Historically, skiing is like going to the movies, buying a car or paying your taxes: in good years, the cost of doing it stays the same. In bad years, it goes up. There is no option C, in which prices go down.

Which makes this morning’s news that Whistler Blackcomb (and all the other North American resorts under the Vail umbrella) will be cutting prices for passes for next year by 20%  so huge. That means that the Epic Pass, which cost $979 USD this year, will cost $783 this coming year. My guess is that the Epic Pass, which allows unlimited skiing at 37 resorts including Whistler, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood as well as limited skiing at Fernie, Kicking Horse, Kimberley and Nakiska will see a surge not just because of the price cut, but also because after the 12+ months of lockdown, skiers are going to be anxious to take their boards all over the continent.

For those who want to stay local, Vail will continue with The Edge Card and Whistler Blackcomb Day Pass €” those are available exclusively in Canadian dollars to provide deeply discounted days at Whistler Blackcomb. The Whistler Blackcomb Day Pass is just $94CDN, and the 10-day is as low as $72CDN a day. A 2-day Edge Card is offered for $175CDN (compared to $219CDN last season) and a 10-day Edge Card is as low as $63CDN a day.

It’s been a grind of a season visitor-wise (the snow, ironically, has been pretty great), but this is one of the first bright spots in what is likely the the most anticipated ski season ever. Click here for all the details.

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan is the wine and spirits editor for Vancouver and Western Living magazines, where he susses out the wonderful (and occasionally weird) options for imbibing across Western Canada.