The Little Pass That Could

Move over Ikon and Epic, there are even more reasons now to love the Indy Pass.

First, let’s start with the principle of it: we believe in buying local and supporting local businesses, which in turn buy local and keep the Vermont economy going.

Then there’s cost: For $199, the Indy Pass gives you two days of skiing at each of more than 50 resorts for $199. That’s less than the price of a day ticket at Vail last season (which reached a high of $209).

But the real reason? The Indy Pass gives access to a growing bunch of kick-ass independent ski areas that are short on lift lines, long on soul and will give you a chance to socially distance yourself from the epic masses this coming season. And there are more additions to the Pass this year.

In Vermont, the 2020/21  Indy Pass resorts include three ski areas that are known for their deep and their steeps and loaded with independent, no-fuss, all-fun spirit: family-owned Bolton Valley, which is dominating the backcountry scene,  fun-loving Magic Mountain and family-friendly Suicide Six. Recently, New Hampshire’s Cannon Mountain joined this crowd, along with Black Mountain and Pat’s Peak. Elsewhere in New England, Indy skiers can check out Mt. Abram in Maine, Berkshire East and Catamount in Massachusetts and Mohawk in Connecticut and Greek Peak in central New York.

And if you’re willing to travel and want to discover some of the cooler Indy Pass areas out west, places such as Mission Ridge in Washington State, Red Lodge in Montana, and Castle Mountain in Alberta are big mountains that are home to huge dumps and gnarly terrain and see few crowds.

And if you already have a pass at one of these resorts, adding on an Indy Pass will give you a chance to ski around for just a $129 add-on.

Best of all, if you use your pass fewer than 4 days for whatever reason, you get a credit —80 percent if you haven’t used it at all down to 20 percent if you skied three days.