50 New Resorts Added… Indy Pass Is The Deal Of The Year

There’s a reason why corporations run every industry including skiing and snowboarding… you know what to expect. They provide uniformity and a high standard of excellence. But just like the music industry, small independent resorts provide something that’s unique and different. It’s like Joan Jett versus Jimmy Buffett. Unfortunately, most of the small Mom & Pop resorts out there aren’t on a collective season pass like the Ikon or Epic passes. Well… in 2019 that changed with the Indy Pass. This upcoming winter for only $419, you can gain access to 174 downhill ski resorts (and counting) across North America.

What Do You Get For The Indy Pass?

Compared to the Epic or Ikon passes, the goal isn’t about trying to get you to the resort so you can spend a ton of money on lodging, food, and brews. The focus is on getting people to go skiing at an affordable rate. In fact, you get two days of skiing + a discounted third day at each resort, translating to a WHOPPING 340 days of riding or $0.85 per day of skiing! But let’s be realistic about this. Would any of us ski all these resorts in a season? Impossible. Even if you only skied ten days total, a lift ticket comes out to $40/day. That’s still a screaming deal.

New For 2023

Every winter the folks at Indy Pass continue to step up their game. In 2020, they knew that most of us need lodging when we visit a ski area. They worked closely with independently-owned lodging properties that are operated by partner resorts or their affiliates in nearby ski towns. And the latest news? In 2023, they’ve added not one or two ski areas but FIFITY new partners to their alliance.

Keep The Passion Alive

Last year with the explosion of pass sales, a new concern came up — too many passionate skiers and snowboarders. As Epic or Ikon passholders can attest their resorts have been ruined due to the cheap multi-resort passes. Instead of overselling season passes, Indy Pass did the opposite as part of their next evolution – stopped the sales of passes in April 2023. But Indy passholders are a unique breed – they’re looking for that relaxed vibe and unique experience on the slopes.

Waitlist Goes On Sales TODAY!

If you didn’t pick up your pass back in April and signed up for the waitlist, today October 10th is your day! Permission codes will be sent in batches based on the original sign-up day, enabling the recipient to buy a pass beginning at 11:00 AM Eastern Time. If you haven’t signed up, you can do so at Indyskipass.com, holding your spot in line to purchase a 23/24 pass as they become available.

Some Of Our Favorite Ski Resorts Are On The Indy Pass

Ever since the big boys started gobbling up the major players, we’ve begun to venture further and further off the beaten path. This list of Mom & Pop Ski Resorts reads like a bucket list for us. Here’s just a few of the ones that got our attention:

Brundage Mountain

Although we’ve visited Brundage Mountain, we have been wanting to get back here and hit this place again. If you know where to look, the terrain at this resort is like Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe but without the crowds. It’s packed with steep chutes, an assortment of glade skiing, & an open boundary policy. Simply put: Heaven on Earth.

Castle Mountain

What if we told you there’s a resort as big as Mammoth with more consistent snowfall, home to one of North America’s only resort-based cat skiing operations, AND has less people? It’s hard to believe, we know. We’ve been drooling about this place for years and now have no reason NOT to head north and hit this spot.

Red Lodge Mountain

When we wrote about the famous storms that have pummeled North America, a kind reader let us know about a massive storm that hit Red Lodge in Montana. Thanks to them, this put the ski area on our radar as we began to research it a bit more. Focused more on the skiing, the region is also home to amazing backcountry ski terrain that we’d love to explore as well.

Silver Mountain

Silver Mountain is another ski resort we’ve ridden before that features insane terrain & is just down the road from one of our favorite cozy ski towns – the Historic Town of Wallace. This place is home to one of the longest gondolas in North America and some steep slopes as well.

For Midwesterners & East Coasters Too

For those that live in the Midwest or on the East Coast & don’t know if you’ll make it out West, you still may want to consider picking up an Indy Pass for your local resorts. From Tyrol Basin near Madison to Bolton Valley out East, they provide an assortment of fun little spots to shred.

If you haven’t noticed, we’re pretty darned excited about the Indy Pass. In fact, we’re hoping this season we can hit a few on our bucket list that we haven’t had a chance to ski yet. If you’re on the fence for where you want to go this season, the Indy Pass is a great one to consider.

For more info, venture over to the Indy Pass website, or better yet, if you need some inspiration on a road trip, check out our post The Indy Pass Ski Road Trip – The Best Deal In Skiing.

Perfect Time To Plan That Big Trip

Even if you aren’t considering the Indy Pass this year, it’s a perfect reminder to start planning your ski trips this winter! To help with your planning, we’ve created a ski trip planning guide to give you the scoop on what time of year to visit to find the best snow. Give you the low-down on what items to bring. We even talk about unheard of ski resorts that you can find fresh powder days or even weeks after a storm. No matter if you’re a beginner or an expert, you’ll find some juicy tidbits in our guide found here: