SALT LAKE CITY -- For the first time ever, Utah ski resorts are working together and partnering up for their season passes.
The ski season hasn’t even begun, but industry experts said these new passes should make skiing more affordable to locals, bring in new tourists and boost Utah’s local economy in the winter.
With this year’s first snow, skiing and snowboarding is now on the minds of many Utahns and even avid snow sports enthusiasts from out of state.
“At the end of the day the real benefit is going to go to the skiers and snowboarders,” said Emily Moench, Communications Manager with Snowbird.
Moench is talking about the many different passes and perks offered this year, and the unprecedented partnership between Utah’s ski resorts.
“This year we're offering premium pass perks, and if you buy a season pass at either Alta, Snowbird, Deer Valley or Park City, you get three tickets to the other three resorts that you can use anytime,” she said.
Talks to partner between Utah’s ski resorts have been in the works, but now it’s actually happening.
Susie English, Director of Communications with Ski Utah said, “What's great is it's just this wonderful added benefit for skiers, and so if you've always had a Deer Valley pass or always only had an Alta pass you now can have those passes but also experience different resorts around the state.”
Another new pass this year is the Canyon’s Epic Pass. It gives customers access to 26 different mountains in four countries.
Steve Pastorino said he’s confident this will bring new tourists to The Canyons and Utah’s other ski resorts.
“There are Epic Pass holders all over the country, and this is the first that this season pass is available for skiing in Park City,” he said. “They've heard about this amazing destination, they watched the Olympics, and now this is the year we think that our guests are going to come check us out.”
Of course, there’s always a bottom line. The hope is that these new perks and passes will draw tourists from Colorado, California, and other nearby ski hubs. These new passes start as low as about $350 and range up to more than $1,000, depending on the resort.
Again, there’s the Epic Pass, Mountain Collective, Big Cottonwood Pass, and the Best Benefit in the Wasatch. More details on these passes can be found here.
