Niseko joins the Ikon Pass – what does that mean for you?
As well as being a part of the Mountain Collective, Niseko United is now one of 36 global partners of the Ikon Pass.
Currently, an adult Ikon Pass is US $999 which give you access to 36 destinations across the US, Canada, Australia (Thredbo only) and Japan (Niseko only). The pass entitles you to 7 days of skiing at 22 destinations, including Thredbo and Niseko and unlimited at the other 14 resort. No blackout dates.
An adult Base Ikon Pass is US $699 which also gives you access to its 36 destinations. On this pass you have unlimited access to 12 destinations and 5 days of skiing at its 24 other resorts including Thredbo and Niseko. Blackout dates include 7-22Jul, 26-31Dec, 19-20Jan and 16-17Feb.
The included resorts are:
– Squaw Valley*, Mammoth*, June Mountain*, Big Bear* and Snow Summit* in California, USA.
– Aspen Snowmass, Steamboat*, Winter Park*, Copper Mountain* and Eldora in Colorado, USA.
– Sugarloaf and Sunday River in Maine, USA.
– Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands in Michigan, USA.
– Loan Mountain in New Hampshire, USA.
– Big Sky in Montana, USA.
– Taos in New Mexico, USA.
– Deer Valley, Solitude Mountain*, Alta Snowbird and Brighton in Utah, USA.
– Stratton*, Killington and Sugarbush Resort in Vermont, USA.
– Crystal Mountain* and The Summit at Snoqualmie in Washington, USA.
– Snowshoe* in West Virginia, USA.
– Jackson Hole in Wyoming, USA.
– SkiBig3 (Lake Louise, Banff, Mt Norquay) in Alberta, Canada.
– Revelstoke and Cypress Mountain in British Columbia, Canada.
– Blue Mountain* in Ontario, Canada.
– Tremblant* in Quebec, Canada.
– Thredbo, NSW, Australia
– Niseko United in Hokkaido, Japan.
*Allows unlimited access on the Ikon Pass. The Ikon Bass pass does not allow unlimited access at Steamboat or Stratton.
At this stage, no further discounts are offered for additional days (beyond the 7 and 5 days allocated at the partnered resorts). Night skiing in only included at Blue Mountain, Sunday River and Snow summit. If you are planning on night skiing at any other resort you will need to purchase those lift passes separately.
The Ikon passes along with its rival Epic, don’t look to slow down any time soon. No doubt their list of included resorts will continue to grow. Our advice is to do your homework. Do the sums before you buy and be sure you are really going to get your moneys worth. Depending on how long you are planning to ski for, it may work out cheaper to buy the resort ski passes individually.
