Epic Pass in California
Epic Pass and Epic Local prices checked October 14, 2026. Access rules and blackout dates confirmed the same day on Vail’s own site. How we sourced each figure is set out at the foot of this page.
The Epic Pass covers three California resorts, all at Lake Tahoe: Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood. The full pass gives unlimited access to all three with no blackout dates, and costs $1,169 for adults. Epic has no terrain in the Eastern Sierra or Southern California — if you ski Mammoth or Big Bear, Epic is the wrong pass.
The cheapest way onto those three mountains is the Tahoe Local Pass, which covers the same resorts with restricted peak dates. It was $699 before the October 7, 2026 increase; Vail has not published a post-increase figure we can verify, so check epicpass.com for the current price.
What the Epic Pass covers in California
Vail Resorts owns three California resorts outright, and all three sit in the Tahoe basin within about an hour of each other. That geographic concentration is the whole argument for and against Epic in California: if you ski Tahoe it is excellent value, and if you ski anywhere else in the state it is worth nothing at all.
Heavenly
South Lake Tahoe. 4,800 acres and 3,500 feet of vertical, though the descent starts on the Nevada side — Heavenly straddles the state line.
Access: unlimited, no blackouts on the full pass.
Northstar
Truckee. 3,170 acres, 2,280 feet. The most sheltered Tahoe resort on a storm day, and the most family-oriented of the three.
Access: unlimited, no blackouts on the full pass.
Kirkwood
Highway 88, south of the lake. 2,300 acres, 2,000 feet, and the highest base in Tahoe at 7,800 feet. The steepest lift-served terrain of the three by a wide margin.
Access: unlimited, no blackouts on the full pass.
Not sure where these mountains actually are? All 28 California ski areas are plotted on the California ski resort map.
Epic Pass prices for 2026-27
The Epic Pass and Epic Local figures below are current as of October 14, 2026, read from an authorised Epic retailer’s live checkout and cross-checked against two independently dated price trackers that agree exactly. Vail escalates prices on published deadlines, so treat these as a snapshot rather than a fixed number.
| Pass | Age band | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Epic Pass | Adult 31+ | $1,169 |
| Epic Pass | Young Adult 18-30 | $929 |
| Epic Pass | Teen 13-17 | $929 |
| Epic Pass | Child 5-12 | $599 |
| Epic Local Pass | Adult 31+ | $869 |
| Epic Local Pass | Young Adult 18-30 | $689 |
| Epic Local Pass | Teen 13-17 | $689 |
| Epic Local Pass | Child 5-12 | $455 |
| Tahoe Local Pass | Adult 19+ | $699 (pre-Oct 7)* |
| Tahoe Local Pass | Teen 13-18 | $566 (pre-Oct 7)* |
| Tahoe Local Pass | Child 5-12 | $349 (pre-Oct 7)* |
New for 2026-27: Vail introduced a 20% discount for ages 13 to 30 across pass types. That is why the teen and young-adult prices are identical, and it makes Epic unusually competitive for anyone under 31 — $929 buys unlimited access to three Tahoe resorts plus every Vail destination, the strongest nationwide deal in this comparison for that age group. If you only ever ski Tahoe, Epic Local at $689 covers the same three mountains for $240 less, outside the blackout dates below.
Epic Local blackout dates, 2026-27: November 27-28, December 26-31, January 16 and February 13-14 — eleven days in total. Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood all carry the same set, with no separate per-resort dates. These come from Vail’s own restricted peak dates page on epicpass.com. The full Epic Pass has no blackout dates anywhere.
Which Epic tier makes sense
Tahoe Local — still the right pass for most Californians
If you drive to Tahoe and never fly anywhere to ski, the premium for the full Epic Pass buys you access to Colorado and Utah resorts you will not visit. We will not put a number on that gap against Tahoe Local, because Vail has published no Tahoe Local price since the October 7, 2026 increase. The comparison we can stand behind is Epic Local against the full Epic Pass: $869 versus $1,169 for an adult, so $300 buys the destination resorts and the holidays, both figures verified October 14, 2026. Tahoe Local covers the same three California mountains as either tier. The trade is restricted peak dates — but pass holders can still buy half-price lift tickets on those days.
Full Epic Pass, $1,169 — worth it if you take a destination trip
One week at Vail, Park City or Whistler on top of your Tahoe season, and the full pass pays for itself. It is also the only tier with zero blackout dates anywhere.
