Note: The 2024/25 Indy Pass is currently off sale.
You’re likely familiar with the bigger, more popular ski passes, like the Ikon Pass, Epic Pass, and The Mountain Collective. But there’s another ski pass, the Indy Pass, which you should seriously consider. Described as “the spirit of alpine skiing at independent resorts,” the Indy Pass features 2 days at each resort, with 25% off your third day. Buy early, however, as this ski pass is only on sale for a limited time.
Indy Pass, which is now guaranteeing access to 200 ski resorts and cross-country ski areas for the 2024-25 season, may not have the star power of some of the major ski passes. However, it includes some wonderful ski areas like the Lutsen Mountains in Minnesota, Red Lodge in Montana, Jay Peak in Vermont, Mt. Hood Meadows in Oregon, and so many more.
Who owns the Indy Pass?
The Indy Pass, launched by Doug Fish, owner of Fish Marketing in Oregon, came about in 2019 as a less expensive alternative to the major ski passes. It features smaller, independent ski areas that you won’t find on other passes. As such, it’s not owned by a corporation like some of the other multi-resort passes. Indy Pass was acquired in 2023 by Entabeni Systems, while Doug Fish continues to be involved.
More ski areas continue to grow Indy Pass
The addition of new ski areas in recent seasons has made the Indy Pass that much more popular. There’s especially a lot to love in the Midwest, like Marquette Mountain, which brings the serious benefit of lake effect snow from nearby Lake Superior. Nub’s Nob has long been a fun resort in the Boyne Mt./The Highlands neighborhood of the lower peninsula, while Treetops, which sits at the highest elevation on the lower peninsula, boasts 1,500 skiable acres.
Newer headliners include Oregon’s Mt. Hood Meadows, one of the largest Indy Pass Resorts, and one of the most fun ski areas in the Pacific Northwest. Mt. Hood Meadows has 2,150 skiable acres with 85 named runs served by 11 lifts. Other newer additions have included Calabogie Peaks Resorts and Loch Lomand in Ontario, Canada; Mountain High and Dodge Ridge in California; Arctic Valley, Colorado; Granby Ranch and Echo Mountain in Alaska; Mt. Crescent, Iowa; Sleeping Giant, Wyoming; Ski Snowstar Winter Sports Park, Illinois; Dry Hill Ski Area, New York; and Whitecap Mountain, Wisconsin.
New ski resorts for the 2024-25 Ski Season
Indy Pass announced seven new alpine resorts at the close of the 2023-24 season, consisting of Big Moose Mountain in Maine, Mt. Eyak in Alaska, Mt. Washington Alpine Resort in British Columbia, Powderhorn Mountain Resort in Colorado, Steeplechase in Minnesota, Wintergreen Resort in Virginia, and Wisp Resort in Maryland. Indy Pass also added five cat skiing operations: Big Red Cats in British Columbia, Selkirk Powder in Idaho, Brundage Mountain Snowcat Adventures and Soldier Mountain Cat Skiing in Idaho, and Cascade Powder Guides in Washington. Cat skiing is a new addition to the Indy Pass. Alpine passholders receive a 10% discount when they book day seats or packaged visits.
What’s more, Indy Pass is a great option for cross-country skiers. A number of cross-country destinations are on the pass, including Black Jack Cross Country Ski Club in British Columbia, Crosscut Mountain Sports Center in Bozeman, Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area in New Mexico, and Garnet Hill in the Adirondacks.
Indy Pass has also added several East Coast ski resorts, including Ragged Mountain in New Hampshire, Camden Snow Bowl and Mt. Abram in Maine, Middlebury Snowbowl in Vermont, and Hatley Pointe in North Carolina. They also added Cape Smokey in Nova Scotia, and a few Japan ski resorts, including Amihari, Maiko, Nayoro Piyashiri, and Palcall.
The best part: Passes are a bargain with the Indy Pass and it’s so easy to use. Indy Pass keeps growing each year as more and more of the regional ski areas and cross-country centers see the value of bringing newbies to their areas with the hopes of converting them into regular guests.
