State of Resort Season Pass Policies for the 2020-21 Season
We’ve spent plenty of time talking about how multi-resort pass companies have been pricing their 2020-21 offerings (see our recent write-up on Epic vs. Ikon). In this piece, we’ll take a look at the independently issued season passes from resorts we’ve reviewed. Surprisingly, fewer than 40% of them offer their own pass. The resorts on this list range from local, independent mountains with reasonably priced passes to major Ikon- or Epic-affiliated resorts that charge a premium for unlimited access.
If we’ve reviewed your resort and it isn’t listed below, the mountain doesn’t offer a standalone pass product (and is unlimited on at least one Epic or Ikon offering).
Resorts
Alta
Alta season passes come with pass assurance that allows for full, no-questions-asked refunds until December 31, 2020. Those who purchased Alta-Bird passes will only have until December 1, 2020 for a refund. The resort says that renewing passholders are eligible for renewal discounts and should have received coupon codes via email in June.
An unlimited adult pass is currently $1099; passes go up in price to $1199 on August 12th. Alta is a skiers only mountain; snowboarders are not allowed.
Our Take
This is a pretty okay policy, and the refund period extends a few weeks into the season. But there’s no mid-season deferment or refund policy based on days closed, making it risky to keep this pass past the final refund date if COVID is still a factor. Nearby Snowbird offers better safeguards.
Arapahoe Basin
According to A-Basin, “[i]f a person purchases a pass product for the 2020-21 season and Arapahoe Basin does not open, that pass product for that Holder will be valid for the 2021-22 season.” An unlimited adult pass is $469.
Our Take
We covered A-Basin’s pass assurance early on, as it was one of the first resorts to announce a plan. The pass assurance hasn’t changed since then, and it’s a weak, risky policy compared to the others. You’ll only be eligible for a pass deferment if the resort doesn’t open at all next season, meaning that if the resort only opens for one day, you won’t get your money back. You also can’t proactively request a deferral or refund after you buy a pass.
Big Sky
Limited season passes are off sale as of June 15, although the resort says they “plan to share another opportunity to purchase winter lift access before the start of the season.” If the resort doesn’t operate for 140 days next season, passholders will receive a prorated rollover value. Passholders can request a full deferment to 2021-22 for any reason before December 10, 2020.
Our Take
Well, season passes are off-sale so this one doesn’t particularly matter anymore. But this pass had one of the strongest policies when it was available, with flexible pre-season and mid-season assurances. If you live close enough to the resort that you can travel to it with no restrictions, there’s not much risk with this one.
Copper
While Copper is unlimited on the Ikon Pass, the resort still offers a cheaper, standalone season pass. An adult Copper Season Pass is $599.
Season pass purchasers will be able to request full refunds for any reason before December 10. If the resort is closed for more than 21 total or 7 consecutive days between December 11, 2020 and April 14, 2021, passholders will receive future use vouchers. 2019-20 passholders should have received discount vouchers to renew for 2020-21.
Our Take
Copper’s independent season pass offers a very secure policy, with both pre- and mid-season assurances that should cover any substantial COVID interruptions. You lose very little with this pass’s policy compared to the more expensive Ikon option, with the few downsides being the date restrictions on mid-season protections and that you won’t be to proactively defer your unused pass after December.
Homewood
Homewood is offering the loyalty pass for next season, which is effectively a $250 credit for renewing adult passholders and $200 credit for locals. Passes are limited first-come/first-serve, and as of July 6, there’s no guarantee of them staying on sale. The resort does say they’ll provide updates as they get close to selling out, and they haven’t put out a word yet. The pass comes with a prorated refund based on the number of days closed before March 1, 2020 next season.
The resort will cap daily skier visits for the 2020-21 season, with a planned visit reduction of up to 25% on peak days. A regular adult season pass is $699 before credits.
Our Take
Solid policy from Homewood. Its mid-season assurance policy should make it practical for those who live nearby and are certain they’d be able to get to Homewood if it were open. It’s also nice that season passholders won’t have to worry about being turned away due to capacity reasons. But for those who don’t know if they’ll be able to get to the mountain if there are still COVID restrictions next season, the pass is a bit risky because there’s no pre-season deferment or refund policy.
Jackson Hole
Season passes are on sale until August 31. Purchasers can request a refund minus a $45 fee through October 15. There are no assurances past this point if the resort is forced to close during the season—the resort says they “intend to operate for the winter 2020-21 season at this time.” An unlimited adult Grand Pass costs $1,655.
Our Take
Disappointingly weak policy from such a major resort. This costly pass comes with no guaranteed mid-season assurance, and we think that it’s overly optimistic for Jackson Hole to predict an uninterrupted season right now. Moreover, if the resort truly plans to operate with no interruptions, we don’t see any reason why it would hurt them to add this security. It wouldn’t surprise us if COVID restrictions cause Jackson Hole to reverse course on this, but there’s nothing written in stone at this point.
The pass’s premium for a pre-season deferment is completely out of place compared to other resort passes, which offer them for free. Its end-sale date of August 31st essentially means you’ll have to risk some money to lock in unlimited access to Jackson Hole next season.
Some Ikon Pass variants offer 5 to 7 days of access at Jackson Hole, and their pass assurance policies are substantially less risky.
