Epic vs. Ikon vs. Mountain Collective vs. Indy: Which Should You Choose?

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An extremely detailed comparison between the Epic, Ikon, Mountain Collective, and Indy Pass products for the 2022-23 season, covering:
0:00 Intro
1:04 Resort Offerings (Epic and Ikon)
5:20 Resort Offerings (Mountain Collective and Indy)
8:14 Pricing (Epic and Ikon)
12:16 Pricing (Mountain Collective and Indy)
14:31 Renewal Discounts
15:49 Reservation Policies
16:50 Deferral Policies
18:06 Final Summary

[@mattcj8873]

Epic has the best Veteran discount out of all of them. My passes were literally half price of the Ikon passes. That plays a big part in my choice when buying for a family of 4.

[@thomasgreen5592]

I have passes for the low

[@thomasgreen5592]

Yoo

[@captainredmanz]

Yea ikon doesn’t offer veterans a discount only to retired military and active duty.

[@mickyosully4592]

@@thomasgreen5592 u a scammer

[@thomaskl234]

Truly excellent video. I’ve noticed that Ikon generally offers resorts with tougher, and more interesting terrain than epic resorts with some notable exceptions. Personally, that factors into my decision quite a bit. Thank you for addressing staffing shortages at epic resorts

[@thomasgreen5592]

I have passes for the low

[@nacho-man1063]

You always do a great job on your videos.

[@richbarrett]

Thank you for being so thorough!

[@A-Shitty-Snowboarder]

Great explanation!!!

[@TandAwanderings]

Thanks for the great information on the different passes.One thing to consider when deciding what one to purchase is while the Icon and Epic are great passes you are sending your money to huge facelsss corporations. With the Indy pass you are supporting independantly owned (some of them even family owned resorts for generations). Of course depending on where you live is a factor, but here in New England so many great resorts are on it i never get bored and visit ski areas i would have never went to otherewise.

[@thomasgreen5592]

Yoo

[@andrewdiamond2697]

Fundamentally, if you can only ski on weekends (2 days at a time) and have a traditional work week with 1-2 weeks of vacation/PTO, then Indy+ or MC is a good fit. If you can take entire weeks at a time off work, and have a big travel budget, Ikon or Epic is a better fit (though Epic in New England/Upper Midwest has a good argument for the weekender) I'm sticking with Ikon Full Pass. The extra cost helps keep the crowds just a bit thinner and more manageable, while providing the revenue to properly staff up the mountains, IMHO. I did learn that Epic is a great deal for Veterans, so I might just do that one of these years. Solid video with really complete information.

[@GuitarGuy650]

Epic is pretty useless in N.E.

[@aadams3995]

Could you please do an updated video reviewing the epic and icon pass for the 2024-2025 ski season?

[@ivanfuentes1035]

I would have gotten the mountain collective except I live in so-cal, hurts that mammoth is gone :(

[@kkjjqrysdgadff7782]

Be cautious with the Epic pass, a number of the local resorts on Epic are in really poor shape. Steven's Pass is a prime example, vs Crystal on Ikon. Steven's rarely had more than 50% of lifts open last year.

[@casereagles7896]

Resorts Epic uses: Breck, Beaver Creek, Northstar, Heavenly, Vail, Keystone, Okemo, Stevens Pass, Poali Peaks, Whitetail, Telluride, Kirkwood, Whistler-Blackcomb, Afton Alps, Mt Brighton, Park City, Crested Butte, Mount Snow Resorts Ikon owns: Alta, Snowbird, Palisades, Mammoth Mountain, Taos, Winter Park, Copper, Steamboat, Aspen-Snowmass, Eldora, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Crystal Mountain, Solitude, Snowbasin, Brighton, Buttermilk, Killington, Mt Bachelor, Deer Valley, Big Sky, Aspen Highlands. Resorts Indy owns, Mt Hood Snowbowl, Mt Shasta, Granby Ranch, Ski Cooper, Irwin, Powderhorn, Echo Mountain, Mt Rose, Pomerelle, Kelly Canyon, Bristol, Brundrage, Antelope Butte, White Pine, Snow King.

[@arlokkkk]

What’s the best pass to buy for who live in the eastcoast for the 23/24 season? I used the north east epic pass one which was great but I’m trying to visit different mountains for the next season. Is it better to hold on and buy it on summer time of just buy it now? Thanks!

[@bsmaven]

Epic Local. I used it in Northeast but also went to Whistler for a week

[@arlokkkk]

@@bsmaven good to know, thanks!

[@AlanLamb11]

Epic pass has slightly more restrictions for military passes other than resorts like Telluride not being included. The Epic military pass has no buddy passes and only 5 friends & family. Ikon has less blackout days for military but also cuts buddy passes. Mountain collective is cheaper for renewals and if you pick one up at outdoor sports expo and is probably the best deal for people flying in for a few days at different places over several years.

