Updated September 2020
If you’re looking to support some of the independent mountains in the United States, the Indy Pass is a pretty good way to do it. This pass costs $199 for adults ($99 for kids 12 and under), and it will grant you access to over 50 resorts.
The only catch is that you only get two days at each resort, and these are non-transferable, so you can only use one ticket per day, and there are blackout dates as well. Because of all this, the Indy Pass is best for people who are interested in checking out several different mountains over the course of a single season and are planning on staying in hotels several nights in order to hit mountains further from where they live.
In addition to the two included lift tickets for each mountain, this pass also gives you the option to get a third ticket at each Indy Pass mountain with a 25% discount. The Indy pass includes mountains from all across the US, but this guide will primarily focus on the 20 Indy Pass resorts in the Northeast.
Additionally, if you want full access to a local partner resort, you can purchase the Indy Pass as an add-on to a partner resort’s standard season pass for $129. Here are a few examples:
NJ/Philly/NYC:
Get a Shawnee Mountain (PA) season pass for $350 (if purchased in advance) and then add on the Indy Pass for $129, bringing your total for the season to $479. This will gave you full access to Shawnee Mountain all season long, plus access to all the Indy resorts for two days each.
Central New York
Get a Greek Peak (NY) season pass for $650 and then add on the Indy Pass for $129, bringing your total for the season to $779. This will give you full access to Greek Peak all season long, plus access to all the Indy resorts for two days each.
Central PA
Geta a Blue Knob (PA) season pass for $369 (if purchased in advance) and then add on the Indy pass for $129, bringing your total for the season to $484. This will gave you full access to Blue Knob all season long, plus access to all the Indy resorts for two days each.
Mountains
New York and Pennsylvania
- Shawnee Mountain (PA)
- Greek Peak (NY)
- Blue Knob (PA)
Boston Area Mountains
- Mohawk Mountain (CT)
- Catamount Mountain (MA/NY)
- Berkshire East (MA)
Southern Mountains
- Cataloochee (NC)
- Canaan Valley (WV)
- Winterplace (WV)
- Bryce Resort (VA)
- Ober Gatlinburg (TN)
Vermont and New Hampshire
- Cannon Mountain (NH)
- Bolton Valley (VT)
- Black Mountain (NH)
- Magic Mountain (VT)
- Pats Peak (NH)
- Suicide Six (VT)
- Jay Peak (VT)
Other
There are a bunch of other mountains included on the Indy Pass, but they will require some serious travel. You can see the full list of Western and Midwest options on the Indy Pass website, but here are a few of our top picks:
- Eaglecrest (AK)
- Terry Peak (SD)
- Beaver Mountain (UT)
- Sasquatch Mountain (BC, Canada)
Sample Seasons
Season A:
Standard Indy Pass in the NYC/NJ/Philly Area ($199)
December
- Shawnee Mountain
- Shawnee Mountain
(Estimated retail value of lift tickets: $150)
January
- Vacation in Vermont or New Hampshire and hit the slopes 4 days at 4 different mountains
Spend 6 nights at a hotel
(Estimated retail value of lift tickets: $300)
February
- Weekend at Greek Peak
1 night at a hotel
(Estimated retail value of lift tickets: $100)
March
- Weekend at Blue Knob
1 night at a hotel
(Estimated retail value of lift tickets: $150)
Analysis:
The pass typically costs $199, plus you paid for 8 nights in a hotel this season, and you also spent a lot of money on gas driving to and from the mountains.
By the end of the season, you got 10 days in on the slopes, which means that you paid $20 per day on the slopes (excellent!), and you also made it to 5-7 different mountains, which means you only spent about $33 per mountain (again, excellent!). Heading to these mountains (or similar mountains) would have cost you around $700, so that’s a great saving.
Of course, you spent a decent amount of money on hotels and gas this season, and you also only got a total of ten days on the slopes. However, you got those ten days for the crazy-good price of $199, so you might have been able to afford a few extra lift tickets here and there if you needed some extra time on the slopes.
Verdict: If you’re looking to explore a bunch of different mountains across the northeast this season, this is an excellent way to do it (that also supports independent resorts!). Bring a buddy or two so you can split gas and hotel costs, and your season will be even better. Most season passes in the NYC area are in the $300-600 range, so paying $199 to hit so many mountains is a nice way to get some variety this season at a good price. It’s also a great option if you’re looking to head to mountains that are a little more off-the-beaten-path. The only drawback is the lack of flexibility that comes with getting only 2 visits to each mountain.
Season B:
Shawnee Mountain Season Pass with Indy Add-On ($479)
December
- Shawnee Mountain
- Shawnee Mountain
- Shawnee Mountain
(Estimated retail value of lift tickets: $210)
January
- Shawnee Mountain
- Vacation in Vermont or New Hampshire and hit the slopes 4 days at 4 different mountains
Spend 6 nights at a hotel
(Estimated retail value of lift tickets: $350)
February
- Shawnee Mountain
- Shawnee Mountain
- Weekend at Greek Peak
1 night at a hotel
(Estimated retail value of lift tickets: $200)
March
- Shawnee Mountain
- Shawnee Mountain
- Weekend at Blue Knob
1 night at a hotel
(Estimated retail value of lift tickets: $200)
Analysis:
The pass typically costs $479, plus you paid for 8 nights in a hotel this season, and you also spent a lot of money on gas driving to and from the mountains
By the end of it, you got 16+ days in on the slopes, which means you paid $30 or less per day on the slopes (that’s a great deal!), and you also made it to 5-7 different mountains, which means you paid $80 per mountain (not too shabby!).
The great thing about this deal is that it has all of the perks of the regular Indy Pass, but you get a $70 discount for purchasing it as an add-on, and since you’re paying for a full season pass at Shawnee, you can now go skiing or snowboarding as often as you’d like, which will give you more flexibility.
Verdict: Once again, this is a great way to visit a bunch of different mountains in the Northeast and support independent resorts at a great price. With this option, you’re paying $450 for tickets valued at over $800, plus you get to hit the slopes for an unlimited number of days. That definitely puts this pass right on par with the popular Northeast Value Epic Pass.
One thing to note, however is that the Indy Pass only provides a $70 discount when it’s purchased as a partner resort add-on, so it’s worth considering whether you really want that particular season pass. You could definitely forfeit that $70 savings to purchase any other season pass in the area (which could ultimately save more than $70) to go along with your Indy Pass, and you’ll still get to enjoy two days at Shawnee (and every other Indy mountain) as part of the pass anyway.
Home > Season Pass Guides > The Indy Pass
SNOWTHRIFT 