Key takeaways
- Vail introduced 20% discounts for teens and young adults ages 13-30 on most Epic Pass options for 2026-2027, making season-long access more affordable for younger skiers.
- The Epic Local Pass ($849 adults, $675 ages 13-30) costs $48 per day, far below Beaver Creek's walk-up tickets ranging from $230 to $356.
- The full Epic Pass ($1,145 adults, $909 ages 13-30) eliminates holiday blackout dates and grants unlimited access to Vail, Beaver Creek and 40+ other North American resorts.
- All Epic Pass products automatically include Epic Coverage for refunds on job loss, illness, injury and resort closures, plus Epic Mountain Rewards discounts on lodging and dining.
Vail Resorts has released the 2026-2027 Epic Pass lineup, with sales underway and pricing locked in lower than what’s expected before November. The core appeal remains strong: securing a season pass now beats purchasing lift tickets at the mountain, where a single-day adult ticket at Colorado’s Beaver Creek Resort runs $230 to $356, compared to $144 on an Epic Day Pass ($171 on peak dates). For families planning multiple ski days, the savings compound significantly.
The most notable addition this year is a new discount tier that directly addresses the youngest demographic of passionate skiers: teens and young adults ages 13 to 30 now receive a 20% reduction across most pass categories.
The Teen and Young Adult Game-Changer
Vail previously grouped everyone ages 13 and older into adult pricing, but the 2026-2027 season splits that into two distinct tiers. Teens (ages 13 to 17) and young adults (ages 18 to 30) now pay the same discounted price on most pass products, a structural change that opens season-long access to skiers just entering the workforce or still in school.
The financial impact differs by pass type. On the Epic Local Pass, the $675 price for teens and young adults represents a $174 savings compared to the adult rate of $849. For the full Epic Pass, the discounted rate of $909 saves $236 against the $1,145 adult price. Children ages 5 to 12 benefit from their own dedicated pricing tier on all passes, while kids younger than 4 ski free when accompanied by an adult holding an Epic Pass.
This pricing structure makes a family of four—two adults and two children—far more affordable than in past seasons, especially if one child is a teenager who can now access the reduced rate.
Comparing Pass Types by Your Skiing Habits
The Epic Local Pass: Value With Blackout Restrictions
The Epic Local Pass costs $849 for adults and $675 for ages 13 to 30. Despite the name, “local” refers to peak-date restrictions rather than geographic requirements; anyone can purchase it regardless of where they live. The pass grants unlimited access to 29 resorts across Colorado, Utah, California and Vermont, including Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood and Stowe. Additionally, it includes 10 combined days at Vail, Beaver Creek and Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia.
Holiday blackouts apply on November 27–28, 2026; December 26–31, 2026; January 16, 2027; and February 13–14, 2027 at certain mountains. When spread across a full season, the per-day cost comes to approximately $48 for adults and $25 for children ages 5 to 12.
The Full Epic Pass: Unlimited Year-Round Access
The full Epic Pass removes holiday blackout restrictions and costs $1,145 for adults and $909 for ages 13 to 30, with children ages 5 to 12 paying $585. This pass unlocks unlimited skiing at Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb, Breckenridge, Crested Butte, Stowe, Keystone, Park City and numerous partner resorts. Passholders also receive seven days at Telluride and access to resorts throughout the Canadian Rockies, making it the most comprehensive option for skiers with flexible holiday schedules or those who want to chase powder across geographies.
Regional and Day Passes for Casual Skiers
Vail offers the Northeast Value Pass for $690, covering 21 mountains across Vermont, New York and New Hampshire—including Okemo, Mount Snow, Hunter Mountain and Mount Sunapee. This pass suits skiers based in New England who don’t plan trips out west.
For those skiing one or two days per season, the Epic Day Pass provides flexibility. Pricing starts at $70 per day for limited-access options (Midwest, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania resorts) and rises to $144 per day for full network access on non-peak dates. Purchasing multiple days in advance significantly reduces per-day costs: a seven-day pass at 22 resorts on non-peak dates totals $330, or $48 per day. Even a single pre-purchased day during the Christmas week at Vail costs $144, substantially less than the walk-up price of $300-plus.
Additional discounts apply for students, military personnel, seniors and individuals with permanent disabilities across all pass categories.
Additional Benefits and Built-In Coverage
All 2026-2027 Epic Pass products now automatically include Epic Coverage, a protection plan that refunds pass holders for personal events like job loss, injury, illness and certain resort closures. This benefit adds value without requiring separate purchase.
Season-long pass holders who purchased during the early-bird window received 10 Epic Friend Tickets, which offer 50% off window price for guests ages 13 and up (for example, $165 instead of $330 at Vail) and 25% off child tickets ages 5–12. This promotion is no longer available for passes purchased now, as it was limited to early buyers. Friends can apply the cost of one redeemed ticket toward next season’s pass purchase, creating an incentive to buy in advance for the following year.
The Epic Mountain Rewards program provides discounts at Vail’s 37 North American resorts on lodging, dining and retail purchases.
New Lift Infrastructure and Season Readiness
Vail has announced lift upgrades at Park City, Whistler Blackcomb and Seven Springs for the 2026-2027 season. Additionally, Kindred Resort is opening at the base of Keystone, expanding lodging options directly adjacent to the mountain and reducing travel logistics for multi-day trips.
Planning Your Mountain Season
Early-bird pricing has already closed, but current rates remain lower than expected when sales conclude in November. Based on historical trends, at least one additional price increase is likely before the final deadline, making now the second-best window to purchase.
The financial case for buying a pass holds even for casual skiers. A family of four skiing roughly 12 days across the 2025-2026 season—combining visits to Vail’s higher-priced mountains with less expensive regional resorts—saw their combined per-day cost land around $52 for adults and $25 for children when using an Epic Pass. This breaks even against single walk-up days and grows more favorable with additional mountain days. Factor in potential hotel point redemptions for nearby lodging, and the case to lock in a pass becomes even stronger for winter planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between the Epic Local Pass and the full Epic Pass?
The Epic Local Pass ($849) has holiday blackout dates on November 27–28, December 26–31, January 16 and February 13–14, and covers 29 resorts plus 10 combined days at Vail, Beaver Creek and Whistler Blackcomb. The full Epic Pass ($1,145) removes all blackout dates, provides unlimited access to 40+ resorts including Vail and Beaver Creek, and includes seven days at Telluride and Canadian Rockies resorts.
How much can you save buying an Epic Pass instead of walk-up tickets?
A single-day adult lift ticket at Beaver Creek runs $230-$356, compared to $144 with an Epic Day Pass or $48 per day when spreading the Epic Local Pass ($849) across the season. Even purchasing a single day in advance during Christmas week costs $144 instead of $300-plus.
What's new for the 2026-2027 season?
Vail introduced 20% discounts for ages 13-30, announced lift upgrades at Park City, Whistler Blackcomb and Seven Springs, and opened Kindred Resort at Keystone's base. All Epic Pass products now automatically include Epic Coverage, which refunds pass holders for job loss, illness, injury and certain resort closures.
