Skiers and snowboarders live for winter. While many—especially here on the ‘ice’ coast—cling to the dog days of summer, some of us are tracking forecasts, checking the almanac, and planning the snow season. Our mission is simple: maximize time in the mountains, minimize cost.
The State of Skiing and Snowboarding
The landscape of recreational skiing and riding has shifted dramatically in recent decades. Like in so many industries, big business now dominates the market. Modern amenities are many, but lift tickets at some resorts exceed $300, and mega passes under $1,000 are a rarity.
Rising costs, coupled with less predictable climate patterns, have made skiing and snowboarding feel increasingly cost-prohibitive for learners and families. For snowboarding—once rooted in subculture and punk rock—that shift feels especially strange. The ethos of maintaining play, the idea that the mountains should be accessible to everyone, is fading.
Historically, many towns and villages within reach of snow had a local ski hill. While some have closed for good, others continue to operate and modernize without the marketing and infrastructure advantages offered by big corporations. Since its founding in 2019, Indy Pass has helped bring these independent resorts back into view, offering an alternative to the corporate model.
Why Indy Pass is Essential
By focusing on independently-owned and operated resorts, Indy Pass creates a ripple effect. Indy Pass is supporting local economies and preserving the culture of recreational sport.
Pass holders gain access to benefits such as:
- Multiple destinations across North and South America, Japan, and Europe, including alpine and cross-country trails
- Friends-and-family discounts
- Savings on lodging
- A sense of community and camaraderie with fellow Indy Pass skiers and riders
- A newly-minted Learn to Turn program for 2025–26 geared towards beginners
For $449, Indy Pass offers an affordable way to explore a wide network of ski areas, globally, while keeping winter sports inclusive and true to their roots. The Indy Pass Plus offers even more perks.
New in 2025–26: Learn-to-Turn
A standout Indy Pass initiative is Learn-to-Turn, a program designed to make skiing and snowboarding accessible to beginners. Cost has become the number-one barrier to entering alpine sports. Many resorts require upwards of $300 just for lift tickets and parking before adding rental gear or lessons.
Learn-to-Turn breaks through that barrier. For $189 you receive three total days of:
- Lift access
- Rental equipment
- Professional instruction
Current Indy Pass holders can share two referral codes, reducing the cost to $149—an extremely low entry point. For context, that’s less than the price of an hour or two of private instruction at most resorts. Learn-to-Turn runs across 25+ participating Indy ski areas, making it easy to explore new terrain while sharpening your skills. The program officially launches in September and will run throughout the season.
Indy Pass in Action
Indy Pass makes it possible to discover mountains that might otherwise go overlooked. It’s taken me to new-to-me resorts within a five-hour radius of my home base in Montreal and given me unforgettable days with my friends and daughters.
And Indy Pass listens to its community, because they are the community. Each season, social media polls and passholder feedback help determine which resorts join the network. For example, years of requests from east coast skiers and riders led to Vermont’s Burke Mountain Resort gaining full membership this season.
Indy Pass has expanded my imagination of what snowboarding could be. Whether it’s carving turns on the icy north Atlantic coast of Newfoundland or heading back to the motherland in the Scottish highlands at Glencoe, with over 250 Indy resorts and counting, the only limits are your own.
The Bottom Line
Skiing and snowboarding are about the mountains, the turns, and the people who share them. Corporate resorts have their place, but Indy Pass and programs like Learn to Turn keep the experience affordable, inviting, and rooted in what makes skiing and snowboarding special: creativity, community, and living in the moment.
Pro tip: Living in the moment takes a little planning. The Indy Pass goes back on sale August 28. There are dozens of new resorts on the Indy list, and a limited number of passes are available before the window closes and the waitlist returns. Grab yours now. You’ll be back on Indy slopes again next year, guaranteed.
