Two ski pass purchase deadlines are looming that could severely limit your skiing and snowboarding options this winter if you let them come and go without buying.
Sunday is the deadline to buy Epic Pass products for this season. The deadline for Ikon Passes follows on Thursday, Dec. 10.
Skiers and riders without those pass products could find it much more difficult to ski where and when they want because mountain access restrictions related to COVID-19 are designed to prioritize pass-holders.
“For any guests who do not purchase a pass before the deadline, lift tickets will go on sale on Dec. 8, with sales limited based on the number of spaces available for any given day after our exclusive pass-holder priority booking window,” said Johnna Muscente, a spokesperson for Vail Resorts and Epic Pass.
That pass-holder priority booking window for Epic Pass-holders closes on Monday.
You don’t need to buy a season Epic Pass to get in on the fun, either. Epic Day Passes can be bought for one day or more, up to seven.
There also are advantages to securing an Ikon Pass product before the deadline passes.
“If someone misses the Dec 10 Ikon Pass deadline and wants to ski at any of the resorts, they need to contact that resort directly and see what products are still available,” said Kristin Rust, a spokeswoman for the Alterra Mountain Company, which helped create the Ikon Pass in 2018. “Ikon Pass does not determine partner products. Those products will vary by resort and available products may depend on occupancy, available terrain, day of the week.”