Killington
Season pass purchasers will be able to request full refunds for any reason before November 20. If the resort is closed for more than 30 total or 7 consecutive days at any point during the 2020/21 season, passholders will receive future use vouchers. 2019-20 passholders received vouchers to renew for 2020-21. An Unlimited Season Pass is $1139 for an adult 30+ and $749 for an adult 19-29.
Our Take
Very strong policy from Killington. While we wish there were fewer restrictions on mid-season protections, the policy should cover any substantial season interruptions. If you live near the resort, there’s not much risk with this pass; if you don’t, keep an eye out for the COVID situation by November before committing.
Loveland
There’s no pre-season deferment, but 2019-20 passholders who purchased after February 15, 2020 will receive a free 2020-21 pass. All other 2019-20 passholders (except seniors) will receive a 15-20% discount. If the resort isn’t open for 130 or more days next season, passholders will receive a prorated credit for the following season.
An adult season pass is $439. Current pass prices are available until December 1.
Our Take
This isn’t a risky pass purchase if you live near the resort and can get to the mountain unrestricted. Even if you’re concerned about how the COVID situation plays out over the next few months, there’s no harm in waiting until December to make your purchase. In fact, this purchase deadline is later than the end date for many pre-season deferral programs.
Sierra-at-Tahoe
Sierra-at-Tahoe pass purchasers will be able to request a deferral for any reason until December 1, 2020. Adult passes are now $509, up from the cheapest rate of $449. Returning passholders get a 10% discount.
Our Take
We covered Sierra-at-Tahoe’s pass assurance policy early on, and we thought it was good at the time. Now, we think it’s an okay policy. The no-use refund request period extends a few weeks into the season, but there’s no mid-season deferment or refund policy based on days closed. This pass will be risky to hold onto past December 1 if the COVID situation continues to be a problem.
Snow King
An adult season pass is $399 through September 2020. After that, the cost for an adult pass rises to $549. We expect passes to be available for this price throughout the season. There’s currently no deferment assurance or renewal discount on the pass, but a Snow King representative we spoke to says they’ll announce something around mid-September.
Our Take
Buying this pass right now is a really risky idea. There’s currently no pre-season or mid-season assurance policy, and there isn’t even a guarantee of unlimited days on the website. Luckily, there’s no harm or price penalty in waiting until September, when Snow King says they’ll announce COVID protections.
Even if the announced assurance policies are weak, the resort sells passes in-season. If you can stomach the $150 price increase, you can wait until there’s a much clearer picture of your winter to make a commitment.
Snowbird
Season pass purchasers will be able to request full refunds for any reason before December 1. If the resort is closed for more than 30 total or 7 consecutive days between December 11, 2020 and May 9, 2021, passholders will receive future use vouchers. 2019/20 passholders were emailed vouchers to renew for 2020/21.
An unlimited adult Summit Pass is $1,199 until September 13.
Our Take
This is a very strong policy. While we wish there were fewer restrictions on mid-season protections, the policy should cover any substantial season interruptions. If you live near the resort, there’s not much risk with this pass; if you don’t, keep an eye out for the COVID situation by December before committing.
Telluride
Telluride’s season passes will not be available until September. We spoke with a Telluride representative who told us to expect COVID pass protections when the passes are announced.
Our Take
While we don’t have much information about this pass right now, it’s good to hear that Telluride plans to implement COVID-19 assurance policies. Telluride’s existing insurance by Travel Guard, which comes at a 7% premium and doesn’t cover “foreseen” events such as COVID-19, seems like a complete non-starter for next season.
Verdict
The overwhelming majority of standalone season passes we examined have some sort of pass assurance policy, which is relieving to see. But safeguards for some season passes are weaker than we’d like. And none of the policies from the independent resorts are quite as strong as Ikon’s no-use, no-questions-asked deferral until April 10, 2021.
Some of these passes have no mid-season deferral or refund assurance. If the COVID situation hasn’t been addressed by your pass’s final refund date, it’s going to be a risky bet to keep one of these past that point. If you think you’re safe because live near your resort, the recent shutdowns in Australia should serve as a stark reminder that COVID-19 can still destroy a full ski season. A few mountains with these less flexible guidelines are competing with nearby unlimited Epic/Ikon resorts that boast more generous policies both in price and location.
The passes with pre-season cancellation policies but no mid-season assurance are still better than nothing. You can set yourself up for access to the resort if you want it by buying the pass now, and then you can request a deferment in a few months if it looks like COVID-19 will affect the season.
If you’re looking for both flexibility and security next season, both pre- and mid-season assurance should be a must on your 2020-21 resort season pass. Some of the passes with the best assurance policies are unfortunately limited sale, but it’s clear these resorts have thought through the logistics of next season.
Of the unlimited passes offered by resorts we’ve reviewed, here’s our current ranking of assurance policies from strongest to weakest.
Top Tier:
Ikon Pass
Big Sky
Homewood
Snowbird
Killington
Copper (non-Ikon)
Mid Tier:
Loveland
Epic Pass (with specific resort assurance policy)
Alta
Sierra-at-Tahoe
Bottom Tier:
A-Basin
Jackson Hole
Epic Pass (with all resorts assurance policy)
Snow King
