Industry News
JACKSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Last week, Indy Pass and Entabeni Systems hosted more than 50 of their resort partners for the second annual Conference of Indypendents, held at their new ski area laboratory at Black Mountain of New Hampshire. The event brought together hundreds of people from across North America and Europe with a shared goal of strengthening the position of independently-owned ski areas through collaboration and innovation. Discussions and workshops focused on key areas of opportunity, including technology, marketing, operations, and insurance.
“Our partners showed up from all around the globe,” Erik Mogensen said, Director of Indy Pass. “It’s the only gathering quite like it. We had operators and owners from small, remote mountains in Alaska to major European destinations. Bringing that range of perspectives together for meaningful industry conversations is something truly special.”
The three-day conference featured presentations, workshops, and on-snow experiences, including self-drive PistenBully demos and lift-served skiing and riding on the Black Mountain Glacier. Programming centered on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing independent resort operators today.
Conference highlights include:
Indy Pass
- Increased payouts and larger incoming yields for resort partners
- Planning for continued growth, with 26/27 pass sales up 30% year-over-year
- Enhancements to the guest redemption experience
- Expansion of product offerings, including Learn to Turn, Employee Pass, and Add-On Pass
- The announcement of streamlined direct booking lodging for Indy Pass and Entabeni partners
- Expanded marketing support and metrics for partner resorts
Entabeni Systems
- Launch of the first fully mobile POS system with full payment integration
- Key management dashboards are viewable on any device
- Introduction of self-service guest kiosks
- Time tracking and budgeting software tools
- Turn-key full food & beverage software and hardware offering
- Debut of the “Ask Indy” AI tool
“Erik and his team, be it Indy or Entabeni, are focused on every problematic issue facing the industry, with a particular emphasis on independent operators,” Kris Blomback said, General Manager of Pats Peak. “I appreciate the passion in tackling them head-on, and the networking opportunities are powerful.”
Leaders from Indy Pass highlighted that the 2026/27 season was Indy’s busiest season yet, with pass sales up by 30% compared to the entirety of last season. Another Indy Pass sale period for the waitlist is likely for the future, given the strong interest in joining from major resorts around the globe. Resort partners may see the highest yield in Indy Pass history in the 2026/27 season.
Meanwhile, Black Mountain, NH, Jay Peak, Vermont, and numerous Indy Pass resorts in Europe continue to operate well into May, allowing 2025/26 Indy Passholders to enjoy their longest season yet.
2025/26 Closing Dates of Indy Resorts:
- Black Mountain, NH – TBD
- Jay Peak, VT – TBD
- Levi, Finland – May 10
- Kaunertaler Gletscherbahnen, Austria – May 25
- Riksgränsen, Sweden – May 24
- Stubai Glacier, via Innsbruck, Austria – May 17
