Traveling to Utah for a ski vacation can get, well, expensive. Utah’s ski resort season passes are among the highest around (Deer Valley’s Pass, for example is around $2k) . That’s why the announcement that The Canyons has joined Vail Resorts and the Epic Pass was such a welcome surprise to vacationers and lovers of the sport. In previous years, the Canyon’s season pass was as high as $849, but the local’s pass is just $529 for the 2013-2014 season.
Not only is the Epic Pass a much better deal than most of Utah’s full-season passes, but it combines 10 mountains for the price of one. In the years leading up to the acquisition*, The Canyons spent … wait for it … $75 million on upgrades and enhancements. So Vail doesn’t have to do a thing, except add The Canyons to their long list of subsidiaries and give you the opportunity to ski them all under their pass . If you’re heading there for vacation, we recommend getting the four- or seven-day pass, which is 25- to 40-percent less than buying lift tickets once you arrive.
We’re highly recommending this resort for more than a few reasons though. For one, you’ll get a chance to ride in the only enclosed, heated chairlift in North America. The mountain receives 355 inches of snow a year on 4,000 acres of skiable terrain and you can ski a vertical of 3,190 feet. EEK! You could ski that all season and still have trails left over! In addition, the resort added award-winning on-mountain après ski amenities, so when you do want to be inside, you’ll surrounded by pure luxury.
Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan have also been added to Vail Resorts. Check out our latest blogs to read about why Midwest skiing just got better with $20 million worth of enhancements between the two resorts for the 2013-2014 ski season.
*Note: Vail’s leasing the land from Talisker Corporation and it remains under their management but that doesn’t change anything as far as we’re concerned!