Early Savings on Multi-Resort Season Passes

It’s now official: Stowe is part of Vail’s Epic Pass, Sugarbush is part of the The Mountain Collective and Killington, Okemo, Pico and Stratton are included in the M.A.X Pass. The key thing: to take advantage of early season discounts you may need to buy as early as April 9. Here’s the pass deals that have been released so far this season.

THE MOUNTAIN COLLECTIVE

This year, Sugarbush joins the Mountain Collective, one of the widest-ranging multi-resort passes ever (replacing Stowe, which was part of the Mountain Collective last year). The early season deal is $399 which earns you 2 days free skiing at each of 16 resorts and additional days for half price (a total of 32 days).

It’s a sweet collection which includes Alta and Snowbird, Aspen Snowmass, Banff/Sunshine, Jackson Hole, Lake Louise, Mammoth, Revelstoke, Snowbasin, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Sun Valley, Taos, Telluride and Thredbo in Australia. There are no blackout dates and only a limited number of passes will be sold at this price. The best part? For kids 12 and under the pass costs just $1.

Sugarbush Resort

If you simply buy a Sugarbush season pass, you also get half price tickets at the Mountain Collective resorts. For 2017/18, Sugarbush Resort offers adult Premium Passes for $799, with additional discounts for seniors (ages 65-79: $699; ages 80-89: $149; ages 90+ ski free),  youth (ages 7-18: $349), young adults (ages 19-29: $349), and new this year, a 30’s pass, which offers skiers and riders ages 30-39 a season pass for $549.

THE EPIC PASS

Vail Resorts’ 2017/18 Epic Pass is on sale at an early-season rate of $859 and gives access to a total of 45 resorts around the world, including Stowe, Vermont. And, if you buy your Epic Pass before April 9, you get 6 discounted  buddy tickets at a fixed price (which varies by resort).

The 2017/18 Epic Pass is good for unlimited days at Vail Resort’s 14 resorts. These include Stowe, Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb, Breckenridge, Keystone, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Wilmot, Afton Alps, Mt. Brighton, Perisher (2018 access) and Arapahoe Basin.Epic Pass holders also get limited access to 30 European ski resorts including Verbier and Les 4 Vallées in Switzerland, Les 3 Vallées in France; Arlberg in Austria; and Skirama Dolomiti Adamello Brenta in Italy.

The newest addition is Stowe Mountain Resort, whose operations Vail intends to purchase and add to its portfolio. “We’re excited to continue to provide our guests with exceptional experiences and build upon the unprecedented value of the Epic Pass with the addition of Whistler Blackcomb and Stowe Mountain Resort for the 2017-2018 winter season,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts. Vail expects to close on the Stowe sale after the close of the season, however the “6 buddy passes” deal is only good through April 9. Vail Resorts will also be offering a Stowe-only season pass once the sale is complete.

For those who don’t plan on skiing a full season, there’s also the Epic Local Pass™: For $639, you get 10 days at Stowe (subject to the closing of the acquisition), Vail, Beaver Creek and Whistler Blackcomb with holiday restrictions; unlimited and unrestricted skiing and snowboarding at Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin; and skiing and snowboarding at Park City, Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood with limited restrictions. A child pass (ages five to 12) is $339.

THE M.A.X. PASS

The M.A.X. Pass returns with five days of skiing at 44 mountains this year, totaling 220 available days to hit the slopes. The pass, offered now at an early-bird price (buy before May 1) of $629, extends an “add-on” option to pass holders at any of the participating resorts for $329. The add-on gives access to all other mountains on the M.A.X. Pass for the designated five days. Returning Vermont resorts include Okemo, Killington, Pico Mountain and Stratton, and six new additions to the pass include: Belleayre Mountain (NY), Gore Mountain (NY), Granite Peak (WI), Lusten Resort (MN), Whiteface Mountain (NY) and Windham Mountain (NY)

In New England, the M.A.X. Pass is also good at Maine’s Sunday River and Sugarloaf; New York’s Whiteface and Gore Mountains, and New Hampshire’s Mount Sunapeee and Loon Mountains.

Some of the bigger Western mountains in the M.A.X. Pass include Big Sky, Montana; Steamboat, Winter Park, Crested Butte and Copper Mountain in Colorado; Kicking Horse in British Columbia and Aleyska, Alaska.

Killington Resort

Killington’s Unlimited Pass is available at $899 until June 15 (compared to $1289 last September). It includes: unlimited skiing or riding with no blackout dates, unrestricted access to Pico Mountain, discounts on lodging, snow sports lessons, food, beverage and retail, discounts on passes for the Killington Bike Park and Snowshed Adventure Center, four discounted bring-a-friend tickets, and eligibility for a M.A.X. Pass add-on. The Midweek Pass, with some blackout dates, is offered at $479. The 4.0 College Pass is offered at $369 and gives students access to Killington, Pico, Okemo and Mount Sunapee. The Vermont Student Pass ($329) is valid for students in grades K-12 without exception, all season long.

