Park City Season Pass Guide: Winter 2018-2019

While we’re lucky to have so many places to ski here in Utah, the sheer number of season pass options can sometimes be a little paralyzing. Do you abide the maxim, “Variety is the spice of life” and go for a collective pass? Do you pledge your loyalty to your favorite mountain? Do you go for the budget option? If you’re overwhelmed by choice (or if you just need updates about what’s available this year), read on. Here’s my annual season pass guide for Winter 2018-2019.

Single Mountain Passes

Deer Valley Season Passes

If you know me, you know that Deer Valley is my jam. Whether it’s winter or summer, you can find me there skiing, hiking with the family, or aprés-ing (is that a verb? It should be).

Stoke level: high.

Opening Day: 12/8
Early Bird Pricing Deadline: 10/15
Full Season Pass Price: $2,365 going up to $2,766 on 11/1
Benefit highlights: 2 tickets each to Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and Brighton; an Ikon Base Pass (if purchased by 12/13); a summer season pass
Discounted Rates: Available for couples, students, teens, children, seniors, and military
Local Hook-ups: Check out some locals’ only deals here
Another Pass Option: Midweek Season Pass (excludes weekends/holidays): starting at $1,235
Buy Now

Runs for days (Photo Credit: Park City Mountain)

Epic Pass

The Epic Pass unlocks the largest resort in the United States. So if you’re the type of rider/skier who prizes quantity and never wants to get bored, this pass may be for you.

Opening Day: November 21
Early Bird Pricing Deadline: 10/7
Epic Pass: $929 with no restrictions and access to a whopping 65 other resorts, including Vail, Telluride, Crested Butte (that’s a new one!), and many more Vail-owned resorts, plus international resorts from Canada and Japan to the Alps.
Epic Local Pass: $689 with restricted use during major holidays (discounted tickets available during these blackout dates) and access to 27 Vail-owned resorts
Park City Youth Pass: $369-$439 for unlimited access to Park City—no restrictions but also only half-price tickets available at select Vail-owned resorts
Discounted Rates: Available for kids, students, seniors, and military
Other Pass Options: The Epic 7-Day, 4-Day and and Park City 4-Pack offer Park City season pass options for those who only plan to ski a handful of days this season
Buy Now

Snowbird Season Passes

Nothing like a tram ride on a bluebird day (Photo Credit: Snowbird)

For lovers of extreme terrain, Snowbird is more than worth the trip up Little Cottonwood Canyon. It also stays open later than many area resorts and has an uber cool tram.

Opening Day: November 23
Early Bird Pricing Deadline: 9/14
Summit Pass: This is the main full season pass option for Snowbird and Snowbird only. It starts at $1,099 and has no restrictions
Benefit highlights: 2 tickets each to Alta, Solitude, and Deer Valley; 50% off Mountain Collective tickets; one free night of lodging; discounted friends; and family tickets
Discounted Rates: Available for seniors and kids
Other Pass Options: A combo Alta-Bird pass, a Value Pass, and a shareable 10-pack
Buy Now

Photo Credit: Alta

Alta Season Passes

Beware: skiers’ only! For some skiers, this makes Alta a dream. For others who have family and close shred pals who ride, that makes Alta a nightmare (well, maybe not quite that dramatic). Either way, the scene is subdued, the powder is deep, and backcountry access is plentiful.

Opening Date: November 23
Early Bird Pricing Deadline: 11/4
Unlimited Adult Season Pass: $1,o99 with no restrictions
Discounted Rates: Available for young adults, kids, seniors, military, and medical residents
Other Pass Options: A Mid-Week Pass, a Family Season Pass (a great deal!), and Alta-Bird combo passes
Buy Now

Sundance Resort Season Passes

Sundance founder Robert Redford shredding the gnar (Photo Credit: Sundance)

Sundance: not just a film festival. It’s also a picturesque resort just a few miles past Heber. Summer or winter, Sundance makes for a great place to play outdoors and enjoy a staycation. If this sounds up your alley, consider a season pass.

Opening Date: December 8
Early Bird Pricing Deadline: 10/31
Adult Unlimited Pass: $595
Benefits: Complimentary passes to Silverton Mountain in CO, 3 day passes to Brian Head Resort, discounted tickets, discounts on gear rentals, free access to nordic trails, summer lift pass
Discounted Rates: Available for youth, college students, and seniors
Other Pass Options: A Midweek Pass, VIP pass (for line cutting and other discounts), a Corporate Pass, and Night Skiing Only Pass
Buy Now

Multi-Resort Season Passes

Mountain Collective Pass

If your goal is to ski as many resorts as possible this winter, than the Collective may be for you. For under $500, you can ski two days at 17 different resorts. That’s over a month’s worth of skiing and a heck of a lot of variety. Keep it local at Alta, Snowbird, and Snowbasin. Journey north to Big Sky in Montana and Sun Valley in Idaho. And journey even further north to Banff! Mountain Collective is also family-friendly, offering the same situation for kids for just $99.

Opening Date: Varies
Early Bird Pricing Deadline: No pricing deadline, but there are only a limited number of passes available.
Mountain Collective Pass: $449 (the only pass in this list that has decreased this year)
Benefits: Discounted lift tickets at participating resorts and lodging discounts
Discounted Rates: Available for dids ($99)
Buy Now

Ikon, as in Iconic (Photo Credit: Ikon Pass)

Ikon Pass

If “Will Travel for Skiing” is your winter motto, then Ikon is a new alternative to the Mountain Collective. Offered by Alterra Mountain Co. (owner of several resorts including, most recently, Deer Valley, this “curated” pass experience rounds up 36 of the best of the best from the Rocky Mountain West and Vermont, to Canada, Australia, and Japan. In Utah, the Ikon goods are at Deer Valley, Solitude, Alta, Snowbird, and Brighton.

Opening Date: Varies
Early Bird Pricing Deadline: None
Ikon Pass: $999
Benefits: Discounts on friends and family tickets, food, and beverage; Ikon Pass holders also get first dibs on booking CMH heli-skiing trips, which tend to sell out fast.
Discounted Rates: Available for kids, students, and military
Other Pass Options: Ikon Base Pass is a more affordable option at $699, but some restrictions/blackout dates apply
Buy Now

Here are a couple more unconventional passes worth considering:

• Yeti Pass: A ticket to every resort in Utah for those who truly want to ski Utah!
• The Gold Pass: For the ballers out there, this pass entitles the holder (or whoever she or he decides to share it with) to 50 days of skiing at every Utah resort except Park City.

Other Utah Season Pass Options

A ski patroller and avy dog at Solitude (Photo Credit: Solitude)

Curious about more season pass options? There are many more places to ski our state’s signature Greatest Snow on Earth. Below I’ve included links to season pass info for all the other ski resorts in Utah—and there are oh, so many …

• Brighton Season Passes (up Big Cottonwood Canyon)
• Solitude Season Passes (up Big Cottonwood Canyon)
• Beaver Mountain Season Passes (by Bear Lake near ID border)
• Powder Mountain Season Passes (northeast of Ogden)
• Snowbasin Season Passes (east of Ogden)
• Cherry Peak Season Passes (in Richmond near ID border)
• Nordic Valley Resort Season Passes (in Eden, UT)
• Brian Head Resort Season Passes (southeastern UT near Cedar City)
• Eagle Point Resort Season Passes (southeastern UT near Beaver)

Wherever you decide to ski or board this winter, enjoy your season and let me know if you’re tempted to look at some mountain properties that will feed your need for world-class powder in the Wasatch.