Here’s the current roster of Indy Pass ski area participants:
For the 23/24 season, Indy Pass added 54 new resorts to their lineup. The list has continued to grow for the 2024/25 season, as there are now more than 200 ski areas worldwide that are on the Indy Pass.
West resorts on Indy Pass:
Alaska resorts on Indy Pass — Arctic Valley, Eaglecrest, Mt. Eyak; B.C Apex, Baldy Mountain Resort, Big White Ski Resort, Manning Park, Phoenix Mountain, Sasquatch Mountain, Shames Mountain; California — Bear Valley Adventure Company, China Peak, Mt. Shasta Ski Park, Mountain High, Dodge Ridge; Oregon — Cooper Spur Ski Area, Hoodoo Ski Area, Mt. Hood Meadows; Washington — 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort, Hurricane Ridge Ski & Snowboard Area, Loup Loup Ski Bowl, Mission Ridge, Ski Bluewood, White Pass.
Rocky Mountain resorts on Indy Pass:
Alberta — Castle Mountain Resort, Pass Powderkeg Ski Area; B.C — Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, Mt. Washington Alpine Resort; Arizona — Sunrise Park Resort; Colorado — Echo Mountain, Granby Ranch, Howelsen Hill, Powderhorn, Sunlight; Idaho — Brundage, Kelly Canyon, Pomerelle, Silver Mountain, Soldier Mountain, Tamarack; Montana — Blacktail Mountain, Lost Trail Powder Mountain, Montana Snowbowl, Red Lodge Mountain; Utah — Beaver Mountain, Cherry Peak (Allied Resort), Eagle Point Resort, Powder Mountain; Wyoming — Antelope Butte, Meadowlark Ski Lodge, Sleeping Giant (Allied Resort), Snow King Mountain, White Pine Ski Resort.
Midwest resorts on Indy Pass:
Illinois — Chesnut Ski Resort, Snowstar Resort; Iowa — Sundown Mountain; Michigan — Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort, Caberfae Peaks, Crystal Mountain, Marquette Mountain, Mont Ripley Ski Area (Allied Resort), Nub’s Nob, Pine Mountain Resort, Schuss Mountain at Shanty Creek, Snowriver Mountain Resort, Swiss Valley Ski and Snowboard Area, Treetops Ski Resort; Minnesota — Andes Tower Hills Ski Area, Buck Hill, Detroit Mountain Recreation Area, Lutsen Mountains, Mount Kato, Powder Ridge Winter Rec Area, Spirit Mountain, Steeplechase; Ontario — Mont Baldy Ski Area, Loch Lomond Ski Area; North Dakota — Bottineau Winter Park, Huff Hills Ski Area; South. Dakota — Great Bear Ski Valley, Terry Peak Ski Area; Wisconsin — Granite Peak, Little Switzerland, Nordic Mountain, The Rock Snowpark, Trollhaugen, Tyrol Basin Ski & Snowboard Area.
Eastern resorts on Indy Pass:
Connecticut — Mohawk Mountain; Maine — Big Moose Mountain, BigRockMountain, Black Mountain of Maine, Camden Snow Bowl, Mt. Abram, Saddleback Mountain; Massachusetts — Bousquet Mountain (Allied Resort), Berkshire East Mountain Resort; New Hampshire — Black Mountain Ski Area, Cannon Mountain, Dartmouth Skiway, King Pine (Allied Resort), McIntyre Ski Area, Pat’s Peak, Ragged Mountain, Waterville Valley Resort, Whaleback Mountain; New York — Catamount Mountain Resort, Dry Hill (Allied Resort), Greek Peak, Maple Ski Ridge, Peek ‘n Peak, Skaneateles Ski Club (Allied Resort), Snow Ridge, Swain Resort, Titus Mountain, West Mountain; Ontario, Canada — Calabogie Peaks Resort; Vermont — Bolton Valley, Burke Mountain (Allied Resort), Jay Peak, Magic Mountain, Middlebury Snowbowl (Allied Resort), Saskadena Six Ski Area.
