California Ski Pass Comparison
Prices and access checked August 29, 2026 directly against each pass operator’s own site.
There is no single best ski pass for California — the right one is decided by which drive you already make. Ikon covers the most ground and is the only major pass with Southern California resorts. Epic owns the Tahoe South Shore. The Cali Pass, at $729, covers the Central Sierra mountains that neither of the big two touch.
Six passes are sold into the California market for 2026-27. One of them, Indy, has already sold out, and one, Powder Alliance, cannot be bought at all.
Every California ski pass compared
| Pass | Adult price | Unlimited in California | Limited days | The short version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ikon | $1,449 / $1,019 Base | Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Bear Mountain, Snow Summit, Snow Valley | Sierra-at-Tahoe (up to 5 days on Ikon Base) | Widest California coverage; the only pass with SoCal resorts |
| Epic | $1,119 / $699 Tahoe Local | Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood | — | Owns the Tahoe South Shore; nothing outside Tahoe |
| Cali Pass | $729 | Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge, China Peak, Mountain High |
Sierra-at-Tahoe (3 days) Mt. Shasta Ski Park (3 days) |
Central Sierra value; covers what the big two ignore |
| Mountain Collective | $699 | — | Sugar Bowl (2 days, no blackouts) | One California resort; built for destination trips |
| Indy | Sold out | — |
Bear Valley (2 days) China Peak (2 days) Donner Ski Ranch (2 days) Dodge Ridge (2 days) Mountain High (2 days) Mt. Shasta Ski Park (2 days) |
Small independent hills, 2 days each — unavailable this season |
| Powder Alliance | Not sold separately | — |
Bear Valley (3 days) China Peak (3 days) Dodge Ridge (3 days) Mountain High (3 days) Sierra-at-Tahoe (3 days) Mt. Shasta Ski Park (3 days) |
A perk of buying a member resort’s season pass |
Not sure where these mountains actually are? All 28 California ski areas are plotted on the California ski resort map.
Pick by where you drive
This is the only question that actually matters. Acreage and resort counts are marketing; the pass that is worth money to you is the one covering mountains you will genuinely reach on a Saturday.
| You are driving from… | Realistic options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bay Area, I-80 to Truckee | Ikon Epic | Palisades Tahoe on Ikon, Northstar on Epic — both roughly the same drive. Sugar Bowl, the closest resort to the freeway, is on Mountain Collective. |
| Bay Area, US-50 to South Lake | Epic | Heavenly and Kirkwood are both Epic. Ikon’s only South Shore option is limited days at Sierra-at-Tahoe. |
| Central Valley, Highway 4 / 108 / 168 | Cali Pass | Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge and China Peak are all Cali Pass and all far closer than Tahoe. Neither Ikon nor Epic covers any of them. |
| Los Angeles / Inland Empire | Ikon Cali Pass | Big Bear and Snow Valley on Ikon; Mountain High on the Cali Pass. Epic has nothing in Southern California. |
| US-395 / Eastern Sierra | Ikon | Mammoth and June are Ikon only. No other pass covers them. |
| Far Northern California | Cali Pass | Mt. Shasta Ski Park is on the Cali Pass for 3 days and in the Powder Alliance. It sells its own season pass too, which is the cheaper route if it is your home hill. |
The six passes in detail
Ikon Pass — $1,449, or $1,019 for Base
Six California resorts unlimited on the full pass, spread across Tahoe, the Eastern Sierra and Southern California. Ikon Base saves $430 and adds three holiday blackout windows totalling seven days, plus a downgrade at Big Bear. For a weekend skier who avoids holidays, Base is usually the smarter buy. Full Ikon Pass guide →
Epic Pass — $1,119, or $699 for Tahoe Local
Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood, unlimited and blackout-free on the full pass. The interesting tier for Californians is Tahoe Local at $699: the same three mountains with restricted peak dates, and half-price lift tickets on those restricted days. New this season, everyone aged 13 to 30 gets 20% off. Full Epic Pass guide →
Cali Pass — $729
The most underrated pass in the state. Unlimited at Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge, China Peak, Mountain High, plus three days each at Sierra-at-Tahoe and Mt. Shasta Ski Park and twelve out-of-state areas. Blackouts cover December 26-31, 2026; January 1-2 and 15-17, 2027; February 12-14, 2027. If you live in the Central Valley or the Inland Empire, this is likely more skiing for less money than either big pass.
