The high country is reporting its first dusting of snow, ski and snowboard sales are starting to pop up around Colorado, and there’s that familiar chill in the air that that can only mean one thing: It’s time to buy a ski pass! Yes, the annual excitement for ski season always seems to come with the knowledge that some cash will need to be dropped on a pass to access said freshies, but now is the time to invest in an Epic winter. Vail Resorts is offering their lowest pass prices by September 7th for access to unparalleled terrain, along with having some pretty exciting upgrades and expansions in the works for the upcoming season. This is the year to go Epic.
Go Big or Go Home
For those that plan on shredding every inch of snow that falls on some of Colorado’s best mountains, and some in California, Utah, Michigan, Minnesota, Switzerland, along with some hot laps in Australia, the Epic Pass is the best deal in ski passes. Period. No black out dates, no restrictions, and 32,000 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain make the Epic Pass the end all for winter sports enthusiasts. Additionally, with Vail Resort’s purchase of Perisher, in Australia, and five consecutive days when staying at in resort accommodations in Verbier, Switzerland, the opportunity to stack powder days year round, at some of the best ski destinations in the world, is at your ski tips. If purchased before September 7th, the Epic Pass is available for $769 for adults (paying itself off in less than five days of skiing or riding), and $399 for kids.
Pay Less, Charge Hard
The Epic Local Pass is another option for skiers and snowboarders looking to get in some serious days on the mountain, without as much of a financial commitment. The Epic Local Pass offers unlimited and unrestricted access to Keystone, Breckenridge, and Arapahoe Basin, along with ten days at Beaver Creek and Vail. At $579, the Epic Local Pass pays for itself in four days, and is available for children for $299. Similarly, Colorado parents with young kids (kindergarten through 5th grade) now have the ability to utilize Vail Resort’s new Epic SchoolKids program, which works in conjunction with the Epic Local Pass to give young skiers and riders four free days at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone.
Continuously Improving
2015 has been a big year for Vail Resorts in terms of expansion and upgrades to its already extensive network of world class resorts. The biggest of the big news coming out of VR was its acquisition of Park City and merger with Canyons Resort, creating a 7,300 acre, renovated Park City. Connected by Gondola, and featuring new trails, and upgraded lifts and restaurants, the new Park City is set to be the biggest ski resort in the United States. Similarly, the purchase of Perisher Resort in Australia is another major move by Vail Resorts that should be mutually beneficial to Aussies looking to hit the North American slopes, and for snow sports enthusiasts wanting to take some laps down under. Not only is Perisher the most visited resort in Australia, its convenient location in New South Wales near Canberra makes it easy to access for Epic Pass holders looking to slide on some Southern Hemisphere snow.
Major on mountain renovations have been hitting the hills all summer in Colorado as well, with Vail’s Avanti Express Lift (Chair 2) being renovated from a four seater to a six seat lift, and expanded snow making capabilities at both Beaver Creek and Breckenridge. The introduction of EpicMix Time is set to be another breakthrough for Vail Resorts, as it will deliver real time chair lift wait times to guests. EpicMix Time will offer up to date wait times at 55 chair lifts and gondolas throughout Colorado, which means no Chair Five surprises on a powder day.
Head to Vail Resort’s wesbite to lock in the lowest price for this winter season by September 7th, and to experience what it truly means to have an Epic winter.