Mid-Atlantic resorts on Indy Pass:
North Carolina — Cataloochee Ski Area, Hatley Pointe; Maryland — Wisp; Pennsylvania — Blue Knob Resort, Montage Mountain, Shawnee Ski Area, Ski Big Bear, Ski Sawmill, Tussey Mountain; Tennessee — Ober Gatlinburg; Virginia — Bryce Resort, Massanutten Resort, Wintergreen Resort; W. Virginia — Canaan Valley Resort, Winterplace Ski Resort.
Japan resorts on Indy Pass:
Ani Ski Resort, Amihari, Aomori Spring Ski Resort, Geto Kogen, Kamui Ski Links, Kiroro Snow World, Madarao Ski Resort, Maiko, Nayoro Piyashiri, Okunaakayama Kogan, Palcall, Pippu Ski Resort, Shimokura, Tazawako, Togakushi Ski Resort, Yubari Ski Resort.
Europe resorts on Indy Pass:
Austria — SkiWelt (consists of 9 resort villages united by one lift ticket: Brixen im Thale, Ellmau, Going, Hopfgarten im Brixental, Itter, Kelchsau, Scheffau, Söll, and Westendorf.)
How to use your Indy Pass
The Indy Pass wasn’t a physical pass during its first few years. Indy Pass issued a commemorative RFID pass to each pass holder starting in the 2023-24 season.
Access and pricing (Prices as of spring 2024 before it went off sale)
The Indy Pass didn’t increase its prices for returning customers for the third year in a row, keeping the adult pass price at $279. If you wish to renew your pass, simply scan the QR code on the physical pass itself or login to your account and begin the renewal process there. All prices listed below are for the General Public sale and not returning pass holders. These were the prices Indy Pass launched with in the spring before taking the pass off sale. Unlike many of the other multi-resort passes, the Indy Pass is on sale for just a short period of time during the spring.
Indy Base Pass: Adults $349; Kids $199. This pass includes some blackout days.
Indy Base AddOn Pass: Adults $269; Kids $149. You must have an unlimited season pass at an Indy Pass ski resort. Turn your season pass into a “travel pass” and explore any and all of the resorts. However, your AddOn pass is not valid at your home resort. This pass includes some blackout days.
Indy Plus Pass: Adults $469; Kids $259. There are no blackout dates with this pass.
Indy + AddOn Pass: Adults $389; Kids $199. This pass grants full unlimited access for season pass holders at Indy Partner Resorts.
The Indy Cross-Country Pass: Adults $99; kids $49.
The Indy Cross-Country AddOn Pass: Adults $79; kids $39.
Some advice: Buy your pass at the end of the current season and you can take advantage of a small down payment and a payment plan due in full by December of the next season. The price escalates slightly as the months go by.
Other things to know
Digital Pass: New for the 24/25 ski season is the release of a new digital and interactive Indy Pass. Select pass holders will receive the smartphone-enabled redemption system this fall. It’ll expedite their visits to many ski areas by allowing them to go directly to the lifts.
Payment Plan: Pass buyers can pay for their passes in 3 installments with no interest. The Indy Pass Payment Plan is fully managed by Indy Pass, meaning it comes with zero interest, no credit checks, and no third-party lenders, unlike some of the other passes.
Capacity Limits: As the Indy Pass continues to grow in popularity, a capacity limit has been implemented to ensure fewer crowds at the participating resorts. The only way to purchase a pass for the 24/25 season is to join the waitlist.
Service fees go away: The 3 percent service fee typically charged on all Indy Passes at checkout was eliminated for the 24/25 season. In exchange, all pass holders will be mailed a custom-designed 24/25 commemorative, RFID-enabled Indy Pass with a photo for a $10 fee. The physical Indy Pass will include benefits such as direct-to-lift access at select Indy resorts, expedited lift ticket pick-up at all Indy resorts, and discounts on products and services from Indy Pass partners.
Lodging: Discounts are available at a range of lodging properties..
See complete details of the Indy Pass on their website
Header credit: 49 Degrees North
October 05, 2024
