MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Vail Resorts launches ‘Epic Friend Tickets,’ 50% off lift tickets for pass holders’ guests at Stevens Pass

Aug 17, 2025, 5:00 AM

vail resorts stevens pass...

Skiers at Breckenridge. (Photo courtesy of Veil Resorts)

(Photo courtesy of Veil Resorts)

Vail Resorts announced it is rolling out a new deal offering 50% off lift tickets.

The company unveiled “Epic Friend Tickets,” a new benefit for 2025/26 season-long Epic Pass holders. Those with an Epic Pass, an Epic Local Pass, an Epic Military Pass, or a Northeast Value Pass will receive 6-10 Epic Friend Tickets, depending on when they purchased their pass.

Epic Friend Tickets provide 50% off lift tickets at the company’s 37 North American resorts.

“We will always give the best deal to our pass holders who commit to skiing with us ahead of the season,” Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz said in a prepared statement. “That said, we know not everyone can plan ahead, so if you don’t have an Epic Pass, the next best thing is knowing someone who does.”

Replacing, and upgrading, Veil Resorts’ old “buddy tickets,” pass holders who purchased before April 14 will receive 10 Epic Friend tickets, and those who bought their pass after will receive six Epic Friend tickets.

Vail Resorts said the deal comes as part of an effort to make mountain access more affordable and attract new visitors. Vail operates 37 North American resorts for the upcoming 2025/26 winter season, including Stevens Pass.

“Skiers and snowboarders know this sport is magic; a passion you can’t help but pass on,” Katz continued. “If you ski or ride, chances are someone brought you into the sport, and we want to make it easier for you to pay it forward. Epic Friend Tickets are the next step on our nearly two-decade-long journey to find ways to make skiing more accessible to more people.”

The 2025/26 Epic Pass is $1,075 for adults and $548 for children. It offers unlimited, unrestricted access to Vail Resorts’ 42 owned and operated mountain resorts. The Epic Local Pass is $799 for adults and $416 for children, providing unlimited, unrestricted access to 29 U.S.-based resorts.

Passes are on sale now, and the lowest price of the Fall ends Sept. 1.

Follow Frank Sumrall on X. Send news tips here.

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Vail Resorts launches ‘Epic Friend Tickets,’ 50% off lift tickets for pass holders’ guests at Stevens Pass