Though most of us are concentrating on having fun with the waning days of summer time, it is by no means too early to consider winter. Whereas planning far prematurely can really feel daunting for some, now is definitely among the finest occasions to buy your 2025-2026 season ski move. Actually, all season passes for subsequent yr have been introduced this spring, and the costs of some choices are solely rising as autumn grows ever nearer.
Whereas many region- and mountain-specific passes can be found, there are 4 important ski move choices for North American skiers and snowboarders: the Epic Move, the Ikon Move, the Mountain Collective and the Indy Move.
If your loved ones solely takes one or two journeys to the mountains in a season, you may suppose a season move is not value it for you. Imagine it or not, this usually is not true.
Single-day raise tickets usually price greater than $200 at main mountains, particularly on weekends and through peak dates, and annual passes begin at round $400. So, many snow-loving households will really be higher off choosing a move than paying particular person raise ticket costs, even when they solely use it a number of occasions. That is very true now that a number of passes have choices designed for many who plan to ski for only a few days.
This is a take a look at the 4 important ski passes that will help you determine which would be the best choice for you this ski season.
Ikon Move
The Ikon Move lets you ski at about 60 locations worldwide. This consists of well-liked ski resorts similar to Winter Park Resort, Aspen Snowmass, Copper Mountain, Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain Ski Space, Stratton Mountain Resort, Sugarbush Resort and Mont Tremblant.
Since there are various varieties of skiers on the market, Ikon presents three totally different move choices. This lets you buy the move that works for you and your loved ones — whereas permitting you to economize alongside the way in which.
The complete-access Ikon Move provides you limitless entry to 18 resorts and as much as seven days at 43 extra locations all through the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia. The great thing about this move is that there are not any date restrictions, so you may hypothetically ski daily this winter. This move is at the moment marked at $1,429 for adults (23 years and older), however you may discover discounted pricing for youngsters, school college students, nurses and navy members.
In the event you aren’t trying to ski as a lot — or throughout peak time intervals — you’ll be able to as a substitute go for the Ikon Base Move.
Reward your inbox with the TPG Each day e-newsletter
Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
This selection has blackout dates and caps you at 5 ski days at choose resorts. Some resorts are excluded. The Ikon Base Move is at the moment $1,009 for adults. As with the full-access move, there’s cheaper pricing for youngsters, school college students, nurses and navy members.
In the event you suppose you may hit the slopes lower than a handful of occasions this winter, you’ll be able to as a substitute buy an Ikon Session Move, which is available in two-day, three-day and four-day choices. For an grownup raise ticket, the two-day move is $329, the three-day move is $409 and the four-day move is $489. The dates don’t should be consecutive or on the similar resort. For instance, you should utilize it for 2 days at Steamboat Ski Resort and one other two days at Mammoth Mountain. Remember that there are blackout dates for this selection.
Each the Ikon Move and Ikon Base Move provide friends-and-family reductions on raise tickets, which give 25% off the common ticket window worth to your buddies. You need to use this in any respect Ikon Move mountains in the course of the season — aside from among the worldwide resorts — and blackout dates apply. (Observe: This profit doesn’t include the Ikon Session Move, any of the kid passes or the passes for youths age 4 and youthful.) You may obtain a slight low cost on meals, retail and extra at choose resort locations.
If you are going to buy an Ikon Move for the 2025-2026 ski season however find yourself not anticipating to make use of it as a result of your plans change, you’ll be able to defer the associated fee towards a 2026-2027 Ikon Move — no questions requested. You may make this resolution till Dec. 11 if the move is wholly unused.
Associated: I had a free day in Denver and determined to take the ski practice
Epic Move
One of many largest and hottest passes out there is the Epic Move, which presents choices that cater to every particular person skier or rider.
The Epic Move is inexpensive than the competing Ikon Move and presents entry to 38 locations throughout the U.S. and lots of extra resorts all through Canada, Europe, Australia and Japan. Some well-known resorts underneath the Epic Move umbrella are Vail Ski Resort, Beaver Creek Resort, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Park Metropolis Mountain, Northstar California Resort, Heavenly Ski Resort, Stowe Mountain Resort, Okemo Mountain Resort and Whistler Blackcomb.
