It’s fall and we skiers and riders have ski destinations on our minds as much as we do pumpkin spice. After last ski season got cut short due to COVID-19, we are hopping to get outside in that crisp mountain air and hit the socially distant slopes. The clock is ticking on purchasing those discounted ski passes for the 2020-2021 season. We have frogciting news to share. We've jumped into Ikon Pass sales, so you can get your discounted Ikon Pass from Undercover Tourist! Not to put the pressure on, but the passes and savings are only around until ski season starts.

There’s a lot to go over so let’s hop to it. We will walk you through the Ikon Pass levels, benefits and the resorts that accept the pass. Plus we’ll cover which resorts require an advance reservation and which resorts do not. Of course, seeing how last season ended abruptly, you may be nervous about spending money in advance for this ski season. Here is what to expect when the Ikon destinations reopen for 2020-2021 skiing and snowboarding.

Ikon Pass 2020-2021 Season

The 2020-2021 Season Ikon Pass is good for the entire ski season, however, some resorts have unlimited days of skiing and riding while others limit the pass to seven days of skiing. If you plan to ski holidays, this pass is the one to get because it has no blackout dates.

The 2020-2021 Season Ikon Pass has several benefits, such as:

• Early Booking Privileges
• No Blackout Dates
• 10 Friends and Family discount tickets (25% off window rate, excluding Zermatt)
• 15% off retail, food and beverage (excluded alcohol and hard goods) at Steamboat, Winter park, Copper, Eldora, Squaw/Alpine, June, Big Bear, Mammoth (on mountain only), Stratton. Tremblant, Blue Mountain, Solitude, Crystal and Snowshoe.

The 2020-2021 Ikon Pass is accepted at the following U.S. and international destinations. Most mountains have unlimited days, but some are limited to seven days (followed by "7"). At some mountains you can go direct to lift, but at those marked with an asterisk (*), you’ll need to check in at the ticket office first. Mountains with an "R" mean you’ll need to make a Lift Ticket Reservation before coming to the mountain.

Colorado

• Steamboat
• Winter Park Resort S on 4/13
• Copper Mountain Resort
• Eldora Mountain Resort
• Aspens (Aspen, Snowmass, Highlands, Buttermilk) – 7 total - R
• Arapahoe Basin - 7

California

• Mammoth Mountain S on 4/13
• June Mountain S on 4/13
• Big Bear Mountain Resort S
• Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows

Washington

• Crystal Mountain S
• *Summit at Snoqualmie -7

Oregon

• Mt. Bachelor - 7

Utah

• Solitude Mountain Resort S on 4/13
• Deer Valley Resort - 7
• Brighton - 7
• Alta/Snowbird – 7 total R (R pending for Alta only. Snowbird does not require reservations)

Montana

• Big Sky Resort – 7 R

Wyoming

• Jackson Hole – 7 R

New Mexico

• Taos – 7 R

Michigan

• *Boyne Highlands - 7
• *Boyne Mountain - 7

West Virginia

• Snowshoe

Vermont

• Stratton
• Killington/Pico - 7
• Sugarbush Resort

New Hampshire

• Loon Mountain – 7 R

Maine

• *Sugarloaf - 7
• *Sunday River - 7

New York

• Windham Mountain - 7 R

British Columbia

• *Cypress - 7
• Revelstoke Mountain Resort - 7

Alberta

• Ski Big 3 (Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mt. Norquay) – 7 total

Ontario

• Blue Mountain

Quebec

• Tremblant

Japan

• *Niseko - 7

Australia

• *Thredbo – 7
• * Mt. Buller - 7

New Zealand

• *Cornet Peak, The Remarkables, Mt. Hutt – 7 total

Chile

• *Calle Nevado - 7

Switzerland

• *Zermatt Matterhorn – 7

Ikon Base Pass

The Ikon Base Pass has a lot of the benefits of the Season Ikon Pass but with more limited days (for some locations) and a few blackout dates for select destinations. It covers most of the same resorts as the above season Ikon Pass except the Ikon base Pass excludes Jackson Hole and the Aspen mountains. If the Aspens or Jackson Hole are a deal breaker for you, hop on down to the Ikon Base Plus Pass, which includes them and has all the otherwise same conditions of this Ikon Base Pass.

Ikon Base Pass Benefits

Ikon Base Pass holders have:

• Early booking privileges for winter trips and 10% off summer trips.
• The pass also gets 10% off retail, food and beverage (excluding alcohol and hard goods at Steamboat, Winter park, Copper, Eldora, Squaw/Alpine, June, Big Bear, Mammoth (on mountain only), Stratton. Tremblant, Blue Mountain, Solitude, Crystal and Snowshoe.
• Other benefits include 8 friends and Family discount tickets (25% off window rate), excluding Zermatt, Aspen and Jackson Hole.

If you do not plan to ski at the excluded destinations or the limited access at some mountains works for your travel plans, the Ikon Base Pass can save some money over the season Ikon Pass. The following resorts are included on the Ikon Base Pass. Access is unlimited for many resorts and is limited to five days for others (marked with a "5"). The resorts with blackout dates are followed with a B. For destinations marked with an asterisk (*) you cannot got direct to lift. You’ll have to check in at the ticket office first.

