Pass Wars 2026-27: Ikon Climbs to $1,399 While Epic Holds Under $1,100
Season pass pricing for 2026-27 is out. The full Ikon Pass now runs $1,399, a 5.7% jump, while the Epic Pass sits at $1,089. Both companies are chasing younger skiers: Epic added a $869 tier for ages 13 to 30, and Ikon introduced a Squad Pack that gets groups of five aged 23 to 28 a Base Pass for $750 each. Alterra also added a fully refundable option for a 20% premium.
Source: SnowBrains
Southern Hemisphere Hits Peak Form as Portillo Sits on a 2.85m Base
Conditions across Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina are reported as the best of the winter. Perisher is close to 80% open, New Zealand's South Island is almost fully open, and Chile's Portillo holds a 2.85m snowpack, deep enough to cause access headaches on the road up.
Source: Snow-Forecast
First Look: 2026-27 Skis and Boots Lean Into BOA Cuffs and Frontside Performance
Early previews of next season's gear show boot brands doubling down: Salomon's S/Pro Alpha BOA 130 moves the dial to the cuff, Nordica overhauls the Promachine, Atomic debuts the easy-entry Nexus, and Lange adds BOA to the XT3 platform. Armada's new Antimatter line replaces the Declivity and Reliance.
Source: FREESKIER
World Cup 2026-27: Soelden Opens October 24-25, Finals Head Back to Sun Valley
FIS has set the 2026-27 alpine calendar: 43 men's and 40 women's races, a return to Killington and Copper Mountain, and Finals in Sun Valley. The season pauses for the World Championships in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, February 1-14, 2027.
Source: NBC Sports
Five New Lifts to Ride in 2026-27: Sundance, Homewood and Park City Level Up
Sundance is opening over 100 acres of new terrain behind the Electric Horseman high-speed quad, Homewood's eight-passenger gondola is slated for this coming season, and Park City won approval to replace the Silverlode six-pack with an eight-seater.
Source: POWDER
Opening Dates Are Landing: When North American Resorts Plan to Spin Lifts
Vail Resorts and a growing list of independents have posted target opening days for 2026-27. The running list tracks confirmed dates across the US and Canada, from the usual October front-runners in Colorado to Thanksgiving openers across the West and East.
Source: FREESKIERLast updated: August 26, 2026. Every story links to its original source and is checked when this page is refreshed. New stories land every Monday.