• Friends save this season and next with new Epic Friend Tickets, redeemable all season long, because you can't put a timeline on friendship
• Ski season is here! Keystone Resort marks the first ski resort to open in North America; Hurry, Epic Pass prices go up after November 16
• Exclusive Epic Friend offers, on-mountain après and surprise mountain moments waiting to be shared at iconic resorts like Whistler Blackcomb, Park City, Vail, Breckenridge and more

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BROOMFIELD, Colo., Oct. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Forget potlucks and mystery casseroles. This Friendsgiving, the mountain is the main course as Keystone Resort served up the first turns of the season, becoming the first ski resort to open in North America on October 25. World-class resorts including Vail Mountain, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb and Stowe are also welcoming fresh snowfall and preparing to open before December.

With Epic Pass prices set to increase after November 16, now is the time to lock in a Pass for the winter season and take advantage of a new benefit designed to celebrate the social side of skiing, Epic Friend Tickets. Give the gift of 50% off lift tickets this winter across Vail Resorts' 37 North American resorts, redeemable all season long, plus savings toward a Pass next winter.

 Start Planning the Perfect Trip with Friends   
Take the back-and-forth out of the group chat and get serious about planning the ultimate slopeside reunion. Unwrap the season's most exciting news and events to share with your best travel buddies:

• Pass Holders and their besties can celebrate winter together with exclusive Epic Friend offers, like buy one, get one drink deals at select resort events this season. More details to be announced.
• In December, watch pro athletes fly down the slopes at Beaver Creek's Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS World Cup, because the only games allowed on a group ski trip are world-class ones. Breckenridge's Rockstar Energy Open also debuts in December with a free, three-day festival combining snowboarding competitions, live music, art installations and a vibrant village. Heavenly's Toyota Air and Après returns, showcasing big-air stunts, along with DJ sets, food vendors, and plenty of après energy.
• Après All Day at Express Lift starting opening day at Vail Mountain. More than 30 musicians will pop up at the base of Gondola One this winter. Vail's après scene turns up the volume this season, with headliners like Sofi Tukker on December 13 and more exciting main-stage acts announced soon. The mountain itself becomes a stage with spontaneous, pop-up live music experiences above 10,000 feet. These intimate and electric performances offer free, one-of-a-kind access to a limited few, where the only price of entry is being here and in-the-know by following @VailMtn. At Whistler Blackcomb, create your own après-ski adventure on the new Wonder Routes, following pre-planned paths so no one in the group gets left behind.
• Celebrate winter traditions like Breckenridge's Ullr Fest, returning for its 62nd year on December 18. The three-day celebration honors Ullr, the Norse god of snow, with the world's largest shot ski and a lively festival atmosphere. Winter Pride returns to Park City on February 28 for a fun day celebrating inclusivity both on and off the slopes. This season also marks milestone mountain anniversaries including Whistler Mountain's 60^th, Heavenly's 70^thand Okemo's 70^th. Expect birthday parties and nostalgic mountain moments to honor decades of skiing and riding coast-to-coast.
• Learn new skills together in a group lesson and challenge one another to a friendly competition. With new, connected Ski & Ride School launching across Vail Mountain, Keystone, Beaver Creek, and Breckenridge, guests can track their progress in the My Epic app and receive milestones, badges and photos. At Women in Powder events, find new connections and progress skills, whether it's solo or on a girls' trip.
• New culinary pairings at Vail Mountain celebrate Epic Friends, from The Two Martini Lunch at The 10^th to The Alpine Duet at Two Elk Biergarten. Ski, eat, repeat at Park City with a new Mountain Bites Tour inviting guests to quite literally eat their way across the mountain at eight unique lodges, including the newly renovated Historic Summit Lodge in partnership with celebrity designer Jasmine Roth. At Beaver Creek, gather around The Alpine Table for a continuation of fine dining collaborations, with a curated meal hosted by a MICHELIN-recognized Colorado restaurant and Beaver Creek’s acclaimed fine dining cabin culinary team.

 Pass the Savings: Epic Pass Serves Up Iconic Mountains and Unbeatable Value
 Skiers and riders have until November 16 to purchase an Epic Pass before prices increase. Epic Passes offer significant pre-season savings compared to lift ticket prices, plus exclusive savings all-season long with Epic Mountain Rewards, and now, new Epic Friend Tickets.

 Epic Pass   ($1,121 adults; $572 children; $200 for active and retired military and dependents) offers unlimited, unrestricted access to 42 mountain resorts including Vail, Whistler Blackcomb, and Park City, plus access to more than 90 resorts worldwide with partners like Telluride and Hakuba Valley. For great value, the Epic Local Pass ($833 adults; $437 children) offers unlimited access to 29 resorts plus select destination access. Skiing just a few days? Epic 1–7 Day Passes save up to 65% vs. lift tickets, starting at $50–$106 (Epic Friend Tickets not included).

 The One Where Friends Save This Winter and Next: 50% Off Lift Tickets All Season Long
   New this season, season-long Epic Pass Holders who buy now receive six Epic Friend Tickets, giving friends 50% off lift tickets. Even better: what they pay can be applied as credit toward a 2026/27 Epic Pass.** Plus, with Epic Friend Tickets there is no timeline on friendship - their 50% off lift ticket can be redeemed all winter, perfect for surprise powder days.

   Ski Season is Here    ! Resort Opening Dates*  

• October 25: Keystone (CO)
• November 7: Breckenridge (CO)
• November 14: Vail Mountain (CO)
• November 15: Gemsstock at Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis (Switzerland)
• November 21: Heavenly (CA), Northstar (CA), Park City Mountain (UT), Whistler Blackcomb (British Columbia)
• November 22: Stowe (VT), Okemo (VT), Mount Snow (VT)
• November 26: Beaver Creek (CO), Crested Butte (CO)
• November 29: Crans-Montana (Switzerland)
• December 5: Kirkwood (CA), Stevens Pass (WA)

*All opening dates are subject to change, based on weather and conditions.

**Friends who do not hold a 2025/26 Pass can apply the full cost of a single redeemed Epic Friend Ticket towards eligible 2026/27 Passes including Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass, and other regional passes for a limited time. The full list of eligible Passes will be available once 2026/27 Passes are on sale. 2025/26 Pass Holders are not eligible for this promotion.

About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)

Vail Resorts is a network of the best destination and close-to-home ski resorts in the world including Vail Mountain, Breckenridge, Park City Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Stowe, and 32 additional resorts across North America; Andermatt-Sedrun and Crans-Montana Mountain Resort in Switzerland; and Perisher, Hotham, and Falls Creek in Australia – all available on the company's industry-changing Epic Pass. We are passionate about providing an Experience of a Lifetime to our team members and guests, and our EpicPromise is to reach a zero net operating footprint by 2030, support our employees and communities, and broaden engagement in our sport. Our company owns and/or manages a collection of elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, a portfolio of vacation rentals, condominiums and branded hotels located in close proximity to our mountain destinations, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Retail operates more than 250 retail and rental locations across North America.

Learn more about our company at www.VailResorts.com, or discover our resorts and pass options at www.EpicPass.com. 

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SOURCE Vail Resorts

Please contact Vail Resorts Communications at news@vailresorts.com for more information.