Mountain Collective — $699
Two days at each of 27 destinations worldwide with no blackout dates, and 50% off additional days. In California that means Sugar Bowl and nothing else. This is a pass for someone who takes several destination trips a year, not for a California local.
Indy Pass — sold out
Two days each at six California independents. It sold out for 2026-27 with a record waitlist, and Indy+ had dropped to $399, only $50 above Base. If you missed it, the Cali Pass covers four of those six mountains with unlimited access instead.
Powder Alliance — not for sale
Worth understanding because it quietly changes the maths on local season passes. Buy a qualifying full season pass at a member resort and you get three free days at every other member. California members: Bear Valley, China Peak, Dodge Ridge, Mountain High, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Mt. Shasta Ski Park. A Dodge Ridge season pass, for instance, quietly comes with days at five other California mountains.
Is a season pass worth it at all?
Break-even is the honest test. California window rates at the destination resorts run roughly $150 to $250 a day in peak season, so the full Ikon Pass needs about 7 to 9 days to pay for itself and the Cali Pass needs about 5 to 7 at its smaller mountains.
Buy a pass if you will ski more than about 8 days
Past that point every pass in this comparison beats buying tickets, and the flexibility to bail on a bad-conditions day without wasting money changes how you ski.
Skip it under about 5 days
Ikon Session from $319, the Epic Day Pass, or simply buying discounted tickets in advance will cost less. A pass you ski four times is an expensive four days.
California ski passes — frequently asked questions
Which ski pass is best for California?
It depends on where you drive. Ikon covers the most California terrain — Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth, June, Big Bear and Snow Valley — and is the only major pass with Southern California resorts. Epic covers the Tahoe South Shore and Truckee: Heavenly, Kirkwood and Northstar. The Cali Pass, at $729, covers the Central Sierra resorts neither of the big two touch. There is no single best answer, only a best answer for your drive.
How much do California ski passes cost for 2026-27?
Checked August 29, 2026: Ikon $1,449 adult, Ikon Base $1,019, Epic $1,119, Epic Local $829, Tahoe Local $699, Cali Pass $729, Mountain Collective $699. The Indy Pass sold out at $349 for the Base tier. Epic prices increase on September 7, 2026.
Which pass covers Mammoth Mountain?
Ikon, unlimited with no blackouts on the full pass. Mammoth is not on Epic, the Cali Pass, Indy or Mountain Collective. If Mammoth is your mountain, Ikon is effectively the only multi-resort option.
Which pass covers Lake Tahoe?
Both of the big two, but different halves. Epic has Heavenly and Kirkwood on the south side and Northstar near Truckee. Ikon has Palisades Tahoe on the west side plus limited days at Sierra-at-Tahoe. Sugar Bowl is on Mountain Collective, and Donner Ski Ranch is an Indy Pass partner. No single pass covers all of Tahoe.
Is there a cheaper California ski pass than Ikon or Epic?
Yes. The Cali Pass is $729 and gives unlimited access to Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge, China Peak and Mountain High, plus three days each at Sierra-at-Tahoe and Mt. Shasta Ski Park. The Tahoe Local Pass is $699 for Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood with restricted peak dates. Both are genuine alternatives if you are not committed to the destination resorts.
Is the Indy Pass available for 2026-27?
No. Indy sold out for the 2026-27 season with a record waitlist. It covered six California areas — Bear Valley, China Peak, Donner Ski Ranch, Dodge Ridge, Mountain High and Mt. Shasta Ski Park — at two days each. If you missed it, the Cali Pass covers four of those six with unlimited access.
What is the Powder Alliance and do I buy it?
You do not buy it. Powder Alliance is a reciprocal perk: buy a qualifying full season pass at a member resort and you get three free days at each of the other members. Its California members are Bear Valley, China Peak, Dodge Ridge, Mountain High, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Mt. Shasta Ski Park. It is a reason to buy a local season pass, not a pass in itself.
When do California ski pass prices go up?
Epic increases on September 7, 2026, with further increases reported for October and November. Ikon had not published a deadline as of August 29, 2026, but has historically stepped up in early October. Passes almost always cost more the longer you wait, and all of them stop selling in December.
Once you have picked a pass
Find the mountains it covers, then somewhere to sleep near them.
California ski resort mapWhere to staySnow chainsGear guidesSnoCal is not affiliated with, and earns no commission from, any ski pass operator — none of them run affiliate programs. We do earn a commission on lodging and gear booked through links elsewhere on this site. Pass prices change on published deadlines; the figures above were verified on August 29, 2026 and are worth re-checking before you buy.