If you want to get the best pricing on next season’s pass, you typically want to make your purchase in March, April, or May when passes first go on sale. Kyle and I have already purchased one pass and are thinking about two more.

Epic and Ikon are probably the most well-known passes in the ski industry if you’re looking for a multi-resort pass to support a van life road trip. However, there are several others we only learned about as we started touring the West as full-time van lifers.

Are you trying to cross off world-renowned ski resorts on your bucket list? Do you want to ski in every state in the West? Are you trying to ski as many ski resorts in one state? Do you want to escape crowds? Do you have the whole winter to travel or have a limited amount of time? Are you planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip? How big is your budget? Do you want to cross the border into Canada?

Depending on what you want to achieve, here are the passes you should consider for a winter RV and van life road trip in the Western US and Canada.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided may have unintentional inaccuracies. It is not a complete representation of season pass benefits and restrictions and is subject to change. It is not intended to promise any specific pricing or benefits upon purchasing any ski season pass. Ski Burrito encourages you to verify the information provided by visiting ski resort and season pass websites directly and reviewing the terms and conditions provided when purchasing your season pass.

Epic

Epic offers several different pass options. Here are three of our top choices for a van life road trip.

#1 Epic Pass

What You Get

Unlimited access with no blackout dates to 40+ ski resorts worldwide and limited access to other resorts in Canada, Japan, and Europe.

Early Bird Price (Ages 13+)

$841 (through April 21st)

Epic Pass is Best for

Road-tripping world-class resorts in Lake Tahoe, Colorado, and Canada.

Destinations in the West with unlimited access and no blackout dates include:

• Stevens Pass (WA)*
• Heavenly (CA/NV)
• Northstar (CA)
• Kirkwood (CA)
• Park City (UT)
• Vail (CO)
• Beaver Creek (CO)
• Breckenridge (CO)
• Keystone (CO)
• Crested Butte (CO)
• Whistler Blackcomb (BC, Canada)

Plus, you get 7 total days at:

• Telluride (CO)
• Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (Canada)
  • Fernie (BC)*
  • Kicking Horse (BC)
  • Kimberley (BC)
  • Nakiska (AB)
  • Mont-Sainte Anne (QC)
  • Stoneham (QC)

For More Information

Epic Pass

#2 Epic Local Pass

What You Get

You still get unlimited access with no blackout dates at 29 US resorts but 8 other US resorts have holiday and other restrictions.

Early Bird Price (Ages 19+)

$626 (through April 21st)

Save $215 off the top-tier Epic Pass.

Epic Local Pass is Best for

Road-tripping Lake Tahoe and Colorado at a reduced price if you don’t mind blackout dates and other restrictions.

Resorts in the West with unlimited access and no blackout dates:

• Stevens Pass (WA)*
• Breckenridge (CO)
• Keystone (CO)
• Crested Butte (CO)

Resorts in the West where holiday access is excluded:

• Northstar (CA)
• Heavenly (CA/NV)
• Kirkwood (CA)
• Park City (UT)
• Vail (CO)
• Beaver Creek (CO)
• Whistler Blackcomb (BC, Canada)

Note that you only get 10 days total at the following resorts:

• Vail (CO)
• Beaver Creek (CO)
• Whistler Blackcomb (BC, Canada)

Regardless of restrictions, that’s still a lot of skiing and riding for a couple hundred dollars in savings.

For More Information

Epic Local Pass

#3 Tahoe Local Pass

What You Get

Access to 9 resorts with restrictions.

Early Bird Price (Ages 19+)

$532 (through April 21st)

You’ll save $300 off the top-tier Epic Pass, and you can take that money and put it toward fuel instead.

Tahoe Local Pass is Best for

A Lake Tahoe, Colorado, and Utah road trip if you have limited time for traveling.

Resorts you can access 7 days a week with holiday restrictions include those in Lake Tahoe:

• Heavenly (CA/NV)
• Northstar (CA)
• Kirkwood (CA)

You get 5 total days at the following resorts, excluding holidays:

• Park City (UT)
• Vail (CO)
• Keystone (CO)
• Crested Butte (CO)
• Beaver Creek (CO)
• Breckenridge (CO)

For more information

Tahoe Local Pass

For More Information About All Epic Options

epicpass.com

Epic Road Trip Notes

Only two Epic resorts allow overnight RV camping in the West – Stevens Pass and Fernie (asterisked above). Spots sell out quickly at Stevens Pass, and Fernie only permits you to stay with a full-season commitment. No nightlies!

