Dr Jabadski

By far the least expensive way to ski Epic Pass resorts is a Military Epic Pass ($169 this season) but there’s probably not enough time for you to join the Navy and get a Military ID . $203/day actually isn’t too bad, I skied Park City 2 weeks ago, asked about walk-up daily ticket prices, was told $299/day.

Epic Pass sales end in the late fall, if you know by then you’ll be skiing an applicable resort for 4-5 or more days during the upcoming ski season it’s probably cost effective to buy an Epic Pass.

4-5 years ago I was fortunate in finding a ticket office manager at Breckenridge to sell me a Military Epic Pass (during it’s first season) in February after skiing Park City a few weeks earlier and paying for a daily Military discounted (~50%) lift ticket for 4 days which the Breck agent managed to credit toward my Epic Pass purchase resulting in a credit to my credit card of ~$100. That was after a bunch of unproductive emails to Vail and Epic Pass after skiing Park City (where I learned of the new Military Epic Pass). Needless to say I was VERY pleasantly surprised and VERY appreciative. Point is, it was possible to buy an Epic Pass a few years ago when they were “no longer available” although I believe that was a very rare exception.

Without an Epic Pass, the most reliable way to buy less expensive ticket(s) is online advance purchase. Those with a non-Military Epic Pass will have “Ski With a Friend (SWAF)” passes and “Buddy” passes available which might be less expensive than advance purchase tickets. Years ago those who live near Breck and Colorado residents could get some sort of local or state discount.

2 days ago I booked 5 night award at DT Breck for next week (1/22-1/27), I’ll try to remember to ask about lift ticket purchases at the front desk and report back here. Unfortunately recent TripAdvisor reviews are not encouraging. When I called a few days ago, I was told lobby and restaurant renovations were finished a few weeks ago, pool and fitness center and hot tubs still closed, rooms not yet renovated, current rates are reflective of incomplete renovations toward rebranding as a Curio. (I saw ~ $260/night compared to ~$400-500/night last ski season.) Might just test my theory that ski resort lodging is just a bed and a shower (and maybe breakfast) .

DT Breck last year was managed by or affiliated with Vail Resorts (so they might have some way to buy less expensive tickets). Last year I wrote an email to several Vail Resorts managers regarding an infuriating 5 night experience at DT Breck for which I had redeemed 280K HH points. I received a reply from a Vail Resorts Director of Hospitality, ended up speaking with him a week or 2 later while I was at Park City and he subsequently directed the hotel to compensate me with a HH Service Recovery Bonus of 280K HH points.

(This post from a year ago addresses this same question and also has interesting information regarding Vail Resorts long standing generosity to Military personnel and why for the 10th anniversary of the Epic Pass they started offering a Military Epic Pass.)