Smaller ski areas may have problems adapting to market changes in the shadow of Epic-v-Ikon season pass battle

Independent ski resorts are laboring in the shadow of dueling giants to find their niche in an industry swiftly dividing into two distinct camps.

High-profile independent resorts like Jackson Hole, Crested Butte, Telluride, Alta and Snowbird have aligned with the brawling behemoths behind the Epic and Ikon season passes, which, at $899 each, offer access to more than 50 of North America’s 600-plus ski areas and host about a quarter of the continent’s skier visits.

Aaron Brill, whose frill-free Silverton Mountain ski area in southwest Colorado has not attracted partnership offers from either the Epic or Ikon, said the smaller, independent resorts unable to land a spot on the two dominant passes will suffer “devastating impacts.”

Read the full article, “Smaller, independent ski areas join forces in the shadow of Epic-v-Ikon season pass battle” from The Denver Post.