Today we have some fantastic news to share with you - especially those Indy Pass lovers out there. Today, Indy Pass announced that they will be adding four more Midwest ski areas to its impressive line-up, including Nubs Nob - a ski area many Midwesterns have been asking for over the past several years.
Indy Pass Adds Four More Midwest Resorts
The other skis added to the pass were Marquette Mountain in the UP, Treetops in Gaylord, Michigan, and Mount Kato in Mankato, Minnesota. This brings the Midwest's total up to 24 ski areas across five states - meaning they have captured over 20% of the ski areas in the Midwest.
These additions round out their Michigan and Minnesota markets nicely and gave Michigan that powerhouse resort many skiers and riders were waiting for. As expected, Nubs Nob will have blackout dates for the Indy base pass, but the other three added ski areas, Marquette, Treetops, and Mount Kato, will have no blackout dates.
Nub's Blacks dates will be as follows: the Christmas Holiday between December 24th through January 2nd, MLK and Presidents weekends (including those Mondays), and Saturdays and Sundays December 24th thru March 12th.
Which, of course, is a lot of blackout dates and boils down to base Indy Pass users will have to ski midweek or early/late season. And this isn't necessarily a terrible thing because Nubs is known for having excellent early and late conditions, especially for being on that side of the lake. Still, it's always something to be aware of when looking at this pass.
What Is the Indy Pass?
For those new to the Indy Pass - let's get you up to speed. The Indy Pass is a multi-resort product that promotes independent ski areas. The base pass is currently $299 and includes two days at their over 85 downhill ski areas. And I don't think I have to explain why this is such a great value - if you used all your days just in the Midwest alone - that would come out to $6.23 per visit.
Now, the base pass does have some blackout dates for certain ski areas, such as the ones we listed above for Nubs Nob, but if you would prefer no blackout dates, they have an option for that as well. The Indy Pass +, which is $399, gives you those two days but with zero blackout dates or restrictions.
From the beginning, Indy Pass did a great job sourcing Midwestern hills; in fact, a few of the first adopters were from our region. As the Indy Pass has continued to grow, Doug Fish, Indy's founder, has done a great job improving their product in the Midwest market and has built out a powerhouse of partnered resorts in the past couple of seasons.
Granite Peak, Lutsen, and Nubs Nob are top names across the Midwest ski scene, and with their daily lift ticket prices edging close to $100, just these names alone make the pass well worth it. And that's what I love about the Indy Pass - it's practical. They have a great variety of Midwest ski areas close to our major cities - meaning you'll use the pass rather than buying it for one trip and never using it again.
But it should be noted that the Indy Pass is best used as a supplemental pass to a pass at your local hill, and it's designed this way. If you are a pass holder at an Indy Pass Partnered resort, you can add on an Indy Pass for just $199.00. This gives you the ability to ski whenever you want at your local resort, but you then have the ability to travel and explore other local Midwest resorts. And I think this is the best part of being in this region - the variety of hills within just a few hours drive.
Other Great Midwest Pass Options
And the Indy Pass certainly isn't the only pass option to give Midwest skiers and riders great value. Some of my favorites outside of the Indy Pass are; The Skiing Wisconsin Passport, Ski Cooper Pass, and Mont Du Lacs Season Pass. The Skiing Wisconsin Passport gives skiers and riders a day ticket at 18 Wisconsin resorts. Last season the pass was priced at just $179.
Although a season pass for a Colorado resort, the Ski Cooper pass is another excellent Midwestern pass. It gives you three days at 18 resorts across the Midwest and other resorts around the country for just $329.
And last but certainly not least is the Mont Du Lac's season pass, which is only $99 and gives pass holders various free days and discounts at hills across the Midwest and the entire country.
To say we are living in the hay-day of multi-resort passes would be an understatement. Unfortunately, all of this information can be a little daunting, but luckily our friends over stormskiing.com have an extensive excel sheet that breaks down all of those multi-passes in great detail. So if you're looking to buy a multi-pass this season, check out that sheet - by clicking here.
Does This Make The Indy Pass The Ultimate Midwest Pass?
So with this news, has the Indy Pass become the ultimate Midwest Ski pass? Well maybe. The thing about multi-resort passes is they are all dependent on where you live, where you want to go, and what you value in a ski area. The great thing about today's market is that we have a pass for everyone's needs. Personally, I love the Indy Pass because it has some of the big hitters in the Midwest that I would likely be visiting anyway. These ski areas and their overall depth in the Midwest make it easy to find new ski areas to explore within a few hours.
Will Big Snow Join Indy?
Now before we wrap up - I know this news will kick up the burning question that everyone has had, and that's will Blackjack and Indianhead be added to the Indy Pass as well. With the Skinner Family planning on acquiring these resorts this off-season - it would seem logical this would be the case. However, management has stated they have not decided on this just yet. Of course, we will keep you updated as more information becomes available during the off-season, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel, so you don't miss an update.
Final Thoughts on the News
But any way you cut it, the Indy Pass has proven to be a significant player in the Midwest market. The addition of these four resorts only solidifies it as an excellent option for those that enjoy a variety of skiing close to home. But what do you guys think? Will you be picking up an Indy Pass this season, and is this currently the best multi-pass for Midwest skiers? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
But until next time, I hope all of you have a great week, pray for snow, and I'll see you out there!