Okemo Resort

This year, Okemo’s early-bird offerings can save you up to $526 on adult unlimited season passes. The Ultimate Pass, offered at $1,139 until April 30, includes unlimited skiing and riding at Okemo and its sister resort, Mount Sunapee, in New Hampshire, along with an additional three days at Killington Resort. The Ultimate Pass will also include four full-day “buddy” lift tickets at a discounted price of $59, plus unlimited access to Okemo’s ice rink and Nordic center. In the summers, pass holders will have access to Okemo’s Adventure Zone and evolution bike park. The price will increase to $1,619 after April 30. Okemo’s Classic Pass, which features unlimited skiing and riding at Okemo and Sunapee, is offered at $849 until April 30, at which time the price will be raised to $1,375. Click here to see additional options.

Stratton

Stratton’s early deals feature a slew of new options with a wide range of pricing. The Summit Pass ($1279) includes early lift access on weekends and holidays, a new “Kids Ski Free” perk, and early access guess pass and five-day access to Tremblant and Blue & Snowshoe Resorts. Next on the pricing tier is the Spirit Pass ($799), which offers unlimited access and a $299 option for ages 7 though 17. A low, $399 option called the Value Pass is valid every day, with the exception of 17 black-out dates. Stratton’s young adult pass, the Strattitude, is offered to skiers and riders ages 19-29 for $349, and the Sunday Pass is offered at just $229 to all ages.

THE JUDGE PASS

The Judge Pass bundles together a season pass to Jay Peak and to Burke Mountain Resort.  One of the buy-early bonuses:  if you purchase before the end of the 2016+17 season, you can use it to ski and ride through the rest of this winter too.

Also, if you purchase by the 06/05/17 deadline, you also receive a 1-day pass for the Pump House Indoor Waterpark (valid anytime through April 29th, 2018). This perk will be added to passes (Jay Only and Jay Peak + Burke combo passes) purchased through Jay Peak. The only passes that will not receive the free waterpark day pass are the Toddler, Beginner Zone and Corporate passes.

Canadian guests, with valid proof of current residency, can purchase their season pass at par by cash or check.

Burke

The Burke-only season pass goes on sale on March 11 and will remain the same price points in tier 1 with adult passes starting at just $599.  Pass holders also have the option to add a Burke Bike Park season pass to their winter season pass purchase for just $99/adult and/or $49/junior.  Pass holders who purchase an adult, senior 1 or 2, couples or Family pass will receive 2 complimentary buddy vouchers valid to ski/ride Burke Mountain during the 2017/18 winter season.

Jay

Buy a Jay-only pass for $699 before June 5, and you’ll save $270 on an unlimited adult pass. Jay will raise the price to $819 from June 6 until October 9, at which point the full-price pass will cost $969. A midweek pass for Jay is priced at $449, and family passes (two of which must be purchased) cost $649 until June 5.

MOUNT SNOW/PEAK PASS

Mount Snow’s 2017/18 Peak Pass, which debuted last season, went on sale on March 3 and you have until April 30 to get the early season discount. The Peak Pass features a total of six pass options valid at seven different mountain locations across four states in the Northeast. Resorts include Mount Snow in Vermont; Attitash, Wildcat and Crotched Mountains in New Hampshire; Hunter Mountain in New York; and Jack Frost and Big Boulder in Pennsylvania.

The top-level Explorer Pass features access to unlimited skiing and riding starting at $399 for youth ages 7 to 17, and only $599 for adults, if purchased by April 30, 2017.  Along with unlimited access to seven resorts, the Explorer Pass features  retail, lodging, and bring-a-friend discounts/

Other passes include the Drifter Pass, priced at $399 for 18-29 year olds; the Ranger Pass at $499 (all ages), featuring 11 blacked out holiday dates; the Traveler Pass at $299 (all ages) that offers midweek-only skiing and riding; and the Scout Pass at just $60 for seven-resort access for children ages six and younger.  All spring prices are valid until April 30, 2017, and offer the additional bonus of skiing for the remainder of the 2016-2017 spring skiing season.

Avid skiers and snowboarders may purchase the passes outright, or take advantage of a $99-down payment plan.  Payment plan participants will also be able to ski the remainder of this season while paying off their pass in four equal, monthly payments starting in May. www.mountsnow.com

Photo courtesy Stowe Mountain Resort.