[@mattcj8873]

My Epic passes have 6 buddy passes for each of my family. I just bought them last week.

[@AlanLamb11]

@@mattcj8873 epic military? If so that is great and different from last year.

[@thomasgreen5592]

Yool

[@davidday2373]

IKON Base👍 Blackout dates should transfer to Late Season dates. Snowbird is not busy at all right now.

[@jdbsoccer100]

Smart man! Those blackout days are weekends you would want to avoid the mountains anyways

[@thomasgreen5592]

I have passes for the low

[@CR-xx3ur]

Telluride footage👀👀 are we getting a video review soon?

[@PeakRankings]

Good eye!

[@DOMCOM40]

I got the epic because the military discount is insane.

[@sheepdawg6946]

I have had the IKON pass from the first day they offered it. Now I am confused. Too many offerings.

[@Kirbey]

Indy pass is the only pass that was created post Ikon?

[@markmassoglia]

I live in the Midwest so I get pass at my local hill, Granite Peak, WI and then the Indy Pass. The Indy Pass is a great deal with plenty of different areas in all parts of the country. I've skied many of the Epic Pass mountains already, it's not attractive to me. The IKON has many places I'd like to ski in the future.

[@ldxk]

Ikon base pass has too many holiday blackouts than Epic local pass which makes them almost incomparable if you are planning on ski vacation around those holidays. For a MA resident, Epic local pass gives me nearly same access to destination ski resorts in NH/VT area during major holidays as Ikon full pass does yet it is half priced.

[@ldxk]

Plus, Ikon pass doesn't provide any local ski resort that I can visit on a regular weekend day but Epic has 2 in NH. This means if I buy a Ikon base pass I can't use it for holiday vacations or for regular day trips. I know this is not a common problem but to MA residents only, still Ikon should really consider making Ikon base pass useful to this ski-popular region.

[@bsmaven]

Stratton, Killington , Loon, and others on Ikon

[@ldxk]

@@bsmaven all have holiday balckouts for Ikon base. if you want to take kids out for a ski vacation in school breaks, you have to get Ikon full pass. but if you go with Epic, local pass is more than enough.

[@bsmaven]

@@ldxk Epic has blackouts for some resorts also. But I was responding to your claim that Ikon doesn't have any local resorts to visit on a regular weekend but Epic has 2 in NH. Wrong

[@ldxk]

@@bsmaven No they are not local to me and other Boston area skiers because they are out of 2-hr driving range. Epic has 2 mountains in 1.5-hr driving range of my home although they are not as big as Ikon resorts. As for blackouts, there is only one Epic mountain in NE area backed out for Epic local pass but how about Ikon base? Every one backed out. Do you really think there is a competition on this regard?

[@PhaseSkater]

Indy pass is the best. Then mountain collective

[@simpsons721]

Dont get Epic because that is what I have

[@exdemocrat9038]

If you live in Colorado I'd choose Icon but if you don't I'd choose epic.

[@GuitarGuy650]

I think the decision is a bit more complex then whether or not you live in Colorado 😅

[@jconroy102]

Epic is better in Colorado than ikon

[@thatbeefstew9117]

I'm sorry this video was just confusing as you jumped back and forth, it could've been better if you explained each one by it's self then compared them to each other.

[@kosycat1]

This is the second year i have all 3 passes

[@je5406]

Damn reservations!!!!!

[@thomasgreen5592]

Yo

[@danbennetts1678]

Powder Alliance!

[@user-ek1to4gq3h]

VAIL Does however have better flagships then the other passes even Ikon

[@GuitarGuy650]

Indy Pass is for people who enjoy skiing, but don't want to pay almost a grand for a recreational seasonal sport

[@scarlol1800]

or its for ppl who like bad mountains

[@Puffsmoke1011]

Wrong!!!!!!!

[@gaberobison680]

Epic Pass is fucking awful. They offer a Pacific Northwest pass that has 1 resort in the actual PNW

[@gatord0g]

Don’t buy any of them. Multi-resort passes are ruining skiing and I’ll judge the hell out of you if you’re on bachelor and I see you with your ikon pass on your helmet

[@polarsled4617]

Lol, we are scared 😀

[@gatord0g]

@@polarsled4617 wait so you do keep your ikon pass on your goggle strap?

[@ArcFixer]

Agreed. iKon and Epic passes are known by informed skiers as "Screw the Locals" passes. They suck.

[@kellylinstra1135]

A much better option is getting a season pass at a powder alliance resort, making one place your home mountain and then using your 2 or 3 free days at the other mountains for trips

[@thomasgreen5592]

I have passes for the low