Last year I got the Ikon Pass and spent a couple months skiing resorts up and down the Rockies. Part of this trip was to escape the crowds in Truckee and Lake Tahoe, but I found just as many people in every big resort destination on the pass.
It’s not all bad – these ski areas have impressive terrain and modern infrastructure to access it. But that investment comes at a trade-off with the the small-town, community feel that makes the mountains a special place to be.
This year I’m making the time to explore even more of the Pacific Northwest, and I’m on the lookout for independent resorts where skiing is just a part of life in the winter for everyone that lives near by. Enter the Indy Ski Pass. 44 Resorts, 88 days (2 at each resort) for only $199. Most resorts have no blackout days, and most mountains are big enough to explore for 2 days. An extra plus – my local mountain (Mt. Shasta) is on it, which I would ski anyways, so it practically pays for itself.
Here’s the route of indy ski resorts I’m planning this January
Indy Ski Pass Northwest Route