RV park accommodations can be found close to the other resorts, but I strongly recommend making reservations in advance. Don’t expect it to be easy winging it from place to place, especially if Epic mountains are receiving decent snowfall. RV parks in Epic destinations are the most expensive in the West.

Ikon

Just like Epic, Ikon offers several pass options. Here are our two favorites for a van life road trip.

#1 Ikon Pass

What You Get

Access to 50 destinations worldwide with no blackout dates.

Early Bird Price (Ages 23+)

$1,079 (price goes up April 22nd)

Ikon Pass is Best for

Road-tripping bucket-list-worthy resorts in the Pacific Northwest, Sierras, Rockies, and Canada.

Destinations with unlimited access in the Western US include:

• Palisades Tahoe (CA)
• Mammoth (CA)
• June Mountain (CA)
• Big Bear (CA)
• Solitude (UT)
• Steamboat (CO)
• Winter Park (CO)*
• Copper (CO)
• Eldora (CO)

Destinations in the Western US and Canada that give you 7 days each with no blackout dates include:

• Crystal Mountain (WA)*
• The Summit at Snoqualmie (WA)*
• Mt. Bachelor (OR)*
• Sun Valley (ID)
• Schweitzer (ID)*
• Deer Valley (UT)
• Snowbasin (UT)
• Brighton (UT)
• Alta Snowbird (UT) – 7 days total
• Big Sky (MT)
• Jackson Hole (WY)
• Aspen Snowmass (CO)
• Arapahoe Basin (CO)
• Taos (NM)*
• SkiBig3 (AB, Canada) – 7 days total at Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, and Mt. Norquay)
• Revelstoke (BC, Canada)*
• Red Mountain (BC, Canada)
• Cypress Mountain (BC, Canada)

For More Information

Ikon Pass

#2 Ikon Base Pass

What You Get

Unlimited access to 13 destinations, plus 5 days each at 30 destinations worldwide with limited blackout dates. 

Early Bird Price (Age s23+)

$769 (price goes up April 22nd)

Save over $300 off the top-tier Ikon Pass.

Ikon Base Pass is Best for

Road-tripping the Pacific Northwest, Sierras, Rockies, and Canada.

Destinations in the Western US with unlimited access and limited restrictions include:

• Palisades Tahoe (CA)
• Mammoth (CA)
• June Mountain (CA)
• Big Bear (CA)
• Solitude (UT)
• Winter Park (CO)*
• Copper Mountain (CO)
• Eldora (CO)

Destinations in the Western US and Canada that give you 5 days each with limited restrictions include:

• Crystal Mountain (WA)*
• The Summit at Snoqualmie (WA)*
• Mt. Bachelor (OR)*
• Schweitzer (ID)*
• Brighton (UT)
• Snowbird (UT)
• Big Sky (MT)
• Steamboat (CO)
• Arapahoe Basin (CO)
• Taos (NM)*
• Revelstoke (BC, Canada)*
• Red Mountain (BC, Canada)
• Cypress Mountain (BC, Canada)
• SkiBig3 (AB, Canada) – 5 days total at Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, Mt. Norquay)

For More Information

Ikon Base Pass

For More Information About All Ikon Options

ikonpass.com

Ikon Road Trip Notes

Ikon has a handful of ski resorts that allow overnight RV camping in the West (asterisked above), but not many more than Epic.

It should be noted that Winter Park doesn’t generally permit overnight camping, but exceptions can be made per their website. Also, Revelstoke allows one night only!

Like Epic, RV park accommodations are typically close, but reservations are definitely recommended. Expect steep nightly rates at RV parks near Ikon resorts. The most expensive we’ve seen exceeded over $100 per night!

Mountain Collective

What You Get

2 days each at 22 destinations in North America, France, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Chile with zero blackout dates.

Early Bird Price (Ages 19+)

$539 (price expiration is unknown)

Mountain Collective is Best if

You want a sampling of the best independent ski areas in the Western US and Canada.

Ski areas in the West include:

• Sun Valley (ID)
• Alta (UT)
• Snowbasin (UT)
• Snowbird (UT)
• Big Sky (MT)
• Grand Targhee (WY)*
• Jackson Hole (WY)
• Arapahoe Basin (CO)
• Aspen Snowmass (CO)
• Taos (NM)*

Ski areas in Canada include:

• Panorama (BC)
• Revelstoke (BC)*
• Sun Peaks (BC)*
• Banff Sunshine (AB)
• Lake Louise (AB)

For More Information

mountaincollective.com

Mountain Collective Road Trip Notes

Only a few Mountain Collective resorts allow overnight RV camping (asterisked above). Revelstoke allows one night only!

