Ikon Pass Is Ready for YEWWW

Winter is on hand, and perfect flakes of white gold are currently blanketing mountains around the world. The stage is set with more than 50 of the best destinations on the globe. It’s time to Do YEWWW with mile-high stoke for first laps, last chair, and everything in between.

Cool temps and timely snow kicked off some of the earliest openings ever, with at least seven Ikon Pass destinations spinning lifts since early November: Winter Park Resort, Mammoth Mountain, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton, Arapahoe Basin, Ski Big 3, and Zermatt Matterhorn.

Of note, California, Utah, and the Rockies all clocked solid November snowfall. Bases built upon these burly totals give you a standing invitation to embrace a full season of send. Check out your mountain’s opening date here, and get stoked for all the fun that awaits. With a season like this, the only question is how many days will you stack this winter? 

Ring in the Holidaze

Resorts are magical during the holidays, blanketed in white, with twinkly lights sparkling through the night. It’s when many of us have a break from work and prioritize spending time with family and friends while making the most of the holiday season.

To prepare for this magical time, consider using Ikon Pass Travel to explore trips and accommodations. As an exclusive benefit to Ikon Pass holders, this service pulls back the curtain at each destination. Seamlessly browse airfare, hotels, and activities across mountains. Then, build your own à la carte adventures and book online, or utilize global destination experts to compare locations, pick from packages, and claim the best prices. Easy just got awesome for your crew.

Of course, being part of a tight-knit crew means helping each other out along the way. That’s why it’s easier this year to bring everyone along for the adventure. Throughout 2022–2023,  along with your many Ikon Pass benefits, pass holders get up to ten discounted Friends & Family lift tickets that can be used for up to 25 percent off the window rate at participating destinations. One important note for holiday planning purposes: Ikon Base Pass Friends & Family discounts are not available for use during holiday blackouts. However, the full Ikon Pass does not include blackout windows and can be used anytime. Either way, it’s easier than ever to share the stoke since these discounts can be shared digitally from pass holder accounts and sent directly to friends and family. Bonus points: your friends can kindly pick up the après tab, and the moments you share will last forever.

With plans in hand and everyone equipped to ride, your team will be ready for every moment of holiday mountain magic. Check out these five holiday events for some inspiration. Then, research your favorite mountains to see what they have in store for December.

• Take a magical walk through Snowmass Luminescence, an interactive art and light display brought to you by Snowmass Tourism and Aspen Snowmass, opening December 18. 
• Celebrate New Year’s Eve with the Light Up Snow Cat Parade at Steamboat. This special evening features Steamboat snow sports instructors performing synchronized skiing, illuminated only by torchlight. It culminates with a fireworks display lighting up the sky to welcome another year of all things winter.
  
• At Snowbasin, Utah’s newest Ikon Pass destination, pair a unique celebratory dinner buffet with VIP access to holiday festivities. Enjoy exclusive access to Earl’s Lodge, a private viewing section for the torchlight parade, and reserved seating for Christmas movies in the Huntington Room at Earl’s Lodge. But Jack be nimble, Jack be quick: reservations are required, and events are expected to sell out in advance.
  
• Soak in the decked-out wintry scene at Stratton. At this entire week dedicated to holiday magic, you’ll find festivities specifically for kids, a visit from Santa, sunrise snowshoe hikes, fireside yoga, ski demos, fireworks, and even Stratton’s 60th birthday celebration.
  
• For another New England treat, mark your calendars for Sunday River’s Santa Sunday, taking place December 4. Join hundreds of Santas as they shred the slopes from open to close. At last year’s event, in-hand donations from preregistered Santas helped raise more than $3,000 for the River Fund, a nonprofit organization that supports youth education and recreation in the Bethel, Maine, area.

New Names, Fresh for YEWWW

Beyond the holiday cheer, Ikon Pass has welcomed seven brand-new destinations to its growing family of iconic landscapes, all so that you can make winter days with the crew your go-to for fun. So, pull out the map; give notice to your boss, romantic partner, parents, or whoever needs to hear it; and get ready to slay the scene at Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley in France, Lotte Arai in Japan, Idaho’s Sun Valley, Snowbasin in Utah, Panorama and Sun Peaks in British Columbia, and Andorra’s Grandvarila Resorts. Thanks to all these fresh names and new landscapes, your bug to travel just got burly.

With all that on tap, now is the time to throw some serious stoke onto the winter of YEWWW. More than 50 destinations worldwide means adventure lives everywhere you want to be. The question now is: where won’t you go? 

From $309 per adult, claim your pass today at ikonpass.com. The final day to buy is December 8.