Colorado

• Steamboat – 5 B
• Winter Park Resort S on 4/13
• Copper Mountain Resort
• Eldora Mountain Resort
• Arapahoe Basin – 5 B

California

• Mammoth Mountain S on 4/13 B
• June Mountain S on 4/13 B
• Big Bear Mountain Resort S
• Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows B

Washington

• Crystal Mountain S
• *Summit at Snoqualmie -5 B

Oregon

• Mt. Bachelor – 5 B

Utah

• Solitude Mountain Resort S on 4/13 B
• Deer Valley Resort – 5 B
• Brighton – 5 B
• Alta/Snowbird – 5 total B (R pending for Alta only. Reservations not required at Snowbird)

Montana 

• Big Sky Resort – 5 B R

New Mexico

• Taos – 5 B R

Michigan

• *Boyne Highlands – 5 B
• *Boyne Mountain – 5 B

West Virginia

• Snowshoe

Vermont

• Stratton B
• Killington/Pico – 5 B
• Sugarbush Resort B

New Hampshire

• Loon Mountain – 5 B R

Maine

• *Sugarloaf – 5 B
• *Sunday River – 5 B

New York

• Windham Mountain – 5 B R

British Columbia

• *Cypress – 5 B
• Revelstoke Mountain Resort – 5 B

Alberta

• Ski Big 3 (Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mt. Norquay) – 5 total B

Ontario

• Blue Mountain

Quebec

• Tremblant

Japan

• *Niseko – 5 B

Australia

• *Thredbo – 5 B
• * Mt. Buller - 5

New Zealand

• *Cornet Peak, The Remarkables, Mt. Hutt – 5 total

Chile

• *Calle Nevado – 5

Switzerland

• *Zermatt Matterhorn – 5

Ikon Base Pass (and Base Pass Plus) Blackout Dates (for destinations marked with a B) include:

• Dec. 26, 2020 to Jan. 2, 2021
• Jan 16-17, 2021
• Feb 13-14, 2021
• June 26 - July 11, 2021

Ikon Base Plus Pass

The Ikon Base Plus Pass has all the same benefits, limitations and blackout dates (for the same destinations) as the Ikon Base pass except Ikon Base Pass Plus includes resorts not covered by the Ikon Base Pass. The Ikon Base Plus includes five days at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and five days total at the Aspens (Aspen, Snowmass, Highlands and Buttermilk). These added destinations are subject to the same (above) blackout dates as the Ikon Base Pass.

Ikon 4-Day Session Pass

If you are taking only one or two short trips this ski season, the 4-Day Ikon Session Pass may work for you. The “no-frills” Ikon Session Pass offers four days of restricted access to a more limited selection of resorts than the full season Ikon Pass or Ikon Base Passes. The Ikon Session Pass also has blackout dates for all its destinations. The Ikon Session Pass has access to most of the above season Ikon Pass destinations, but it excludes:

• Aspens
• Copper
• Eldora
• Deer Valley
• Alta/Snowbird
• Jackson Hole
• Killington
• Windham Mountain
• Mt. Bachelor
• Niseko
• Zermatt

Ikon Session Blackout Dates include:

• Dec. 26, 2020 to Jan. 2, 2021
• Jan 16-17, 2021
• Feb 13-14, 2021
• June 26—July 11, 2021 (Thredbo only)

The Ikon Session Pass does not have any mountain discounts or discounts for additional days. You cannot purchase Friends and Family tickets. Is has no spring skiing incentives. Keep in mind that some destinations require an Advance Lift Ticket Reservations, so be sure to check on your destination and book your dates as early as you can.

Advance Lift Ticket Reservations

Due to COVID-19, some resorts require all Ikon Pass holders to make an Advance Lift Ticket Reservation before arriving at the mountain. In order to provide priority access to Ikon Pass holders, many destinations will temporarily regulate or eliminate a number of day tickets in order to limit capacity at the mountain and avoid overcrowding. Access at Ikon Pass destinations will vary. For more details, visit Ikon Pass.

The destinations that require advance reservations include the following (Note that these are subject to change, so definitely check each the status of each resort you plan to visit):

• Alta, UT (pending)
• Aspen Mountain, CO
• Aspen Highlands, CO
• Snowmass, CO
• Buttermilk, CO
• Big Sky Resort, MT
• Jackson Hole, WY
• Loon Mountain, NH
• Taos Ski Valley, NM
• Windham Mountain, NY

Which Ikon Pass is right for you? The Season Pass, the Base Pass, the Base Plus Pass or a 4-Day Session Pass? Whichever one you choose, be sure to purchase your discount Ikon Pass before the ski season gets underway to save money and before these deal melt away. If you need lodging, look to Undercover Tourist to get a hoppin' deal on hotel rooms in destinations such as Aspen Snowmass and Lake Tahoe. 

Related: What to Expect When the Ikon Destinations Reopen for 2020-2021 Skiing

Keep Hopping!