Reservations are strongly encouraged if you choose to stay at a local RV park near any Mountain Collective destination.

Indy

Indy offers two types of passes: Indy+ Pass and Indy Pass. Indy+ has no blackout dates, whereas the regular Indy Pass does.

What You Get

2 days each at 82 lesser-known independent ski areas in North America and Japan.

Early Bird Price (Ages 14+)

• $379 for Indy+ (no blackouts)
• $279 for Indy Pass (with blackouts)

The pricing deadline is May 17th.

Switch Pass Early Bird Price (Ages 14+)

Did you have a full-season Epic, Ikon, or Mountain Collective Pass during the 2021/22 season? Indy is offering you a discount. Show proof of a qualifying pass, and your pricing is:

• $359 for Indy+ (no blackouts)
• $259 for Indy Pass (with blackouts)

The pricing deadline is May 17th.

AddOn Early Bird Price (Ages 14+)

Does your home mountain participate in Indy? If so, and you have proof of purchasing a top-tier, full-season pass at your home mountain, you’re eligible for an Indy AddOn Pass. Your pricing is:

• $289 for Indy+ (no blackouts)
• $189 for Indy Pass (with blackouts)

Prices are set to increase on May 17th.

Indy is Best for

No lift lines, more powder for everyone, and discovering lesser-known ski areas.

Independent resorts in the West:

• Eaglecrest Ski Area (AK)
• 49 Degrees North (WA)*
• Hurricane Ridge (WA)
• Mission Ridge (WA)*
• White Pass (WA)*
• Hoodoo (OR)*
• Mt. Ashland (OR)
• China Peak (CA)*
• Mt. Shasta Ski Park (CA)*
• Snow Valley (CA)
• Apex Mountain Resort (BC, Canada)
• Manning Park (BC, Canada)
• Sasquatch (BC, Canada)

Independent resorts in the Rockies:

• Brundage (ID)*
• Pomerelle (ID)*
• Silver Mountain (ID)*
• Soldier Mountain (ID)*
• Tamarack (ID)
• Beaver Mountain (UT)
• Eagle Point (UT)*
• Powder Mountain (UT)
• Blacktail Mountain (MT)
• Lost Trail Powder Mountain (MT)*
• Red Lodge (MT)*
• Antelope Butte (WY)
• Snow King (WY)
• White Pine (WY)
• Sunlight (CO)
• Sunrise Park (AZ)
• Castle Mountain (AB, Canada)*
• Ski Marmot Basin (AB, Canada)

For More Information

indyskipass.com

Indy Pass Road Trip Notes

Indy Pass is one of our favorites for a van life road trip. Over a dozen ski areas in the West allow overnight RV camping (asterisked above).

If you have to stay at a nearby RV park, pricing is typically reasonable, and space is generally available. You don’t have to do too much planning ahead. However, due to the remote nature of some Indy ski areas, you might have a hard time finding an open RV park or campground close by.

Powder Alliance

What You Get

3 days each at 15 resorts (13 in the US) if you purchase a top-tier pass at one of 16 resorts that participate in Powder Alliance.

Early Bird Price

Depends on your home resort,

Powder Alliance is Best for

A West Coast road trip.

Resorts in the West include:

• Eaglecrest Ski Area (AK)
• Mission Ridge (WA)*
• White Pass (WA)*
• Mt. Hood Skibowl (OR)
• Timberline (OR)*
• Mountain High (CA)
• China Peak (CA)*
• Dodge Ridge (CA)*
• Sierra-at-Tahoe (CA)
• Silver Mountain (ID)*
• Bogus Basin (ID)*
• Loveland Ski Area (CO)
• Angel Fire (NM)
• Castle Mountain (AB, Canada)
• Ski Marmot Basin (AB, Canada)

For More Information

powderalliance.com

Powder Alliance Road Trip Notes

About half of the Powder Alliance resorts allow overnight RV camping (asterisked above). Depending on your home mountain, the list expands. Loveland and Bogus are our favorites. More below.

While Mt. Hood Skibowl doesn’t allow overnight RV camping, you can sleep in the adjacent Mirror Lake Trailhead with a Sno-Park permit. Also, Angel Fire operates a fancy RV park just down the road.

Picking Your Powder Alliance Home Mountain

It will make the most sense to buy a season pass at a Powder Alliance mountain that you anticipate spending the most time skiing and riding. Likely, it will be closest to your sticks-and-bricks home. However, suppose you are a full-time van lifer or otherwise have the flexibility to choose any home mountain. In that case, we like Loveland and Bogus Basin. Not only are these resorts part of Powder Alliance, but they have excellent perks at other partner mountains.

