As summer time winds down into fall, and winter looms on the horizon, skiers and riders all around the world are confronted with an annual conundrum: To Epic Go, or to Ikon Go? That’s the query.
It’s a selection that can outline your ski season, who you ski with, the place, how a lot you pay, and what sorts of advantages you get together with your ski move. Each the Epic and Ikon provide a bunch of various perks, reductions, buddy move offers, and extra. And each entry a number of the greatest ski terrain on the planet.
You may’t go fallacious between the 2, nevertheless it’s price understanding precisely what the variations are earlier than you pull the set off on both one.
Effectively, fret not, as a result of GearJunkie has completed the laborious be just right for you. You don’t need to open a number of tabs and home windows, flip forwards and backwards, and take notes to check these two passes. We’ve already completed all that. All it’s a must to do is weigh your choices and decide.
So, with out additional ado, right here is your full breakdown and comparability of the Epic Go versus the Ikon Go. Let’s dive in.
Facet by Facet: Epic vs. Ikon
Value
We gained’t beat across the bush. Value is all the time the primary variable folks need to issue into their season ski move resolution.
Each the Epic and Ikon are provided in two tiers. The highest tier is the complete Ikon and full Epic Go. The second, cheaper tier — which presents fewer advantages, extra restrictions on locations, and is topic to blackout dates — is the Epic Native and Ikon Base Go.
| EPIC PASS | IKON PASS |
|---|---|
| Grownup: $1,075 | Grownup: $1,429 |
| Youngsters (12 and below): $548 | Younger grownup (13 to 22): $1,089 |
| Youngsters (5 to 12): $439 | |
| 4 and below: $149 |
| EPIC LOCAL PASS | IKON BASE PASS |
|---|---|
| Grownup: $799 | Grownup: $1,009 |
| Teen (13 to 18): $646 | Younger grownup (12 to 22): $739 |
| Little one (12 and below): $416 | Youngsters (5 to 12): $369 |
| 4 and below: $99 |
Locations
Each the Epic and Ikon passes provide entry to a number of totally different ski resorts world wide. Irrespective of the place you’re, this is a crucial consideration. In case you reside a lot nearer to Epic mountains like Vail or Breckenridge, you’ll seemingly be inclined to purchase that move. Equally, in the event you’re extra proximal to Steamboat or Mammoth Mountain, you’ll naturally lean towards the Ikon Go.
However you also needs to ask your self: The place do you need to ski? In case you’ve all the time dreamed of sending it off Corbet’s Couloir in Jackson Gap, the Ikon Go presents as much as 7 days there. Or in the event you’re planning a winter journey to Switzerland and need to snag a number of days on snow whilst you’re there, you must take into account the Epic Go, for its entry to Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis and Crans-Montana.
The totally different locations play an enormous position in most individuals’s season move selection year-to-year.
| Epic | Ikon |
|---|---|
| Complete: 51 | Complete: 59 |
| USA: 37 (4 restricted entry) | USA: 42 (30 restricted entry) |
| Canada: 7 (7 restricted entry) | Canada: 9 (7 restricted entry) |
| Worldwide: 7 (2 restricted entry) | International: 12 (12 restricted entry) |
Epic Go Locations
The Epic Native Go will get you 10 days (excluding blackout dates) between Vail, Colo., Beaver Creek, Colo., and Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia; 5 days every at Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis and Crans-Montana in Switzerland, and 5 consecutive days at Verbier 4 Vallées, additionally in Switzerland.
The complete Epic Go grants move holders 7 days at Telluride, Colo., and seven days between Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort, Nakiska Ski Space, Mont-Sainte-Anne, Fernie Alpine Resort, and Stoneham resorts within the Canadian Rockies. It additionally presents restricted entry to Verbier 4 Vallées in Switzerland, Skirama Dolomiti in Italy, Les 3 Vallées in France, and Ski Arlberg, Saalbach & Zell am See-Kaprun, Mayrhofen & Hintertux, Silvretta Montafon, and Sölden in Austria.
Each the Epic and Epic Native Passes grant holders 5 days every at Hakuba Valley and Rusutsu Resort in Japan.
USA
- Heavenly, Calif.
- Kirkwood, Calif.
- Northstar, Calif.
- Beaver Creek, Colo.*
- Breckenridge, Colo.
- Crested Butte, Colo.
- Keystone, Colo.
- Telluride, Colo.**
- Vail, Colo.*
- Paoli Peaks, Ind.
