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Pass Go: A Local's Guide to Making the Most of the Ikon Pass

Pass Go: A Local's Guide to Making the Most of the Ikon Pass

The Ikon Pass is tailor-made for a Utah ski vacation. Choose one stellar resort for your entire trip or enjoy all six Utah Ikon resorts, thanks to quick access between these Wasatch Range resorts.

Written By Paula Colman

A skier making a big turn on a freshly groomed run, leaning into the turn.

Snowbasin Resort | Courtesy of Snowbasin Resort

If you haven’t visited, prepare to be shocked at how easy it is to get around. That's right, Utah is home to six incredible Ikon Pass resorts — all within a quick drive of each other and Salt Lake City.

Quick geography lesson: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is only 10 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, 40 minutes to the Cottonwood Canyon resorts, 45 minutes to Deer Valley Resort and within an hour of Snowbasin Resort. Although the area gets a lot of snow, expert snowplow crews keep the roads as clear as possible. The airport — with its sparkling and spacious new terminals — has a top on-time record, and schools rarely close due to weather. That said, if you’re a less-confident driver or or new to driving on snow and ice (in winter, Big and Little Cottonwood canyons require snow tires, all-wheel drive or chains), take advantage of the surfeit of buses, shuttles and ride shares (including UberSki) to get around the area.

The resorts closest to Salt Lake City are located in Big and Little Cottonwood canyons.

Photo: Angie Payne

A view from Snowbird.

Photo: Garrett Grove/Visit Salt Lake

Utah Resorts for Ikon Pass Holders

The biggest decision for an Ikon Pass holder? Deciding where to ski.

Deer Valley Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton Resort, Snowbasin Resort, Alta Ski Area and Snowbird all accept the Ikon Pass (heads up snowboarders — Alta and Deer Valley are ski only).

The best strategy is to live like a local. Utah locals, even if they have a season pass to a single resort, chase the powder. If a winter storm is coming, they don’t go to Costco to stock up on water; they go to replenish their instant hand warmers. Locals don’t want to catch a chill when they’re chin-deep in feather-light snow. Next, they check the Ski Utah snow report for ALL the resorts. Because of geography — mountains, canyons, elevations and, of course, a giant lake — the weather varies among resorts. The explanation is pretty interesting, but you just want to ski. So, check the weather and chase the powder!

Ski the Cottonwood Ikon Resorts

If it’s pounding in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC) — and it often is — spend the night at Snowbird's iconic Cliff Lodge or Alta's newest hotel, Snowpine Lodge, to be first on the lifts when they open.

Staying in Salt Lake? Plan your canyon voyage wisely on holiday weekends or power days. Avoid the 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. rush hour. Consider taking the UTA ski bus or carpooling. If the Utah Department of Transportation is doing avalanche work on the road, the canyon typically opens around 8 a.m. Eager powderhounds line up early, but it takes a while to clear the bottleneck. (Read: How to Prepare for Your Utah Ski Vacation)

Locals' tip for canyon commuting: On a holiday weekend or powder day, leave by 7 a.m. Pick up coffee, pastries or breakfast sandwiches from Beaumont Cafe or Alpha Coffee on the way. Or wait to enter the canyon until 10 a.m. There will still be plenty of snow. At the day’s end, check out the après-ski scene at the lodges or grab a day pass to Cliff Spa and enjoy a steam, sauna or dip in the Instagramable rooftop hot tub and pool.

"Solitude is usually the least crowded of these resorts, but Utahns will tell you that its Honeycomb Canyon is one of the best areas to ski on a powder day."

If you have a snowboarder, then plan a day — or a night ride — at Brighton.

Photo: Jay Dash

Big Cottonwood Canyon (BCC) has a similar weather pattern to Little Cottonwood Canyon, but the topography and vibe among the BCC and LCC resorts are quite different. They all provide world-class skiing, and your Ikon Pass gets you to all of them. But first, breakfast! Silver Fork Lodge and Restaurant is just before Solitude and provides hearty fuel and a warm stone fireplace to prep you for the ski day.

Locals' tip for avoiding crowds: Solitude is usually the least-crowded of these resorts and Utahns will tell you that its Honeycomb Canyon is one of the best areas to ski on a powder day.

Bonus tip for finding secret stashes: When everything else is tracked out, traverse the sides of the canyon to find the freshies.

Next door is Brighton Resort, which is full of rich traditions and rad terrain parks. Plan a day — or a night ride — at Brighton (note, advanced lift reservations are required for Ikon pass holders). This is also the place to bring sack lunches and drinks, or make friends with a local (not hard in preternaturally-friendly Utah) with a portable grill for slopeside tailgating. As you head down the canyon, reserve dinner at Saola Restaurant, or stop in at Porcupine Pub & Grill for its microbrew and famed creamy chicken noodle soup.

