Two Passes Are Better Than One

There’s no rush quite like the one right before dropping into a backcountry line. It’s the sweetest reward after your effort to hike to the summit. You rip your skins, transition your bindings, and switch your boots (yep, both of them) into ski mode… and now it’s time to cash in.

But let’s be honest—it’s tough to fight the allure of lift-served powder laps. We all love riding a chair or gondola once in a while.

Luckily, there’s no need to choose resort over backcountry—join the 80 percent of Bluebird passholders who also rock an Epic or Ikon pass. Combining a Bluebird Backcountry season pass with your Epic, Ikon, GEMS, or Mountain Collective pass offers the best of all worlds. Whether you’re new to backcountry riding or fully seasoned, adding Bluebird days to your winter is a unique and incomparable experience… with zero lift lines—guaranteed.

Here’s everything you need to know about joining the Bluebird passholder community:

1. Skip the pesky reservation process –

No reservations required to ride at Bluebird Backcountry for season passholders. This means you’ll get access to Bluebird terrain any day we are open, without having to plan too far in advance… truly ideal for storm chasers and powder hounds.

2. Plan a multi-resort ski trip to take advantage of all the Colorado resorts on the Epic or Ikon Pass –

Bluebird has camping for a worthwhile stop along your trip (5 nights free for passholders) and is conveniently located not too far from various Ikon and Epic resorts. Plan a trip to ride Steamboat Springs or Winter Park, then head over to Bluebird on the weekend to avoid the crowds and add a backcountry twist (and s’mores… yeah, we have those) to your resort vacation.

3. Learn a new skill –

Bluebird is a backcountry education center for every experience level. Learn new skills through our backcountry courses, practice these skills in avalanche-managed terrain, and meet new friends while you’re at it! You’ll get free Backcountry 1, 2, and 3 lessons or advanced courses if you add a membership to your pass, plus discounts on AIARE avalanche courses. Bluebird is the ideal classroom to practice backcountry touring, or simply improve upon your base of knowledge with advanced courses and time on the mountain.

4. Maximize your winter with fun workouts –

Ski the resort on the weekdays then skip the lines and come to Bluebird on the weekends for more fresh tracks and less crowds. Bonus, the uphill workout greatly improves downhill strength for those days at the resort where the snow is too good to stop, even though your quads are burning from riding fresh powder all day.

5. Don’t worry about purchasing fancy new gear –

Have downhill gear but no backcountry equipment? No need to buy a second setup. You can demo all the backcountry gear you need with us. Season passholders get a discount on rental gear, and you can try out different brands to figure out what you like before making a big purchase. Make sure to reserve your rentals in advance so you secure the gear you need, which can be done on our website starting mid-autumn.

6. Try out party laps, backcountry style –

Bluebird season passholders get a free Guest Pass (up to $59 value), along with five Buddy Codes (20% off day passes), and unlimited dog passes ($10/day value). If you’ve got a group of friends without season passes, bring them along to get some off-piste party laps in, then enjoy refreshments and live music on weekends at the base.

7. Experience the backcountry, with added comforts –

Resorts are great for many reasons, and easily accessible food and bathrooms are a perk. Unlike most full-on backcountry trips, we’ve got these amenities at Bluebird, including complementary skin track bacon, bathrooms at base and mid-mountain, and fire pits throughout the in-bounds terrain to keep you warm. All these things make the backcountry touring experience a bit more comfortable.

8. Avoid the crowds on holidays in the backcountry –

Most common backcountry trailheads get way too full on holidays or people can’t ride the resort because of passholder blackout days. Come to Bluebird on the holidays and any blackout dates, or those major storm days when access to resorts simply gets insane, and find a unique experience waiting to be had.

Does all of this sound intriguing to you? Considering that you can score a Bluebird season pass for nearly the same price as two lift tickets at an in-bounds ski resort, this deal is pretty sweet. (Ahem, you also get two free days at Arapahoe Basin with your season pass.)

Book your season pass today.

If powder days have taught us anything, it’s that more is more, and a Bluebird pass is an easy addition to this season’s repertoire. Get the best of all worlds with a Bluebird pass and prepare yourself for the Best. Winter. Ever! Get your season pass here.