Ikon Pass Details Are Out

[tball]

"...As part of its move to the Epic Pass, Telluride will withdraw from the Mountain Collective Pass for next winter. Ikon Pass resorts such as Jackson Hole, Aspen and Snowbird, however, will be remaining within the Mountain Collective." https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...skiers-real-rival-vails-epic-pass/1070807001/

I'm betting that reporting is probably wrong. There is no source for that statement, and IMO it makes zero sense for Aspen and Snowbird to remain on the Mountain Collective, even more so now following the release of the Ikon details. We'll see soon enough.

Yeah and of course Taos wasn't going to ever be on Ikon because it isn't an Alterra resort ... I'm just conflating all MY OWN NEEDS here.

Note the $399 Copper Pass has 3 days at Taos this season, as well as 3 days at Monarch and Purgatory. It will be interesting to see if those remain, are expanded with maybe CB, or are excluded completely.

For the most price sensitive on the Front Range there will still be $299-399 single mountain passes, most of which are including a few days elsewhere.

I think the $100 increase in the price of the Ikon Basic pass over the RMSP+ is well worth the cost. You now get days at Aspen, Jackson Hole, and AltaBird. That's pretty amazing given a 5 day Aspen Classic Pass cost $264 this year for those same five days.

 

[coskigirl]

They have a college student discount, maybe you can get that for being in school.

I can't seem to find details on what they consider a "college student" but I'll certainly find out. Also, if they require an ID I won't get that until August so I might lose the discount amount just in pass price increases.

 

[Andrew Pitts]

Also for those of with kiddos, RMSP+ had a promotion with free kids passes up until I think mid-April (whereas Epic always charged something for kids passes). Looks like Ikon base is an extra $149 for kids.

Looked up last year's price.

View attachment 40019

 

[Snowflake2420]

Definitely competition for Epic, however, I'm not instantly won over as a Front Ranger. Base pass is 3 resorts unlimited. I'm not in love with WP and Copper. I may just buy it for the Steamboat days and flexibility of WP and Copper....The Full Ikon is more compelling to me, unlimited at Steamboat! Aspen days are a nice touch. Guess I'm getting all the passes haha.

Re: Epic - We'll see how long I can stand A-Basin's early and late season crowds on the Epic Local. While I love the Basin, those crowds have worn my patience thin this year.

Loveland already has a nice list of reciprocal agreements, wonder if that expands at all and/or how long will Loveland hold out as independent? Anybody have inside info here?

 

[SBrown]

I can't seem to find details on what they consider a "college student" but I'll certainly find out. Also, if they require an ID I won't get that until August so I might lose the discount amount just in pass price increases.

Usually college passes can be purchased at the same price all year long because of that ID and transcript thing, but usually there is an age limit, too, which you don't meet.

 

[SBrown]

I'm betting that reporting is probably wrong. There is no source for that statement, and IMO it makes zero sense for Aspen and Snowbird to remain on the Mountain Collective, even more so now following the release of the Ikon details. We'll see soon enough..

Yes, but this isn't the only place I read it. It's just the first that came up in my search. Here's more:

"...The Mountain Collective pass, which offers two days at select resorts including Jackson Hole, will remain unchanged this year. It will work the same for next year when it launches in March, Cole said, but it’s hard to say what will happen during the 2019-20 winter season." http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/this_...cle_0621def5-7f16-5fae-8938-b4730eeddbb5.html

 

[tball]

Re: Epic - We'll see how long I can stand A-Basin's early and late season crowds on the Epic Local. While I love the Basin, those crowds have worn my patience thin this year.

Loveland already has a nice list of reciprocal agreements, wonder if that expands at all and/or how long will Loveland hold out as independent? Anybody have inside info here?

I was really hoping A-basin or Loveland would show up on the Ikon Pass.

Never say never, but Alterra said not this season in the FAQ:

WILL MORE DESTINATIONS BE JOINING THE IKON PASS?
This is the current line-up for 2018-2019.
​

 

[mdf]

This will have a huge effect on The Gathering next year.

My attempt at a summary


Oops - wrong about Blue location -- it is in Ontario! Sorry.