"Big Cottonwood Canyon, typically, has a similar weather pattern to Little Cottonwood Canyon, but the topography and vibe among the BCC and LCC resorts are quite different."

You'll find some perfectly manicured groomers at Deer Valley.

Photo: Scott Markewitz

Ski Deer Valley, Ikon's Park City Option

Even if skiing and staying in Salt Lake City — which has budget and five-star accommodations a fraction of ski-in/ski-out options — take advantage of all that Ikon Pass has to offer, including multiple ski days at upscale Deer Valley in Park City (note, advanced lift reservations are required for Ikon pass holders). You hear a lot about the great food and service, but Utah locals head here for the powder, especially in the springtime. The trees, bowls and chutes at Deer Valley are terrific. However, because the resort attracts a clientele that is often more concerned with food and service, the best powder stashes are often untouched at lunchtime. That said, the turkey chili is pretty amazing, too.

Locals' tip for scoring empty slopes: Stuff snacks in your jacket and break for lunch after 1:30. You’ll avoid the lunch rush inside the lodge, and reap the rewards of empty trails on the mountain.

Bonus tip for finding free stuff at Deer Valley: If you want to feel like a million bucks off the slopes, then take the free funicular to the Lounge (for families) or Bar (for adults) at St. Regis Deer Valley next to the Snow Park Lodge and enjoy melted European hot chocolate and other après ski treats with panoramic views. Also, check out the Rossignol High Performance Test Center (located near the Race Hill Registration Building at the top of the Ottobahn ski run on Bald Mountain) where you can demo the latest lineup of Rossignol skis — free for up to two hours.

Snowbasin Resort

Photo: Courtesy of Snowbasin Resort

Ski Snowbasin, Ikon's Ogden Option

Assuming you want to ski more, Ikon Pass includes the stunning Snowbasin Resort in nearby Ogden Valley. If you haven’t heard of it (that’s a good thing in the skiing universe), then you might know its Idahoan sister property, Sun Valley.

Snowbasin boasts luxe skiing, fine dining, long runs, panoramic views, fewer people and lots of powder. As the venue for the Super-G and Downhill events at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and Paralympics, Snowbasin is a serious mountain that delivers bunny hills and backcountry routes. It just also happens to offer five-star service to its guests. To get started, take the toasty gondola in the center of the resort’s six peaks to the Needles Lodge for a gourmet meal. If it’s Saturday morning, then enjoy a yoga class at 9000’. Then, get to business and ski some of the best runs in Utah and the world.

When you’re done, head down the road to share a burger and beer to toast your best run of the day at The Shooting Star Saloon, Utah’s oldest continually operating saloon (since 1879). If you prefer premium gin or agave, try them both at the tasting room at New World Distillery in nearby Eden. On the way, look beyond the fence posts to spot a few masterpieces painted on the sides of local barns. If the nightime sky is clear, then view the largest canvas — the entire galaxy — at North Fork State Park, one of Utah’s many Dark Sky Parks. Check the schedule for a Moonlight Glide, a family-friendly nighttime Nordic ski, on solar-lighted trails at the park.

Take a break from skiing (skiing all that powder can tucker you out), and enjoy plenty of other pursuits: ice skating, ice fishing, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing. It’s all nearby. Head to the city of Ogden with the family to walk amongst 100+ dinosaur sculptures built to scale and follow it up with a scoop of play dough ice cream at Farr’s.

Locals' tip for shopping: Check out the very best deals on Arcteryx and Solomon gear at Amer Sports Factory Outlet just around the corner. Finish off your day with a stroll along Historic 25th Street to enjoy shops, galleries and restaurants — all in the heart of another epic mountain town.

Snowbasin means luxe skiing and quality dining as well as long runs, panoramic views, fewer people and lots of powder.

Photo: Courtesy of Snowbasin Resort

More Ikon Pass Benefits

In addition to Utah’s six Ikon resorts, skiers and snowboarders enjoy 50+ destinations around the globe. Score the best Ikon Pass pricing in March when they go on sale for the next ski season. Download the Ikon Pass App for quick access to which resorts your pass includes and how many days are left at each resort — the Ikon Pass, Ikon Base Pass and Ikon Base Plus Pass offer varying degrees of resort access, blackout dates and number of ski days.

About the Author – Paula Colman

Paula Colman is not a professional skier, mountain biker, sommelier or chef, but spends her time pursuing these and whatever else pops up along the way with an inordinate amount of enthusiasm and humor. As a recovering attorney and practicing parent, who has lived in seven states across all four time zones, she landed in Utah over a decade ago and decided that she could study for the bar or learn to ski…hmmm. She now shares her stories about outdoor adventures and entertainments throughout Utah as a regular contributor for Visit Utah, Ski Utah, ApresSkiUtah.com and others and on Instagram at @harpo_utah.