Your next ski trip may be closer — and easier — than you think

With the onset of warmer temperatures, we can’t forget about the last few weeks of snow and winter fun to be had — especially skiing. As you hit the slopes for the last few times this season, now’s the time to look ahead to later this year and make sure you’re prepared for the 2022-2023 ski season with the Ikon Pass.

The Ikon Pass unlocks access to 50 ski destinations across the globe, including Steamboat Ski Resort and Aspen Snowmass in Colorado, and Alta and Deer Valley in Utah. And if you purchase next season’s ski pass now, you’ll unlock special access to spring skiing at 10 destinations for no additional cost.

Here’s a look at what the Ikon Pass is and why you should consider getting it right now — before the end of the current ski season.

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Overview of Ikon Pass

The Ikon Pass is for expert and novice skiers alike — you don’t have to be a pro on the slopes to buy one. The pass gives you access to 50 destinations across five continents, and many of these destinations are conveniently located in the U.S.

For those looking to spend extensive time on the slopes, you have a choice of three types of passes for the 2022-2023 season:

• Ikon Pass: Unlimited skiing and riding at 14 destinations with up to seven days at an additional 35 destinations (and no blackout dates).
• Ikon Base Pass Plus: Unlimited skiing and riding at 13 destinations with up to five days at an additional 36 destinations (subject to select blackout dates).
• Ikon Base Pass: Unlimited skiing and riding at 13 destinations with up to five days at an additional 30 destinations (subject to select blackout dates).

If your balance of vacation days won’t allow for unlimited skiing, there’s still a pass for you — namely, the Ikon Session Pass. This unlocks a set number of ski days at 37 destinations, and it’s available with a four-day option as well as — new for next year — three-day and two-day increments starting at just $249 for adults.

And if you purchase an Ikon Pass now for the upcoming season but decide you won’t use it, you can elect to defer your pass and receive a credit toward the purchase of a 2023-2024 Ikon Pass.

Related: From picking the perfect mountain to renting winter clothes: How I’m prepping for my 1st ski trip

Spring skiing

It might seem too early to be thinking about next ski season, but when you purchase your 2022-2023 Ikon Pass now, you’ll get to use your new pass to ski this spring.

That’s right — you don’t have to wait to get in on the action.

Those who purchase an Ikon Pass, Ikon Base Pass Plus or Ikon Base Pass get immediate access to five mountains and up to 10 destinations by April 11, including Mammoth Mountain and Big Bear Mountain in California along with Winter Park in Colorado.

Check out the full list of destinations that your 2022-2023 Ikon Pass will unlock here.

New resorts

Starting next season, you’ll also be able to use your Ikon Pass at several new resorts being added to the Ikon family later this year.

Idaho’s Sun Valley joins the fray with nearly a million acres and 122 trails, as does Utah’s Snowbasin Resort — known for being one of North America’s most accessible world-class ski resorts. Both are set to join the Ikon family in 2022.

And if you’re looking to ski internationally, you’re in luck. As the iconic location of the 1924 Olympics, Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley is a popular bucket list destination for many skiers.

Easy-to-reach destinations

Luckily, not all Ikon Pass destinations require a passport. In fact, with over two dozen locations in the U.S., you’ll find that using your Ikon Pass is even easier than you thought.

Mammoth Mountain and Big Bear Mountain are both Ikon Pass destinations, and they’re an easy five-hour drive (or short 1 1/2-hour flight) from the San Francisco Bay area. And there are plenty of locations on the East Coast as well. Stratton Mountain and Sugarbush Resort are both short drives from regional airports in Albany, New York; Burlington, Vermont; and Boston.

And you can use your points to stay at hotels nearby. Stay at the brand-new Cloudveil in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, when you ski at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, starting at just 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Or you could use Hilton Honors points to stay at the Killington Mountain Lodge starting at 35,000 points per night when you use your Ikon Pass to ski at Killington Resort in Vermont.

Related: A slopeside beach, new gondolas and more ski upgrades from the company behind Ikon Pass

If you prefer to redeem World of Hyatt points during your ski vacation, you’re in luck. For 25,000-35,000 Hyatt points per night, you can stay at the Hyatt Centric Park City when using your Ikon Pass at Deer Valley Resort.

Bottom line

The Ikon Pass offers an incredible value to both experienced skiers and those looking to get into the sport at popular skiing destinations across the country and at select international resorts. When you buy a pass for the upcoming season, not only do you get access to the 50 destinations within the Ikon Pass family, you also get to use your pass this spring at select destinations before the end of the current season.

And with the new season come three new spots where you can use your pass: Sun Valley in Idaho, Snowbasin in Utah and Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley in France.

No matter where you are, there’s an Ikon Pass destination within reach.