Loveland Season Pass New

What You Get

Unlimited access to Loveland Ski Area, 3 free days at each of the 15 other Powder Alliance resorts, and 3 free days at 17 of Loveland’s partner resorts (blackout dates and other conditions may apply).

Loveland Season Pass New is Best for

Denver area residents or full-time winter van lifers planning a road trip in the Rockies.

Early Bird Price (Ages 23-69)

$499 (pricing expires on May 31st)

Loveland’s partner resorts include:

• Purgatory (CO)
• Monarch Mountain (CO)
• Powderhorn (CO)
• Ski Cooper (CO)
• Sunlight (CO)
• Schweitzer (ID) – midweek only with blackout dates
• Brundage (ID) – blackout dates apply
• Whitefish (MT) – blackout dates apply
• Red Lodge (MT)
• Snow King (WY) – not available to any race event participant
• Grand Targhee (WY) – with lodging, blackout dates apply
• Brian Head (UT)
• Nordic Valley (UT)
• Sipapu (NM)
• Pajarito (NM)
• Ski Hesperus (NM)
• Arizona Snowbowl (AZ)

For More Information

skiloveland.com

True Bogus Season Pass

What You Get

Year-round benefits at Bogus Basin, including unrestricted access to lift-served mountain biking and scenic chairlift access in the summer, unrestricted winter alpine lift access, and unrestricted nordic trail system access. Plus, you get 3 free days at each of the 15 other Powder Alliance resorts and 3 free days at 28 of Bogus Basin’s partner resorts (blackout dates and other conditions may apply).

Early Bird Price (Ages 25-69)

$629 (price expiration is unknown)

True Bogus Season Pass is Best for

Boise area residents or full-time van lifers who want to discover lesser-known ski areas throughout the West and mountain bike Idaho in the summer.

Winter Partner Mountain Benefits

Partner mountains in the West include:

• Mt. Ashland (OR)
• Mt. Shasta (CA)
• Snow Valley (CA)
• Diamond Peak (NV)
• Lee Canyon (NV)
• Pebble Creek (ID)
• Soldier Mountain (ID)
• Tamarack (ID) – 2 winter lift tickets only
• Cherry Peak (UT)
• Eagle Point (UT)
• Bridger Bowl (MT)
• Great Divide (MT)
• Monarch (CO)
• Powderhorn (CO)
• Ski Cooper (CO)
• Sunlight (CO)
• Red River (NM)

Summer Partner Mountain Benefits

Mountain bike the following mountains this summer:

• Snow Valley (CA) – 2 tickets
• Soldier Mountain (ID) – 1 ticket
• Spirit Mountain (MN) – 2 tickets
• Tamarack (ID) – 1 ticket (blackout dates TBA)

For More Information

bogusbasin.org

Power Pass

What You Get

Unlimited skiing and riding at 7 ski areas in the Southwest US, plus 3 free days each at 4 partner mountains. And you get unlimited uplift access at Spider Mountain Bike Park in Texas.

Early Bird Price (Ages 37+)

$699 (price expiration is unknown)

Power Pass is Best for

A Southwest US road trip.

Ski areas with unlimited access include:

• Brian Head (UT)*
• Nordic Valley (UT)*
• Purgatory (CO)*
• Hesperus (CO)
• Snowbowl (AZ)
• Pajarito (NM)*
• Sipapu (NM)*

Partner ski areas where you can ski/ride 3 days each include:

• Sundance Mountain Resort (UT)
• Copper Mountain (CO)
• Loveland Ski Area (CO)
• Monarch Mountain (CO)

For More Information

thepowerpass.ski

Power Pass Road Trip Notes

Most Power Pass unlimited access ski areas allow overnight RV camping (asterisked above).

Even though Hesperus doesn’t allow you to sleep in your vehicle overnight, neighboring Purgatory does. You can ski at Purgatory, stay the night, then head to Hesperus. Or the other way around.

Summary

We hope we’ve introduced you to compelling pass choices you’ve never heard of before as you plan your van life road trip. Epic, Ikon, and Mountain Collective hold some of the most well-known ski resorts with incredible terrain, luxurious amenities, and the best snow on earth. While Indy, Power Pass, and Powder Alliance will take you to undiscovered ski towns, less-crowded trails with fresh lines all day, and more options for sleeping in your van slope side. If you have the budget, buy more than one pass for the most flexibility as you tour the West.