Ikon Pass Adds Sierra-at-Tahoe for 2024-25 Season
California's Sierra-at-Tahoe will become the seventh California destination to join the Ikon Pass starting this winter.
California’s Sierra-at-Tahoe will be joining the Ikon Pass for the first time for the 2024-25 season, according to a press release put out by Ikon’s owner Alterra this morning. This local Tahoe-area ski resort, which had its terrain footprint significantly altered by a wildfire a few years back, will become the second Tahoe-area ski resort to join Ikon, following Palisades Tahoe. The resort will also join Mammoth, June, Bear Mountain, Snow Summit, and Snow Valley in Ikon’s California suite (it’s worth noting that Ikon considers Bear Mountain and Snow Summit to be one destination, but since they are physically separate ski resorts, we consider them as two).
Full Ikon Pass holders will have access to seven days at the mountain, while Ikon Base and Base Plus Passholders will have access to five days with holiday blackouts. The resort will also be included on the 2, 3, and 4-day Ikon Session Pass products.
Alterra made one additional announcement about the Ikon Pass today. New Mexico’s Taos Ski Valley, which was previously only available on the full Ikon and Ikon Base Plus Passes, will return to the Ikon Base Pass for the upcoming winter.
The Ikon Pass is a multi-resort ski pass that gives access to dozens of destinations around the world. You can learn more about the Ikon Pass suite and how it stacks up to the similar Epic Pass here.
Sierra-at-Tahoe is quite a bit smaller than Palisades and Mammoth, but it gives Ikon a foothold in the South Lake Tahoe region.
Our Take
In the Lake Tahoe region, the Epic and Ikon Passes have historically been tough to decide between. Ikon offers unlimited access to Palisades Tahoe, which is our highest rated resort in the region. However, Epic offers unlimited access to Heavenly, Kirkwood, and Northstar, all of which are decent options as well. Palisades and Northstar are located in northern Tahoe, whiIe Heavenly and Kirkwood are located in southern Tahoe; as a result, we’d argue Epic previously had a leg up for those on the South Shore.
The addition of Sierra-at-Tahoe will likely make the Ikon Pass a somewhat more compelling product for those visiting the South Lake Tahoe region. Sierra-at-Tahoe offers competitive slopes within a short driving distance of downtown South Lake Tahoe, and at least historically, it hasn’t been as busy as nearby Heavenly.
This all being said, the Epic and Ikon Passes have brought substantial crowds to the Tahoe region, and there’s now the distinct possibility that Sierra-at-Tahoe will become a lot more busy next season, detracting from the local feel that’s made it a popular choice compared to the other resorts in the region. Sierra-at-Tahoe does not have any on-site lodging, so it’s possible that the resort still won’t see the same rush of mega-pass traffic as Palisades Tahoe, Northstar, and Heavenly—but if you’ve seen Tahoe access roads recently, you’ll know that those vacationing in this area are not afraid to commute to their mountains. We are a bit worried that with so many Ikon Pass holders having to deal with reservation restrictions for Palisades Tahoe this past winter, the overflow of traffic will just make its way to Sierra-at-Tahoe, which may be an hour south of Palisades but does not have any parking reservation policies at this time.
Ultimately, Sierra-at-Tahoe’s addition to the Ikon Pass could bring much-needed interest to the mountain, but there’s a chance it brings too much of it. We’ll be keeping a very close eye on the crowding situation at Sierra-at-Tahoe—and the rest of the Tahoe region—over the upcoming season.
Considering a trip to Tahoe next season? Check out our comprehensive Sierra-at-Tahoe, Palisades Tahoe, Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood mountain reviews. Additionally, check out our full Lake Tahoe and West Coast rankings, as well as our Tahoe rankings in video form below.