- Mt. Brighton, Mich.
- Afton Alps, Minn.
- Hidden Valley, Mo.
- Snow Creek, Mo.
- Attitash Mountain Resort, N.H.
- Crotched Mountain, N.H.
- Mount Sunapee, N.H.
- Wildcat Mountain, N.H.
- Hunter Mountain, N.Y.
- Alpine Valley, Ohio
- Boston Mills, Ohio
- Brandywine, Ohio
- Mad River Mountain, Ohio
- Large Boulder, Pa.
- Hidden Valley, Pa.
- Jack Frost, Pa.
- Laurel Mountain, Pa.
- Liberty Mountain Resort, Pa.
- Roundtop Mountain Resort, Pa.
- Seven Springs, Pa.
- Whitetail Resort, Pa.
- Park Metropolis, Utah
- Mount Snow, Vt.
- Okemo, Vt.
- Stowe, Vt.
- Stevens Go, Wash.
- Wilmot, Wis.
Canada
- Fernie Alpine Resort, British Columbia, Canada**
- Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Canada**
- Kimberley Alpine Resort, British Columbia, Canada**
- Mont-Sainte-Anne, British Columbia, Canada**
- Nakiska Ski Space, British Columbia, Canada**
- Stoneham, British Columbia, Canada**
- Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada*
Worldwide
- Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis, Switzerland
- Crans-Montana, Switzerland
- Hakuba Valley, Japan**
- Rusutsu Resort, Japan**
- Perisher, Australia (2026 entry)
- Falls Creek, Australia (2026 entry)
- Hotham, Australia (2026 entry)
* Restricted days for Epic Native
** Restricted days for each passes
Ikon Go Locations
Whereas full Ikon Go holders have limitless entry to Steamboat, Colo., Arapahoe Basin, Colo., Crystal Mountain, Wash., and Schweitzer, Idaho, Ikon Base Go holders solely get 5 days at every of these resorts.
Ikon Base Go holders can’t entry Aspen Snowmass, Colo., Jackson Gap Mountain Resort, Wyo., Solar Valley, Idaho, Deer Valley Resort, Utah, Alta Ski Space, Utah, or Snowbasin, Utah. These resorts are solely obtainable (7 days every) with the complete Ikon Go.
Full Ikon Go holders additionally get entry to Wild Mountain, Minn., Buck Hill, Minn., Jiminy Peak, Mass., and Cranmore, N.H. (however are topic to blackout dates at these resorts).
USA
- Alyeska Resort, Alaska**
- Large Bear Mountain Resort, Calif.
- June Mountain, Calif.
- Mammoth Mountain, Calif.
- Palisades Tahoe, Calif.
- Sierra-at-Tahoe, Calif.**
- Snow Valley, Calif.
- Arapahoe Basin, Colo.*
- Aspen Snowmass, Colo.***
- Copper Mountain Resort, Colo.
- Eldora Mountain Resort, Colo.
- Steamboat, Colo.*
- Winter Park Resort, Colo.
- Schweitzer, Idaho*
- Solar Valley, Idaho***
- Jiminy Peak, Mass.**
- Sugarloaf, Maine*
- Sunday River, Maine**
- Boyne Mountain, Mich.**
- The Highlands, Mich.**
- Buck Hill, Minn.**
- Wild Mountain, Minn.**
- Large Sky Resort, Mont.**
- Cranmore, N.H.**
- Loon Mountain, N.H.**
- Taos Ski Valley, N.M.**
- Mt. Bachelor, Ore.**
- Blue Mountain Resort, Penn.**
- Camelback Resort, Penn.**
- Deer Valley Resort, Utah***
- Alta Ski Space, Utah***
- Brighton, Utah**
- Snowbasin, Utah***
- Snowbird, Utah**
- Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah
- Killington-Pico, Vt.**
- Stratton, Vt.
- Sugarbush Resort, Vt.
- Crystal Mountain, Wash.*
- The Summit at Snoqualmie, Wash.**
- Snowshoe, W.Va.