Associated: The precise — and flawed — age for youths to start out snowboarding
If you wish to ski all through the nation most days of the week, you may need to look into the total Epic Move — however be aware that the costs have elevated as of early September, and there is a first rate likelihood we’ll see a worth enhance once more in some unspecified time in the future this fall. At $1,097 for an grownup move (ages 13 and up) or $560 for a kid move (ages 5 to 12), you may obtain limitless snowboarding at virtually all areas with no blackout dates. (Within the U.S., Telluride Ski Resort is the one location the place you may be capped at simply seven days.)
The Epic Native Move, then again, consists of entry to most (although not all) of the identical resorts, however you may have some peak-date restrictions at choose resorts. Pricing is inexpensive — simply $816 for an grownup move (ages 19 and up), $660 for youths ages 13 by means of 18 and $425 for youngsters ages 5 by means of 12.
In case you are within the navy (present, lively or dependent), are an individual with disabilities or are in school, you should buy among the passes at a reduction.
In the event you do not plan to ski greater than seven days within the season, you’ll be able to personalize the Epic Day Move with the precise variety of raise ticket days you want. Resorts will fall into one among three classes, so the inexpensive resorts will include a barely decrease move worth. Charges will even rely on whether or not you’re snowboarding on a vacation.
With this selection, you’ll be able to finally ski for as little as $49 per day for adults or $25 per day for youths.
Along with the Epic Move and Epic Native Move, there are numerous different regional move choices primarily based on totally different areas throughout the nation. That is nice for many who need to ski in particular areas or resorts.
All 2025-2026 Epic Move purchases include free protection that protects you in opposition to job loss, resort closure, stay-at-home orders and extra. Observe that this built-in protection comes with caveats, however it should present precise refunds, not simply future credit score.
You may additionally obtain entry to Epic Mountain Rewards, which can present discounted perks, together with 20% off ski classes, lodging, meals and leases. This low cost is out there in any respect Vail-owned resorts (not associate resorts) and extends to all passholders, even those that solely select to buy the Epic Day Move.
Epic Passes now include Epic Good friend Tickets, which give your family and friends with 50% off the walk-up raise ticket worth at Vail Resorts’ North American mountains. All passes bought after April 15 embrace six Epic Good friend Tickets, which can be utilized anytime in the course of the season. This new profit has changed the beforehand provided Ski With a Good friend and Buddy tickets.
Mountain Collective
Mountain Collective has a household of 27 resorts, together with massive names similar to Aspen Snowmass, Taos Ski Valley, Banff Sunshine, Jackson Gap Mountain Resort, Solar Valley Resort and Snowbasin Resort. And new this season, passholders have entry to Whiteface Mountain.
With the move, you get two included days of snowboarding or snowboarding at every resort with no blackout dates; then, you get 50% off extra ski days. Notably, there are not any vacation restrictions with this move — that is large in case you’re planning a ski journey throughout peak weeks.
Mountain Collective sells a restricted variety of passes at every money charge earlier than the associated fee sometimes will increase. Proper now, the move prices $669 for adults, $539 for teenagers ages 13 by means of 18 and $259 for youngsters 12 and youthful.
Clearly, the extra you ski on the totally different taking part resorts, the decrease your each day price. At present charges, the Mountain Collective move typically pays off after 4 or 5 days of snowboarding.
Indy Move
This move got here on the scene at first of the 2019 ski season and has gained reputation previously few years.
The Indy Move works equally to the Mountain Collective, the place you’re capped at a sure variety of days per resort. Nonetheless, with greater than 270 smaller, independently owned ski resorts eligible, there isn’t a scarcity of terrain to cowl. Those that take pleasure in cross-country snowboarding will even have entry to many cross-country resorts (included within the complete variety of resorts).
With this move, you may obtain two days at every taking part resort. If you wish to ski a 3rd day, you may obtain 25% off the ticket-window pricing.
Indy Move gross sales are extremely restricted, and whereas the move offered out earlier this yr, gross sales lately reopened. Whereas there is not any set date on when the move will go off sale for the yr, we assume will probably be by mid- to late-September on the newest. If you find yourself lacking the chance to buy the move, and it is one thing you is perhaps fascinated by for subsequent yr, we advise signing up for the emails so that you might be within the know instantly.
