Mount Hood Meadows Joins Indy Pass
A ride up the Vista Express lift at Mount Hood Meadows in April 2021.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Indy Pass added a new ski resort to its roster: Oregon’s Mount Hood Meadows. This Pacific Northwest area is Indy’s 90th partner resort, 85th mountain in North America, and third in Oregon. At 2,150 skiable acres, Meadows is now Indy’s fourth largest partner resort.
The Indy Ski 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 85 independent resorts across the East Coast, Midwest, Rockies, and West Coast available on the pass this coming winter. Theoretically, passholders can ski for 170 days next season if they hit every resort on the pass. Indy also features a list of ten “Allied” resorts; access to these mountains is not fully included on the pass, but is significantly discounted.
The base Indy Pass offers two days at each partner resort with some notable blackouts for $279, while the Indy+ Pass will offer the same product with no blackout dates for $379. This is a notable price hike from last season, when the base pass started at just $199 and the Indy+ cost $299.
Our Take
Indy has historically featured smaller and less compelling ski areas than its Epic, Ikon, and Mountain Collective competitors, but in recent seasons, the pass has been adding more competitive offerings. Mount Hood Meadows continues this trend, functioning as a compelling alternative to other Epic and Ikon resorts in the Pacific Northwest region. This Oregon resort isn’t as big or reliable as the destination Rockies mountains, but it will arguably be one of Indy’s best offerings.
Like several other larger mountains on the pass, Indy access to Meadows comes with a huge catch—severely restrictive blackout dates on the base pass. All weekends and holidays during the core season are excluded from the base pass, although Indy+ purchasers will not have any blackouts. Meadows suffers from serious crowding issues on weekends and holidays, and it’s hard to blame the resort for limiting excess visitation during these times. It’s worth noting that Indy’s blackout dates only run through mid-March, so those looking to hit Meadows for spring skiing—which is when the resort often boasts its most reliable terrain openings—will not be affected.
The Indy Pass only offers two days of access at each resort—versus five or more for Epic and Ikon—but the Portland area has always been somewhat of a multi-pass desert, and adding Mount Hood Meadows to the roster could win over a sizable chunk of Portland residents. The presence of other nearby Indy options in Washington state and Oregon may help seal the deal.
Considering a trip to Mount Hood Meadows next season? Check out our comprehensive mountain review. Additionally, check out our full Oregon and West Coast rankings.