Skip Epic entirely if you ski south of Tahoe
Mammoth, June, Big Bear, Snow Valley, Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge, China Peak and Mountain High are all on other passes. For Southern California in particular, Epic offers nothing within a day’s drive.
Epic vs Ikon for a California skier
The two passes split Tahoe almost cleanly down the middle, which makes the decision unusually simple: pick the pass that covers the drive you already make.
| If you ski… | Pass | Why |
|---|---|---|
| South Lake Tahoe | Epic | Heavenly and Kirkwood are both Epic; nothing on Ikon is close to the South Shore. |
| Truckee / I-80 corridor | Epic or Ikon | Northstar is Epic, Palisades Tahoe is Ikon. Genuinely a toss-up — decide on terrain. |
| Eastern Sierra (Mammoth, June) | Ikon | Epic has nothing on US-395. |
| Southern California | Ikon | Big Bear and Snow Valley are Ikon. Epic has no SoCal terrain at all. |
| Central Sierra (Highway 4, 108, 168) | Cali Pass | Neither Epic nor Ikon covers Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge or China Peak. |
A fuller side-by-side of every pass sold in California is on the California ski pass comparison, and the Ikon Pass guide covers the other half of this decision.
Epic Pass in California — frequently asked questions
Which California resorts does the Epic Pass cover?
Three, all in the Lake Tahoe basin: Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood. The full Epic Pass gives unlimited access to all three with no blackout dates. Epic has no California terrain outside Tahoe — nothing in the Eastern Sierra and nothing in Southern California.
How much does the Epic Pass cost for 2026-27?
As of October 14, 2026 the full Epic Pass is $1,169 for adults 31 and over, $929 for ages 13 to 30, and $599 for children 5 to 12. Epic Local is $869 adult, $689 for ages 13 to 30 and $455 for children 5 to 12. Epic raised prices after September 7 and again after October 7, 2026. The Tahoe Local Pass, which covers only the three Tahoe resorts, was $699 before the October 7 increase; Vail has published no post-increase figure we can verify, so check epicpass.com directly.
Is Epic or Ikon better for California?
It depends entirely on which side of Tahoe you ski. Epic owns the South Shore and the Truckee side — Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood. Ikon owns the West Shore and everything south — Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth, June, Big Bear and Snow Valley, all unlimited on both Ikon tiers, plus seven days at Sierra-at-Tahoe. If you live in Southern California, Ikon is the only one of the two with terrain near you. If Kirkwood's steeps are what you want, only Epic has them.
What is the difference between Epic Pass, Epic Local and Tahoe Local?
Epic Pass is unlimited everywhere with no blackouts. Epic Local is cheaper but blacked out on eleven days in 2026-27 — November 27-28, December 26-31, January 16 and February 13-14, the same set at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood — and it limits days at some destination resorts. Tahoe Local is the cheapest tier and covers only Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood, with restricted peak dates, though pass holders can buy half-price lift tickets on those restricted days. Tahoe Local was $699 before the October 7, 2026 increase and Vail has published no verifiable price since, so check epicpass.com.
When do Epic Pass prices go up?
Epic raised prices after September 7, 2026 and again after October 7, 2026. The figures on this page are current as of October 14, 2026. One outlet reports a further increase on November 15, 2026 with sales closing December 6, which Vail has not confirmed.
Is the Epic Pass worth it if I only ski a few days?
Rarely. At $1,169, the full Epic Pass needs roughly 7 to 9 days at Tahoe window rates to break even. If you expect fewer than about 6 days, Tahoe Local, or simply buying discounted lift tickets in advance, usually costs less; Tahoe Local was $699 before the October 7, 2026 increase and the current price is not published anywhere we can verify. The Epic Day Pass, priced by the number of days you choose, is the honest option for occasional skiers.
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 Epic Pass and Epic Local figures above were verified on October 14, 2026 and are worth re-checking before you buy. Where these numbers come from: our Epic prices do not come from Vail directly, because epicpass.com blocks automated access to its price pages. They come from an authorised Epic retailer’s live checkout plus two independently dated price trackers that agree exactly. The Epic Local blackout dates do come from Vail’s own site. Where we could not verify a figure — the Tahoe Local price after the October 7, 2026 increase — we say so rather than estimate it.