
Michael Fulton
How Epic and Ikon Passes Transformed the Face of Skiing in North America
The introduction of Vail's Epic Pass in 2008 and Alterra's Ikon Pass in 2018 fundamentally transformed North American skiing from a day-ticket model to a season-pass dominated industry. While offering extraordinary value for frequent skiers, these passes have simultaneously made skiing more accessible for some while driving day ticket prices to record highs and creating significant challenges for mountain communities.