for Whistler, Vail, Aspen, Mammoth, Park City and Jackson Hole.

Vail Resorts recognised this and its Epic Pass has successfully maintained its share of the Australian market. Alterra and its partners are also keen to continue to attract Australian skiers and snowboarders to its resorts and no doubt the Australian market will be a target for the Ikon Pass.

Either way, if you are planning to travel to North America next winter and are interested in visiting three or four destinations, both the IKON and Epic pass are an economic and worthwhile purchase.

It just comes down to preference – the type of terrain you like to ski or ride and the resorts you want to visit.