 

[coskigirl]

Usually college passes can be purchased at the same price all year long because of that ID and transcript thing, but usually there is an age limit, too, which you don't meet.

That's what I was thinking as well but couldn't find anything to back it up. I had a 2:45am conference call this morning so my brain is a bit foggy.

 

[coskigirl]

I was really hoping A-basin or Loveland would show up on the Ikon Pass.

Never say never, but Alterra said not this season in the FAQ:

WILL MORE DESTINATIONS BE JOINING THE IKON PASS?
This is the current line-up for 2018-2019.
​

"Current line-up" certainly leaves room for changes.

 

[PinnacleJim]

This seems to be focused on competing with the Epic pass for western skiers, especially locals from Denver. As a Killington pass holder with a condo there, this is useless. Only limited days at Killington and nothing at Pico. Big disappointment.

 

[Blue Streak]

Game changer.
https://www.ikonpass.com/en/?utm_ca...source=alterra_aspen_nurture&utm_medium=Email

 

[Green08]

The Ikon Base Pass is almost exactly what I expected the lower tier pass to be---it is essentially a mashup of the RMSP, MC, and Max.

Alterra had the chance to study each of those pass products and the financials and hopefully come up with a goldilocks hybrid.

20 days in northern New England, plus Tremblant, and a trip out west is the Max Pass formula down to a T. The western resorts are certainly different, but an improved different.

 

[focker]

I was really hoping A-basin or Loveland would show up on the Ikon Pass.

Never say never, but Alterra said not this season in the FAQ:

WILL MORE DESTINATIONS BE JOINING THE IKON PASS?
This is the current line-up for 2018-2019.
​

That would mean it would have to be dropped from the Epic pass however.

Loveland can be skied so inexpensively already it's inclusion doesn't make too much of a difference IMO compared to the much more expensive other resorts.

 

[TheArchitect]

Game changer.
https://www.ikonpass.com/en/?utm_ca...source=alterra_aspen_nurture&utm_medium=Email

I'm confused. The graphic on that page says the adult pass is 18+. It also says a child pass is 12 and under. What pass is supposed to be for my son who will be 13 in July?

Edit: I found a page with teen pricing

Even better, the cutoff date for a child pass is at the date of purchase, not the age when the ski season starts. So I can get my son a Child base pass for $149 along with mine for $599.

 

[Green08]

If the Epic Pass is going to become a factor in New England, I would watch for a Telluride like partnership with Okemo/Sunapee/CB, and for Vail to outbid everyone for Jay Peak and Burke.

The 7 days at Telluride on the Epic Pass tells me everybody knew what the general pass situation was going to be, and most western resorts on the MCP or Max were given the option to pick sides.

 

[fatbob]

So much for not competing with the Epic pass - this is pretty much tanks on the lawn for Cali and Colo. Copper folks prepare for Breck/Keystone style crowds. Yep doesn't help you on price if you're a condo owner at one of the limited areas but also is a fair grab for the EC drive up market. Hell even Calgarian weekend warriors might consider it their main pass - 14 days across Banff/Louise/Revy plus a road trip to Big Sky etc .

Only ambiguity is in the combined 7 days - I assume this means you get 7 days at Aspen's hill plus 7 at Banff's etc but could be read as if you burn them all at Aspen no poutine for you.

 

[Juanito]

I agree with @PinnacleJim that this is useless to local pass holders at the 7-day limited resorts. It will be interesting to see if these resorts try to continue charging top dollar for unlimited season passes. At Deer Valley this year it's $2295 for a full adult pass and $1170 for a senior pass.

 

[Started at 53]

Being DV will be our home mountain, and I DO NOT see us driving 2 hours each way to Alta/Bird, this means nothing to us.

We will be buying two DV season passes. FYI, the 2nd season pass does come at about a $500 discount.

 

[fatbob]

I thought DV locals wanted high pass prices to keep the riff raff out?

It's pretty clear that they don't see Utah as somewhere where they directly need to compete with Epic as the Ikon resorts are sufficiently differentiated (& in any event 14 days will be enough for many casual skiers in SLC)