Indy Pass Adding Loveland, Bear Valley, and Several International Resorts

Loveland will become the seventh Colorado ski area to join the Indy Pass—and the biggest one so far.

On Thursday, the Indy Pass announced a suite of access changes for the upcoming season, as well as a re-opening of pass sales over the next few days.

Loveland, Colorado, and Bear Valley, California have been added to the Indy Pass, strengthening the pass’s offerings in the Rockies and Sierras, respectively. The pass is also adding four smaller downhill resorts in the Midwest and five on the U.S. East Coast.

Internationally, the pass is continuing to expand as well, adding 3 resorts in Quebec—Massif du Sud, Mont Rigaud, and Camp Fortune. Outside North America, Indy is adding 12 resorts in Innsbruck, Austria, 9 resorts in Japan, and one resort in Spain: Baqueria Beret. All of these resorts will offer two days of access to Indy Pass holders, although those who buy an Indy Base Pass may face some level of blackout dates on weekends and holidays.

In addition, those who have not bought an Indy Pass yet will have their chance to in the next few days. The pass company is reopening sales tomorrow for those on the waitlist, with any remaining spots available to the general public on Monday.

Indy Pass 101

The Indy Pass is a budget alternative to the better-known Epic and Ikon season pass products. Unlike its more expensive counterparts, Indy only offers two days at each full partner resort. However, the list of partners is lengthy, with at least 170 independent downhill ski resorts across the East Coast, Midwest, Rockies, West Coast, Japan, and Europe. Indy also features a handful of “Allied” ski resorts; access to these mountains is not fully included on its passes, but is significantly discounted.

The full press release can be found here: https://www.indyskipass.com/this-is-indy/news/indy-pass-announces-30-resorts-passes-back-on-sale

Bear Valley is a bit of an underrated gem compared to the Tahoe resorts, with a somewhat smaller footprint but fewer crowds.

Our Take

Loveland Addition

Colorado has always been a weak point for the Indy Pass, and with Powder Mountain leaving the pass, the pass became even less appealing for a Rockies trip. However, the Loveland addition goes a big way towards addressing this issue. Along with this year’s previously-announced addition of Powderhorn, Indy has positioned itself as a more competitive alternative for those planning a Colorado road trip—with the two new options complemented by the somewhat smaller Granby Ranch and Sunlight as well.

Bear Valley Addition

When it comes to Bear Valley, its addition was a clear progression of the Indy Pass, given that California Mountain Resort Company (CMRC) already had its other resorts on the pass. But adding this Sierra Nevada resort has the potential to make Indy a genuine alternative to the big Tahoe resorts, which are almost entirely on Epic and Ikon, just a bit further north. Bear Valley rarely sees serious crowds, which is a stark contrast to the monumental access road traffic and significant lift lines seen by most of the Epic and Ikon mountains. Bear Valley won’t beat places like Palisades Tahoe and Heavenly on terrain and snow alone, but it’s still reasonably competitive in these regards—especially compared to other Indy offerings like Dodge Ridge and China Peak—and from a congestion standpoint, it’s likely to make Indy a truly worthwhile option for those fed up with the drives up to Tahoe.

However, it's worth noting that all the California resorts on the Indy Pass are also available on the Cali Pass. While the Cali Pass costs about twice as much as the Indy Pass, it offers unlimited access to Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge, China Peak, and Mountain High, along with three days at Sierra-at-Tahoe and Mount Shasta Ski Park. While Bear Valley joining Indy is exciting news, the Cali Pass may still be the better deal for some California skiers, especially with the added benefit of access to Sierra-at-Tahoe.

Quebec Additions

Many East Coast skiers and riders had been waiting with baited breath for additional Indy offerings there, especially given how many new West Coast and Rockies mountains have been added. While this year doesn’t bring any new resorts in Vermont—or the upgrade of Burke from an Allied to a full partner—adding three Quebec resorts gives Indy a foothold in a region that it previously had no presence in. Although these Quebec resorts don't carry the same reputation as U.S. East Coast partners like Jay Peak and Cannon, Massif du Sud offers some impressive glade terrain for the East, making its addition to the pass a pretty exciting development. In addition, Camp Fortune is the closest ski resort to Ottawa, which could make the Indy Pass a lot more appealing for residents of that city.

For more information on the Indy Pass, check out our breakdown of Indy vs. Epic, Ikon, and Mountain Collective in video form below.