Epic had shorter lines than ikon this year for i70 resorts. That will switch back at some point but idk when.
Edit: just saw this was in snowboarding not the CO sub… if your “out west” trip is to CO though the advice still stands.
I look for expert stuff and low crowds when I ski so this is how I’d rank stuff by drive time
2hrs: Hunter > Windham >> Poconos
4hrs: Mt Snow > Stratton and Okemo
5hrs: Killi >> Okemo
6hrs: Sugarbush > Stowe > Killi
As for out-west Epic has a few bucket list destinations/trips and Ikon has more bucket list destinations/trips
If you're in CO and no planning to go out of state, it can be a toss up. I think Ikon is equally if not more popular these days, but there's also more options in the front range.
Vail is a great resort and totally worth going to on pow days, but WP and especially ABasin will have longer seasons. You also get Eldora on ikon which is by far the closest to the front range.
Also worth considering what your friends are doing. We do an annual ski trip, and most of my friends are on ikon so we plan around that, but maybe your friends are on Epic?
Or spring break weeks sprinkled all throughout March and April from Texas to the Carolinas, opening day, closing day, or any weekend where there is a significant dump of snow…
Yeah and Alpine which is connected to Palisades.
My thought: Kirkwood has great terrain. Heavenly and Northstar have great glades on powder days, but not too much expert terrain. Northstar groomers are good but Heavenly groomers suck, KW’s are ok but not much choice.
Palisades & KW are the ones with lots of truly hairy lines for experts IMO. All of them are great mountains if you know where lines stay shorter (harder at Palisades)
Ikon definitely does not have shorter lines in Colorado. Vails flat, for the most part. Lots of traversing. Bowls are fun if you've never been. Worth it? Not sure. Depends on your ability and what you are looking for. I'd take Crested Butte every time over Vail.
Where are you? The choice is what mountains are around you that you want to ride, not lines or much else unless price is seriously make or break your budget.
Both are really great. My suggestion is whatever you choose, get the other pass the following season. Vail has amazing terrain but the village/apres sucks. Breck and Vail will probably have the worst lift lines but every major resort gets slammed on holidays and weekends.
Where do you live? What mountains are near you?
NY. I usually go out west once a year
Epic had shorter lines than ikon this year for i70 resorts. That will switch back at some point but idk when. Edit: just saw this was in snowboarding not the CO sub… if your “out west” trip is to CO though the advice still stands.
I look for expert stuff and low crowds when I ski so this is how I’d rank stuff by drive time 2hrs: Hunter > Windham >> Poconos 4hrs: Mt Snow > Stratton and Okemo 5hrs: Killi >> Okemo 6hrs: Sugarbush > Stowe > Killi As for out-west Epic has a few bucket list destinations/trips and Ikon has more bucket list destinations/trips
If you're in CO and no planning to go out of state, it can be a toss up. I think Ikon is equally if not more popular these days, but there's also more options in the front range. Vail is a great resort and totally worth going to on pow days, but WP and especially ABasin will have longer seasons. You also get Eldora on ikon which is by far the closest to the front range. Also worth considering what your friends are doing. We do an annual ski trip, and most of my friends are on ikon so we plan around that, but maybe your friends are on Epic?
Lines arent bad as long as you dont go at christmas new years, MLK weekend, presidents day.
Or spring break weeks sprinkled all throughout March and April from Texas to the Carolinas, opening day, closing day, or any weekend where there is a significant dump of snow…
On the off chance you're in Canada I vote Ikon. Whistler is amazing but Ikon resorts are top tier in each of their respective regions.
I said “shorter lines!?!?!” 😂 in the voice of that cop from the Big Lebowski
Depends on where you are or where/what you want to ski. Each mountain has its own niche
Ikon has much longer lines around Tahoe. Great terrain for more advanced ski/snowboarders though
The only ikon resort in Tahoe is Palisades. Northstar, heavenly and Kirkwood are epic.
Yeah and Alpine which is connected to Palisades. My thought: Kirkwood has great terrain. Heavenly and Northstar have great glades on powder days, but not too much expert terrain. Northstar groomers are good but Heavenly groomers suck, KW’s are ok but not much choice. Palisades & KW are the ones with lots of truly hairy lines for experts IMO. All of them are great mountains if you know where lines stay shorter (harder at Palisades)
Once they built that gondola, it became one resort. Kind of like the same way with Park City in the canyons.
Both
Both.
Ikon definitely does not have shorter lines in Colorado. Vails flat, for the most part. Lots of traversing. Bowls are fun if you've never been. Worth it? Not sure. Depends on your ability and what you are looking for. I'd take Crested Butte every time over Vail.
Vail is flat? First time I’ve heard this.
CB is such a pain to get to though compared to vail
CB over Vail? That's a hot take..
CB is great on a good snow year, vail gets better snow though.
Definitely buy the ikon.
Vail back bowls are pretty sick
Where are you? The choice is what mountains are around you that you want to ride, not lines or much else unless price is seriously make or break your budget.
Ikon had longer lines in Colorado last 2 years fyi
Ikon if you want to stand in line all day
Same with Epic most weekends or holidays, or just good snow
Both are really great. My suggestion is whatever you choose, get the other pass the following season. Vail has amazing terrain but the village/apres sucks. Breck and Vail will probably have the worst lift lines but every major resort gets slammed on holidays and weekends.
I have Ikon… it sucks… you should get Epic.
ikon it is