Mark Your Calendars: Vail Resorts Unveils Winter Opening Dates and New Epic Pass Perks
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Vail Resorts has announced target winter opening dates for the 2025-26 ski and ride season for its resorts in the North American Rocky Mountains, the West, and Europe. With the season less than 75 days away, Keystone will aim to open as early as mid-October, with the help of the resort’s snowmaking system. The rest of the company’s larger resorts in North America and Switzerland plan to open in the weeks that follow, with the season lasting more than half the year, going all the way to May at Breckenridge and Whistler Blackcomb.
Target Opening Dates
- Mid-October (pending early season conditions): Keystone (CO)
- November 7: Breckenridge (CO)
- November 14: Vail Mountain (CO)
- November 15: Gemsstock at Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis (Switzerland)
- November 21: Heavenly (CA), Northstar (CA), Park City Mountain (UT), Whistler Blackcomb (British Columbia)
- November 26: Beaver Creek (CO), Crested Butte (CO)
- November 29: Crans-Montana (Switzerland)
- December 5: Kirkwood (CA), Stevens Pass (WA)
This season, guests can look forward to new enhancements and experiences. At Park City Mountain, the new Sunrise Gondola will debut for the 2025-26 winter season, replacing the limited-access lift with a high-speed 10-person gondola. This will provide faster, more reliable access out of Canyons Village. In Switzerland, Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis is adding two new six-seater chairlifts to increase uphill capacity and reduce lift wait times. Crans-Montana Mountain Resort has also invested in upgraded, energy-efficient snowmaking throughout the Verdets area.
Vail Resorts is also introducing new perks for Epic Pass holders. The company is cutting lift ticket prices in half for friends of Epic Pass Holders with new Epic Friend Tickets. Season-long pass holders will receive 6-10 Epic Friend Tickets, which offer a 50% discount on lift tickets at the company’s 37 North American resorts. Friends can also apply the full cost of one redeemed Epic Friend Ticket toward an eligible 2026/27 Epic Pass.
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The Epic Pass is available now at the lowest price of the fall until September 1, 2025. The pass offers access to more than 90 resorts worldwide, including unlimited, unrestricted access to Vail Resorts' 42 owned and operated mountain resorts. The Epic Local Pass offers season-long access to 29 resorts. All Epic Passes come with Epic Mountain Rewards, which provide 20% off on-mountain food and beverage, lodging, lessons, rentals, and more.
This season will also see a number of milestone anniversaries, including Heavenly celebrating 70 years, Whistler Blackcomb celebrating 60 years, and Okemo celebrating 70 years.
