Epic Pass Review: Is It Worth It for Your Ski Season?
This is my second season on the Epic Pass, and if you’re an avid skier, it’s hard to imagine not having it.
Words by Michele Underwood | Photos by Michele and courtesy of Vail Resorts.
This is my second season on the Epic Pass, and if you’re an avid skier, I don’t know why you wouldn’t get it.
The Epic Pass is how I can afford to ski at bigger, destination-style resorts without paying full-window ticket prices every time. One pass gives you access to a long list of Vail-owned resorts and partners across the U.S., Canada, and beyond. For me, it means I can plan trips, sneak in weekend laps, and not overthink lift tickets every time I want to ski.
What Is the Epic Pass?
The Epic Pass is a multi-resort ski and snowboard pass that gives you access to dozens of mountains under the Vail Resorts umbrella, as well as partner resorts. Instead of buying single-day lift tickets, you pay once upfront for a season (or choose one of their more limited Epic variants) and then ski or ride throughout the winter.
Checking a digital Epic Pass in the app before loading the lift—no digging for a plastic pass in a pocket.
There are a few primary flavors:
Epic Pass – Full access to most Epic resorts with no blackout dates, plus partner days.
Epic Local Pass (this is the one I have) – Cheaper, with some blackout dates and limited access to a few of the bigger, marquee mountains.
Epic Day 7-Day Pass – A set of seven days to use at Epic resorts this season, with the option to include peak dates. Good if you know you’ll ski for about a week.
Epic Day Pass – A flexible day-based option where you choose how many days you want and whether you want holiday access; usually cheaper than buying single-day lift tickets at the window.
The overall idea: if you ski or ride more than a handful of days a season at Epic resorts, the pass can pay for itself quickly.
What My Epic Pass Season Would’ve Cost Without a Pass
My core Epic Pass mountains for winter 2026: Park City in Utah, plus Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, and partner resort Telluride in Colorado.
To put real numbers to it, here’s what my first season with the pass would have looked like if I’d bought day tickets instead of an Epic Pass.
Epic Pass Trips & Estimated Window Ticket Prices
Heavenly (CA/NV) – 4 days
Estimated lift ticket cost: $255/day × 4 = $1,020Northstar (CA) – 1 day
Estimated lift ticket cost: $172/day = $172Park City (UT) – 4 days
Estimated lift ticket cost: $225/day × 4 = $900Breckenridge (CO) – 6 days
Estimated lift ticket cost: $225/day × 6 = $1,350Beaver Creek (CO) – 1 day
Estimated lift ticket cost: $295/day = $295Vail (CO) – 3 days
Estimated lift ticket cost: $329/day × 3 = $987Wilmot (WI) – 2 local days
Estimated lift ticket cost: $80/day × 2 = $160
Total days on my Epic Pass: 21
Estimated lift ticket cost without a pass: $4,884
What I paid for my Epic Pass: $934.95
Estimated savings: $3,949.05
And in 2026, Weekend Lift Tickets Without a Pass Will Run You About:
Vail, CO – around $335 for an adult weekend/peak-day ticket
Beaver Creek, CO – around $335 for an adult weekend/peak-day ticket
Breckenridge, CO – around $281 for an adult weekend/peak-day ticket
Park City, UT – around $310 for an adult weekend/peak-day ticket
Heavenly, CA/NV – around $265 for an adult weekend/peak-day ticket
Northstar, CA – around $289 for an adult weekend/peak-day ticket
Whistler Blackcomb, BC – around $305 CAD for an adult day ticket
Who the Epic Pass Makes Sense For
Skis more than a few days a season,
Has a home mountain on Epic, or
Is planning one or two big ski trips to Epic resorts this winter.
The math adds up fast. After a handful of days, the pass usually beats buying single-day tickets.
It’s probably not for you if you only ski once or twice a year, or if all of your favorite mountains are independent that aren’t on Epic. In that case, I’d look at local deals or day tickets instead.
Sign reading “The Legendary Back Bowls – Elev. 11,250” at Vail, framed against a wide snowy bowl, scattered evergreens, and distant mountains under a blue sky.
Note on Timing:
The Epic Pass goes off sale on December 4, so if you’re on the fence, this is the window to decide.
If you’re curious what I’m skiing in this winter—from skis to layers—you can see my current ski gear kit.
If you want a better view of some of my past Epic Pass days, visit these articles: Park City, Beaver Creek, and Vail.
If you want a better view of some of my past Epic Pass days, visit these articles: Park City, Beaver Creek, and Vail. For trip recaps and POV laps, check out my YouTube channel @overlandgirl.
Happy skiing!
Michele Underwood writes Overland Girl, where she shares gear she uses on real trips—from the Northwoods of Wisconsin to the Ozarks. She values quality and craftsmanship in everything she buys—from outdoor gear to everyday clothes and furniture. Her choices may seem expensive to some, but she believes in buying less and buying better. Longevity matters, both in terms of function and style. Her couch is five years old and still sold at Design Within Reach—that's the kind of timelessness she looks for. Some of the links in this review are affiliate links, which means she may earn a small commission if you buy through them. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, and it helps support her work. She only recommends gear she’d bring herself.
