Labor Day Weekend in Denver typically involves several end-of-summer traditions:  Sniagrab (bargains spelled backwards, Sports Authority’s deeply discounted sale on prior year snow sports equipment and accessories); ski pass purchases and promos, and the Taste of Colorado festival downtown.  Skiiers and snowboarders should keep in mind that this year, it also marks the deadline to lock in the lowest price for a 2015-2016 Epic Pass.   As snowgrrl has discussed previously, the Epic Pass offers guests access to unrestricted, unlimited skiing for the 2015-16 winter season to the premier ski resorts in the U.S.  Available for just $769 for adults and $399 for children, pass holders gain uaccess to over 32,000 acres at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, Park City in Utah, Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe, Perisher in Australia for the 2016 season, Afton Alps in Minnesota, Mt. Brighton in Michigan, and up to five free consecutive days when staying at in-resort accommodations at Verbier, Switzerland.

A continuous debate and point of anxiety for Colorado residents is which pass to get. . . . and during the season, trying to figure out how many more days to ski to maximize the value of said pass.  The resorts have made it easy to determine this by supplying us with a Pass Finder tool.  Just punch in the resorts you enjoy, the number of on-mountain days planned, and it will suggest the perfect pass for you.

“The Epic Pass offers unparalleled access to the best skiing in the U.S.,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts. “The Epic Pass provides the best value, is the easiest to use and is the most popular pass.”   For visitors looking to take only one ski trip during the 2015-16 winter season, the Epic 4-Day provides four days of unrestricted access to Vail Resorts’ mountains in Colorado, Utah and Lake Tahoe. At just over $1,200 for a family of four, the Epic 4-Day is a 35 percent savings compared to lift tickets.

Throughout the year, Epic Pass holders save up to an additional 20 percent off the lowest lodging rates and existing promotional packages with Vail Resorts owned and operated properties. The discounts are even deeper this week when pass holders book during Vail Resorts’ biggest sale of the year, the 96 Hour Sale, by Friday, August 21 at midnight.