A $79 Ski Passport Could Save Your Family Hundreds This Winter
Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders can ski or snowboard up to three days at each participating Utah resort. The deal is extraordinary. The blackout dates, free-kids resorts and rest of the family ski bill are where parents need to pay attention.
Anyone who has paid for a family ski trip knows the lift ticket is only the first punch. Then come the rentals, lessons, parking, hamburgers, hotel nights and two adult tickets that somehow cost more than the plane fare used to. That’s why Utah’s school-age Passport deserves attention. Seventy-nine dollars won’t make a ski vacation cheap, but for the right fourth-, fifth- or sixth-grader it can remove one of the nastiest recurring expenses from the family budget.
Almost no visiting family will use all 42. The more useful question is how quickly the Passport pays for itself on the trip you’re actually taking.
Who Can Buy It?
Grades 4, 5 or 6
The student must currently be enrolled in fourth, fifth or sixth grade. Home-school students can qualify too.
Ages 9–12
Ski Utah requires the student to be between ages 9 and 12 for the duration of the ski season for which the child applies.
You Don’t Have to Live in Utah
Ski Utah says qualifying students may live in any U.S. state or even another country.
The Blackout Dates That Can Ruin the Plan
✓ No Passport Blackout Dates
These five offer the most flexibility for school-break scheduling, subject to the resort actually being open and operating.
✕ Holiday Blackouts Apply
Nov. 27–28, 2026
Dec. 26–31, 2026
Jan. 16–17, 2027
Feb. 13–14, 2027
Applies to Alta, Beaver Mountain, Brighton, Deer Valley, Park City, Powder Mountain, Snowbird, Sundance and Woodward Park City.
What Each Resort Does Differently
| Resort | Passport Blackout? | What Parents Need to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Alta | Yes | Check in at ticket window each day. Skiers only; snowboards are not allowed. |
| Beaver Mountain | Yes | Self-redeem through Pass Portal and resort store. A $5 RFID card may be required. |
| Brian Head | None | Important: children 12 and under already qualify for a free Power Kids Pass, so Passport lift savings may be $0 here. |
| Brighton | Yes | Three Passport days can be loaded onto a reusable RFID card; days need not be consecutive. |
| Cherry Peak | None | Passholder checks in at the ticket window each day. |
| Deer Valley | Yes | Ski-only resort. Passport days are loaded onto an RFID card; no reservation currently required for Passport redemption. |
| Nordic Valley | None | Another catch: kids 12 and under already receive a free unlimited Power Kids Pass. |
| Park City Mountain | Yes | An up-to-date Epic account is required. Passport redemption is limited to designated Mountain Village and Canyons ticket locations. |
| Powder Mountain | Yes | Ticket inventory is limited; three Passport days can be loaded to a reusable card. |
| Snowbasin | None | Online redemption is available; all three days can be loaded onto one reusable card. |
| Snowbird | Yes | Pass Portal redemption plus resort account/waiver setup can save time before arrival. |
| Solitude | None | One of the strongest holiday-week options because Passport access has no listed blackout dates. |
| Sundance | Yes | Requires both Ski Utah Pass Portal redemption and the Sundance online store process. |
| Woodward Park City | Yes | Passport is for lift access only; it does not include Woodward’s indoor facilities. |
How Fast Can $79 Pay for Itself?
Start With the Simplest Math
Snowbird: One Resort Can Justify the Pass
≈ $272 SavedSnowbird currently lists full-day youth tickets starting around $117.
Three youth days at that starting price: $351.
Buy the Passport for $79: $272 difference.
Actual ticket prices vary by ski date. This uses Snowbird’s currently published starting youth rate.
Two Passport Kids at Snowbird
≈ $544 SavedTwo eligible children × three youth lift days: roughly $702 at the current starting rate.
Two early-price Passports: $158.
Difference: $544.
That’s before using either child’s Passport anywhere else.
Powder Mountain: Smaller Ticket, Still Useful
≈ $110 SavedPowder Mountain’s current store shows youth all-day tickets starting around $63.
Three days: $189.
Against a $79 Passport: roughly $110 saved.
Brian Head & Nordic Valley: Don’t Double-Count
$0 Extra Lift SavingBoth currently offer children 12 and under a free Power Kids season pass.
The Ski Utah Passport works there, but families should not claim the normal youth-ticket value as Passport savings when the child could already ski free.
Snowboard Families Need a Different Map
Three Smart Ways to Build the Trip
1. Salt Lake City Basecamp
Stay in the Salt Lake Valley instead of committing to slopeside lodging, then choose among Brighton, Solitude and Snowbird.
Skiing families can add Alta.
Solitude is particularly useful if travel overlaps one of the Passport holiday blackout periods because it has no listed Passport blackouts.
2. Ogden Valley Trip
Combine Snowbasin and Powder Mountain for two very different mountain experiences.
Nordic Valley can be added, but remember: children 12 and under can already obtain its free Power Kids Pass, so don’t count that as Passport savings.
3. Park City Sampler
Use one day at Park City Mountain, one at Woodward Park City and—if everyone skis— one at Deer Valley.
This is convenient geographically, but all three Passport products are subject to the listed holiday blackouts.
4. Three Days at One Expensive Mountain
Parents do not need to turn the vacation into a 14-resort scavenger hunt.
Three Passport days at one higher-priced mountain may produce several hundred dollars of child-ticket value while keeping the hotel and transportation plan simple.
The Passport Is Only One Line of the Ski Budget
Before Paying $899 for a Parent Yeti Pass
Ski Utah also sells the 2026–27 Yeti Pass for $899. It gives its holder one lift ticket at each participating resort and has no blackout dates.
Seven Rules That Prevent Expensive Mistakes
Buy Before December 1
The Passport goes from $79 to $99 at midnight on December 1.
Check Blackouts Before Flights
A cheap Christmas-week airfare is not helpful if the resorts you want are blocking Passport use on those dates.
Don’t Assume Redemption Is Identical
Some mountains use Pass Portal self-redemption, some require another resort store, and some require ticket-window check-in.
Use the Free-Kids Resorts Strategically
Brian Head and Nordic Valley already offer free skiing to children 12 and under. Save the Passport value calculation for resorts that normally charge your child.
Remember the Three-Day Cap
The Passport allows three days at each participating resort—not unlimited skiing at one mountain.
Don’t Forget Equipment Rules
Snowboarders cannot use their Passport at Alta or Deer Valley.
Budget Everything Else
Rentals, lessons, adult tickets, lodging, meals, transportation and parking can still cost several times the child’s Passport.
Apply Before Travel Day
Ski Utah says approval normally takes about 24–48 hours and can take longer during peak application periods.
Utah Family Ski-Trip Calculator
Enter your real numbers. The calculator compares the trip with normal child lift tickets against the same trip using Ski Utah Passports, then shows how much of the total vacation budget the Passport actually saves.
