Start with the mountain, not the logo
If your home hill is Park City, Vail, Breck, Keystone, Heavenly, or Okemo — Epic. If it is Brighton, Solitude, Alta, Snowbird, Deer Valley, Steamboat, or Winter Park — Ikon. Buying the other pass because a podcast said so is how you own a very expensive coupon for the wrong canyon.
Looking at cheaper two-day networks too? See Indy Pass and Snow Pass vs Epic and Ikon for families.
New for 26/27: Deer Valley on Ikon Base
Until this season, Deer Valley was a full Ikon Pass mountain only. On Nov 9, 2026, Ikon and Deer Valley announced that the 26/27 Ikon Base Pass now includes 3 days at Deer Valley. The full Ikon Pass still gets 7. Base blackout dates apply (Dec 26 to 30, 2026; Jan 16 to 17, 2027; Feb 13 to 14, 2027), and every Ikon holder needs a lift reservation at Deer Valley this winter.
What it means for a family: if Deer Valley ski school is one long weekend of your Utah trip, not the whole week, Base now covers it, and Solitude is unlimited on Base for the other days. If you want a full week at Deer Valley, or your only ski days fall on a holiday blackout, the full Ikon Pass is still the product. On ikonpass.com on Nov 9, 2026, the Ikon Pass was listed from $1,529 and Ikon Base from $1,099 (adult, ages 23+).
Details, blackouts and the 4th Night Free lodging offer are on our Deer Valley page. Choosing between Deer Valley and Park City Mountain? See Park City vs Deer Valley.
Source: Ikon Pass and Deer Valley's Nov 9, 2026 announcement and the Ikon Base Pass page, checked 2026-11-09. Researched.
Family features are not evenly distributed
Epic's family strength is Park City + Keystone Kidtopia + Okemo Jackson Gore + Breck town. Ikon's is Steamboat Vacation Center + Deer Valley Children's Center + Winter Park Discovery + the Cottonwoods. Smugglers' Notch isn't on either, and it might still be your best week.
Kids' pass pricing
Both sell child products that look cheap until you read blackout dates and 'days at destination' caps. Read the current year's PDF. I am not reprinting last year's numbers as if they were a covenant.
Two-pass families
Some of us end up with both over a few seasons. It's not elegant. It is sometimes cheaper than window tickets at the in-law mountain. Do the actual days. If you are a once-a-year family, one pass or a package at Smugglers' will beat a drawer full of barcodes.
A different continent is a different product: should you take kids to the Alps.
Last updated: 2026-11-09