What Is the Ikon Pass?

It’s a mega-pass world —we’re just living in it. The Ikon Pass is one of the largest ski pass offerings on the market. Learn more about how it differs from the Epic Pass , and the other passes out there.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2024-2025 Ikon Pass.

Who Sells the Ikon Pass?

The Ikon Pass is sold by Alterra Mountain Company, a conglomerate that began forming in 2017 (the name Alterra debuted in 2018) and quickly brought numerous ski resorts into its fold. The conglomerate’s portfolio includes several heavy-hitting destinations, like Mammoth Mountain, California; Crystal Mountain, Washington; and Deer Valley Resort, Utah.

How Many Ski Resorts Are on the Ikon Pass?

The Ikon Pass touts unlimited access at 17 resorts and up to seven days of skiing each at 41 resorts. In total, you can ski over 50 resorts with the Ikon Pass. Many of these destinations are stateside, but the Ikon Pass has a foothold in Japan, Europe, and Canada. Alterra Mountain Company also offers two other primary Ikon Pass variants—the Ikon Base Plus Pass and the Ikon Base Pass—which provide reduced access for lower price points.

What Regions Are Best for Ikon Pass Skiers?

Technically, any city or town that’s within driving distance of a participating resort could work for prospective Ikon Pass users—it depends on your goals for the ski season—but more on that later. Here are a few locales where the Ikon Pass really shines for skiers who want to hit as many resorts as possible without trekking too far:

• Salt Lake City, Utah: While there’s only one unlimited access Ikon Pass resort in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area—Solitude Mountain Resort—there are numerous Utah destinations with up to seven ski days each, like Alta Ski Area, Snowbasin, and Snowbird (Ikon Pass holders get seven days at Alta and Snowbird combined, not each). You can make Solitude your home base while scoping Salt Lake’s other offerings.
• Colorado: With Ikon Pass, you can visit four unlimited-access resorts in Colorado, as well as a few limited-access resorts.
• The Northeast: Stratton and Sugarbush Resort, Vermont, are both unlimited-access Ikon Pass resorts. Other Northeast classics, like Loon Mountain, Sunday River, and Killington, are also available with limited days.

Strategic ski trip planners could probably cook up similarly effective uses of the Ikon Pass, so don't hesitate to scope the available resorts and do some research.

Should I Buy an Ikon Pass?

Think about where and how much you want to ski next winter.  Then, see if your home resort is available with the Ikon Pass, which, like the Epic Pass, tends to benefit skiers with vacations in mind. If you only want to ski at one resort, there may be cheaper options, but if you’re a regular weekend warrior with some trips planned, it's tough to beat the flexibility associated with the Ikon Pass, provided it covers your local haunt.

Here’s a proposed Ikon Pass program. Say you spend most of your winter at Palisades Tahoe, California, but also want to go on a few vacations. You add a weeklong Mammoth Mountain, California, road trip to your itinerary, and find a friend’s couch to crash on in Salt Lake City, Utah, for a few days so you can ski Alta and Snowbird. Without an Ikon Pass, these collective ski days would be expensive . But with an Ikon Pass, it’s manageable.

Make sure to consider other multi-pass products, too. The Mountain Collective and the Indy Pass (the Indy Pass is currently sold out) provide two days of skiing at each involved resort. Either of those options could work great for skiers who briefly sample multiple ski areas.

What Types of Ikon Passes Are There?

There are three main Ikon Pass variants: the Ikon Pass, the Ikon Base Plus Pass, and the Ikon Base Pass. With each pass type, you’ll get a different level of access. As noted before, the Ikon Pass provides unlimited skiing at 17 destinations alongside up to seven days at an additional 41 destinations—it also doesn’t have any blackout dates. The Ikon Base Plus Pass and the Ikon Base Pass have varying reduced resort access and blackout dates at some resorts. To compare the Ikon Pass variants in detail, click here.

What Does the Ikon Pass Cost?

The Ikon Pass costs $1,359, the Ikon Base Plus Pass costs $1,219, and the Ikon Base Pass costs $969.

What Are Blackout Dates?

Blackout dates are days when a season pass won’t work at any given resort. The Ikon Pass doesn’t have blackout dates, but the cheaper options—the Ikon Base Plus Pass and the Ikon Base Pass—do. Before grabbing whatever pass you settle on, review blackout dates so you don’t arrive at the hill and realize you can’t ski. Another note: the Ikon Base Plus Pass and the Ikon Base Pass blackout dates aren’t nearly extensive enough to derail a ski season—they just require a bit more planning to navigate around. These are the specifics.

Does the Ikon Pass Require Lift Reservations?

Love it or hate it, several resorts throughout North America have implemented varying reservation systems to reduce skier traffic on peak days. With the Ikon Pass, you may need to contend with reservations depending on where you want to ski. A few heavy-hitters covered by the Ikon Pass, like Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming, and Big Sky Resort, Montana, require lift reservations, but most of the included resorts don’t. As always, know before you go.

What Ikon Pass Perks Are There?

Ikon Pass holders earn a number of benefits through the Peak Perks program. There are food, gear, and heli-skiing discounts, among other bonuses, like early lift rides at select destinations on designated days. All of the included Peak Perks are specified at the bottom of this webpage.

Related: Winter '24/'25 Ski Mega-Pass Buyer's Guide

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