What Is the Mountain Collective Pass?

If you’ve considered buying a skiing multi-pass this season, you’ve likely encountered one or more of the four main contenders. There are the two dominant pass programs—Ikon and Epic—and the off-the-beaten-path focused Indy Pass. And then, somewhere in the middle, lies the Mountain Collective Pass, which combines the Indy Pass’ two-day program with larger, destination-style resorts.

In this crowded marketplace, the Mountain Collective Pass has its own unique value proposition. The real question, though, is this: Should skiers buy it? For an answer—and more—read on.

How Many Ski Resorts Are on the Mountain Collective Pass?

With the wide variety of occasionally confusing pass types offered these days, the Mountain Collective Pass’ approach is refreshingly simple. It nets skiers access to 25 resorts. You get two days at each and 50% off additional lift tickets. A few notable resorts on the pass include Alta Ski Area, Utah; Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, California; and Arapahoe Basin, Colorado. Overseas travelers can check out locales like Niseko United, Japan, and Chamonix, France.

What Regions Are Best for Mountain Collective Pass Skiers?

Technically, any region could work great for a Mountain Collective Pass skier—more on that later—but there are a few notable resort clusters compatible with the pass:

• Jackson, Wyoming (or thereabouts): Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming, and Grand Targhee Resort, Wyoming, are both on the Mountain Collective Pass, as is Big Sky Resort, Montana. Between these three resorts, which are within a few hours of each other, are six total days of skiing on the Mountain Collective Pass.
• Salt Lake City, Utah: Alta Ski Area, Utah; Snowbird, Utah; and Snowbasin, Utah are all on the Mountain Collective Pass. Once again, that's three sick resorts and six total days of skiing—all packed into a tight geographic area around Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Banff, Alberta: There are options for Canadian skiers, too. Lake Louise, Alberta, and Sunshine Village, Alberta, are both on the Mountain Collective Pass. Then, a somewhat quick jaunt down the road from Banff, Alberta, is the legendary Revelstoke Mountain Resort, British Columbia.

How Much Does the Mountain Collective Pass Cost?

The Mountain Collective Pass costs $629. Teen passes are $509, and kids passes are $229.

Should I Buy a Mountain Collective Pass?

The age-old question and an even older answer: it depends. Unlike the Ikon and Epic Pass, the Mountain Collective Pass might not be your best option if you plan to hole up and do a lot of skiing at one resort. Instead, the pass, with its two ski days at each plan, is primarily for resort hoppers.

You’ll get the most out of your Mountain Collective Pass purchase if you think ahead about where you want to ski next season. Or, conversely, live in a van and have the flexibility to drive wherever the snow’s falling for quick strike missions.

Consider this: you live in Salt Lake City, Utah, and plan to do some skiing around town. Perfect. You’ve got six local days at Snowbasin, Snowbird, and Alta Ski Area. Then, for spring break, you plan a road trip up north, hitting Big Sky Resort, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and Grand Targhee Resort.

Another proposal: you grew up skiing, but work—god forbid—forced you to move to a snowless locale. Lucky you, though! Your job pays you well enough that you can afford two ski trips during the season. You fly into Jackson, Wyoming, and hit Grand Targhee Resort and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for four days of skiing. Later on, you visit Salt Lake City, Utah, stopping by Snowbasin, Alta Ski Area, and Snowbird.

If at any point during these trips, you decide you like one resort more than the rest, the Mountain Collective 50% off additional days discount helps. It also makes racking up a few more days locally beyond the two free days hurt less. Given the price of lift tickets these days, 50% off is huge.

Why Not Grab an Ikon or Epic Pass?

This is the trickier question. The Ikon and Epic Pass have unrivaled resort access at a reasonable price point, so why not grab them instead? Here’s the short answer: the Mountain Collective Pass is a bit cheaper than the flagship Ikon and Epic options .

The Ikon and Epic reduced access passes (Ikon Base Pass; Epic Local Pass) cost $969 and $746, respectively. As noted before, the Mountain Collective costs $629. For skiers that only plan to go on a few trips during the winter, reaching for the lower-cost Mountain Collective could make sense.

(For clarity: some of Epic’s lesser-known region specific passes are cheaper than the Mountain Collective Pass. The Keystone Plus Pass , which offers varied access to three Colorado resorts—with excluded peak dates—costs $399. As always, do some poking around before you pull the trigger on a multi-pass.)

Does the Mountain Collective Pass Have Black Out Dates?

There’s another huge perk of the Mountain Collective Pass—it doesn’t have pesky blackout dates, meaning you can technically ski whenever you want to. However, lodging during the busiest times of the year can be a problem at some resorts, so those who have their eyes on a popular destination should think ahead.

Does the Mountain Collective Pass Require Reservations?

Four of the 25 Mountain Collective Pass destinations require reservations. At Alta Ski Area, Utah, you’ll need an online parking reservation. Aspen Snowmass, Big Sky Resort, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, require lift reservations. While lift reservations can be a pain, they tend to make the on-mountain experience better and less crowded. Just don’t arrive at any of these destinations without securing a reservation in advance—that would suck.

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