On the possibility you should buy a move for this winter, the Indy Move presents two choices: the Indy+ Move and the Indy Base Move. The Indy+ Move lets you go to all of the resorts any day the mountain is open, whereas the marginally inexpensive Indy Base Move comes with blackout dates. (There is not any set blackout date timeframe; as a substitute, every particular person resort has its personal listing.)
At present, the Indy+ Move prices $599 for adults and $329 for youngsters 12 and youthful, whereas the Indy Base Move is simply $449 for adults and $299 for youngsters 12 and youthful.
There’s additionally a cross-country resort entry move for much less. Or, for newcomers, a brand new Study to Flip choice was simply launched. This selection consists of three visits at choose resorts, plus a newbie rental and lesson.
Moreover, there’s a whole listing of allied resorts the place, as a passholder, you may obtain reductions on each day raise tickets (50% off midweek and nonpeak weekend costs and 25% off posted holidays and peak weekends).
As you’ll be able to see, the Indy Move is a considerably extra reasonably priced different to the Epic, Ikon and Mountain Collective choices. Since these resorts aren’t a part of the larger passes, you may sometimes see fewer crowds and extra affordable pricing for classes, too. These with the Indy Move may also obtain lodging offers at particular mountains.
Whereas it is perhaps troublesome to snag the move for the 2025-2026 season, it is nonetheless an awesome choice to bear in mind for subsequent yr — or in case you’re capable of safe your plans instantly earlier than move gross sales shut.
You possibly can preview the Indy Move mountains by area: West, Rockies, Midwest, East, Mid-Atlantic and Japan.
Which ski move is one of the best?
The million-dollar (or $400 to $1,000-plus) query: Which annual ski move is greatest?
If you would like an reasonably priced ski move that offers you entry to the most important variety of resorts doable, then the Indy Move is the way in which to go. It is lower than half the value of the opposite passes (although you’re capped at two days per resort). And whereas move gross sales may finish at any level, it is an awesome choice to bear in mind for subsequent yr as properly.
For entry to a lot of upscale ski resorts, it is laborious to beat the Epic Move. The native model of the move can be nice in case you aren’t visiting on most peak days.
The Ikon Move may also provide limitless snowboarding at many different fascinating resorts.
Or, in case you nonetheless need to go to among the bigger-name mountains however are taking a look at a number of shorter ski journeys to totally different mountains, then the Mountain Collective will provide you with entry to well-liked mountains at a cheaper price level. You simply should be prepared to modify up your resorts of alternative.
The extra restrictive move tiers within the Ikon and Epic households are additionally good methods to economize in case you do not need to ski throughout Christmas, Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend or Presidents Day weekend.
With so many move choices, it is best to map out your required resorts earlier than determining which move works greatest. In fact, the value could play a giant half in your resolution as properly.
Backside line
Selecting an annual ski move shouldn’t be a straightforward resolution. Ski passes are normally on sale by means of the autumn, so there’s time to determine. Nonetheless, we’re already previous early pricing reductions for some passes, so you don’t need the next-tier pricing to soften away.
When making a move resolution, you’ll want to take into consideration the place you need to ski (and the way ceaselessly you may ski there), if you need to ski, if it’s essential to unfold out funds and what the protections are if the season throws us some curveballs.
I additionally like to contemplate which resort areas have points-friendly resorts, so we are able to keep close to the mountain with out spending a bunch of money on lodging. To make the choice harder, some mountains are on multiple move. So, seize a cup of sizzling cocoa and map out all the particulars to your winter ski journeys whereas evaluating the specifics of every move.
My household can be buying the Epic Move for the fifth yr in a row. This previous winter, we skied greater than 20 days at resorts in New Hampshire, Vermont and Colorado. The move introduced our each day price to round $30 per individual — and even much less for my children. In comparison with common raise costs, this proved to be an unbelievable deal primarily based on how ceaselessly we hit the slopes.
Even in case you do not end up on the mountain each weekend, like my household, there is a good likelihood that planning forward and buying a move will prevent an excellent chunk of change for subsequent winter.
