Due to the pandemic, we have had to adapt to a lot of changes over the last year. With the advent of the vaccine, restrictions are slowly being lifted and life is returning to being “more normal.” Here are a few things that we are looking forward to in the 2021-2022 ski season!
1) Reduced Pass Prices
As we all know, Vail Mountain is incredible, but skiing/snowboarding on it can be pricey. I have heard many long time locals nostalgically mention the early days of $10 ski passes in Vail. Although those days are long gone, we can be excited about the new EPIC Pass announcement!
We were ecstatic to find out that Vail Resorts has decreased the cost of the 2021-2022 EPIC pass by 20%. Now, locals can ski less days at Vail for their pass to be paid for! It has been a rough financial year for a lot of people during the pandemic, and the drop in price was much appreciated.
You can already purchase your EPIC Pass here: https://www.epicpass.com/ Passes/Epic-Pass
2) No More Reservation System
How annoying was it to find out that your friends were all going skiing the next day, and when you logged into your EPIC account, there were no more reservations? It was heart breaking. As a result, you learned to plan far in advance (during peak season) to get your reservations for the days that you wanted. This usually meant making reservations for as many days as you could; as far out as you could.
Thankfully, we no longer have to worry about it! Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz recently stated in a letter that the company “is not planning to have a reservation system next season.” Music to our ears!
3) Elimination of the Mask Mandate
The Vail Town Council voted in favor of eliminating the outdoor mask mandate in Vail and Lionshead Villages on April 20th. The mask mandate has also been lifted for those who are fully vaccinated inside stores and in restaurants. We are hoping that with an increase in the number of vaccinated people, the mask mandate may also be lifted on Vail Mountain for next season. Fingers crossed!