- Jackson Gap Mountain Resort, Wyo.***
Canada
- SkiBig3, Alberta, Canada**
- Cypress Mountain, British Columbia, Canada**
- Panorama, British Columbia, Canada**
- Revelstoke Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Canada**
- RED Mountain, British Columbia, Canada**
- Solar Peaks Resort, British Columbia, Canada**
- Blue Mountain, Ontario, Canada
- Le Massif de Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada**
- Tremblant, Quebec, Canada
Worldwide
- Grandvalira Resorts, Andorra**
- Mt. Buller, Australia**
- Thredbo, Australia**
- Ischgl, Austria**
- Kitzbühel, Austria**
- Valle Nevado, Chile**
- Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley, France**
- Dolomiti Superski, Italy**
- Valle d’Aosta, Italy**
- St. Moritz, Switzerland
- Zermatt Matterhorn, Switzerland**
- Arai Mountain Resort, Japan**
- Niseko United, Japan
- Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, and Mt. Hutt, New Zealand**
* Restricted days for Ikon Base
** Restricted days for each Ikon and Ikon Base
*** Unavailable for Ikon Base, restricted days for Ikon
Blackout Dates
Each the Epic Native and Ikon Base passes have sure blackout dates, throughout which skiers are blacked out at the entire limitless entry ski areas. These are usually round holidays and peak visitation occasions.
| EPIC LOCAL BLACKOUT DATES | IKON BASE BLACKOUT DATES |
|---|---|
| November 28 to November 29, 2025 | December 27 to December 31, 2025 |
| December 26 to December 31, 2025 | January 17 to January 18, 2026 |
| January 17, 2026 | February 14 to February 15, 2026 |
| February 14 to February 15, 2026 |
Perks & Advantages
And that’s not all! Each Epic and Ikon passes include a bunch of perks and advantages to sweeten the deal. Buddy passes, reductions on gear, meals, lodging, and extra, and even summer time choices. In case you’re nonetheless on the fence, these may assist tip you a method or one other.
Buddy Passes
Your move is pricey (irrespective of which one you purchase), however with it, you may assist your pals get discounted raise tickets. That’s a reasonably candy profit, contemplating tickets at most Epic and Ikon places can price lots of of {dollars}. Each passes have their very own variations of this perk.
This yr, Vail Resorts launched a model new buddy move program known as Epic Mates. With the acquisition of an Epic, Epic Native, or Epic Navy Go, you get between six and 10 day passes in your pals discounted to 50% off. In case you purchased an Epic Go earlier than April 14, 2025, you get 10 half-price day tickets. In case you purchased your Epic Go after that, it drops to 6.
Epic Pal tickets work at any of Vail’s 37 North American ski resorts and provide the identical low cost in any respect of them. On high of that, each greenback your pals spend on their discounted Epic Mates tickets can be utilized as a credit score towards shopping for a 2026/27 Epic Go.
The Full Ikon Go comes with 12 buddy passes, providing 25% off raise ticket costs at collaborating Ikon locations (they don’t apply at Le Massif de Charlevoix, Zermatt, Kitzbühel, Dolomiti Superski, Arai Mountain Resort, Grandvalira Resorts Andorra, Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley, and Ischgl). The Ikon Base Go comes with eight buddy passes at 25% off.
Reductions & Rewards
With the acquisition of an Epic or Epic Native Go additionally comes Vail’s “Epic Mountain Rewards.” You’ll get 20% off meals, lodging, gear leases, ski and snowboard group classes, Epic Mountain Specific, and Whistler Heli-Snowboarding packages.
These are simply the winter rewards, too. In summer time, you’ll additionally get 20% off golf, bike leases, and scenic raise rides at collaborating Epic resorts. Take a look at the Epic Go web site for extra particulars on the place these reductions apply.
Ikon presents comparable reductions. With the complete Ikon Go, prospects get 15% off meals, beverage, and retail (although it notes that doesn’t apply to laborious items or alcoholic drinks). The Ikon Base Go presents 10% off the identical.
The Ikon and Ikon Base Passes additionally provide reductions on heli snowboarding and heli-hiking by CMH Heli Snowboarding & Summer season Adventures and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Snowboarding. The complete Ikon Go comes with $400 per day credit for heli snowboarding days (as much as $2,000), and the Ikon Base comes with $200 per day credit (as much as $1,000) by each CMH and Mike Wiegele.
The Full Ikon additionally contains two free bike park days for summer time shredding, and the Ikon Base Go contains one.
Lastly, the complete Ikon Go additionally grants reductions of 20-40% off at manufacturers like The North Face, SIXT, Blenders, White Area, 4FRNT, DB, Gravity Haus, and Prenuvo. You additionally get a full-year membership to the nonprofit Defend Our Winters (POW).
