2026-27 Ski Pass Blackout Dates Guide & Four New Mountain Additions

September 15, 2026 · News

Milestone 504: Growing the directory and simplifying pass planning

With the 2026-27 winter season fast approaching, FirstChair is excited to announce two major updates for skiers and riders planning their season: the launch of our brand new Ski Pass Blackouts Guide, and the addition of four new partner mountains across the Epic and Indy pass networks, pushing the FirstChair directory to 504 tracked resorts worldwide.

Whether you are navigating holiday peak restrictions on an Epic Local pass, mapping out an independent road trip with Indy, or exploring high-alpine terrain in Europe and North America, these new features and resort profiles make winter planning simpler and faster.

The new 2026-27 Blackout Dates comparison tool

Multi-pass ownership has become the standard for modern skiers, but keeping track of holiday blackouts across different pass tiers remains one of the most frustrating parts of trip planning. Finding out that your pass is restricted after packing the car on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend or during the Christmas holiday week is an easy way to derail a ski trip.

To solve this, we built a simple, dedicated Blackouts comparison tool accessible directly from our site navigation and footer. It provides a quick, side-by-side view of peak holiday restrictions, tier rules, and direct outbound links to official resort blackout pages.

Key 2026-27 blackout rules at a glance

• Epic Pass: The full Epic Pass remains completely unrestricted with zero blackout dates all winter. For Epic Local and restricted Epic Day Pass holders, peak holiday blackout dates for 2026-27 are Thanksgiving (November 27-28, 2026), the Christmas and New Year holiday week (December 26-31, 2026), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 16, 2027), and Presidents' Day weekend (February 13-14, 2027). These restrictions primarily apply at flagship resorts such as Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb, Park City, Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood, and Stowe.
• Ikon Pass: The full Ikon Pass carries zero blackout dates. The Ikon Base Pass and Ikon Session Pass tiers are blacked out over three core holiday windows: the post-Christmas week (December 26-30, 2026), Martin Luther King Jr. weekend (January 16-17, 2027), and Presidents' Day weekend (February 13-14, 2027).
• Indy Pass: Indy+ Pass holders enjoy unrestricted access with zero blackout dates. Indy Base, AddOn Base, and Learn to Turn passes are subject to resort-specific blackout calendars. Official 2026-27 dates are scheduled for release later this fall, though marquee additions like Smugglers' Notch have already confirmed zero blackout dates for all Indy passholders with advance reservations.
• Snow Pass: The brand new regional pass by Snow Partners offers two days at each of its 14 partner mountains (including Whiteface, Gore, Belleayre, and Mountain Creek) with zero blackout dates.
• Mountain Collective: Continues its longstanding policy of zero blackout dates across all 27 member destinations worldwide.
• Powder Alliance: Blackout schedules are set individually by each member resort, with most partner mountains restricting access on peak weekends and major winter holidays.

You can view the complete, responsive comparison anytime on our new Blackouts page.

Four new mountains join the FirstChair directory

Alongside our blackout tracking tools, we have added four new partner resorts across Switzerland, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Sweden to our static database.

1. Crans-Montana Mountain Resort (Valais, Switzerland) - Epic Pass

Perched on a sunny plateau high above the Rhône Valley in the Swiss canton of Valais, Crans-Montana Mountain Resort is one of the most celebrated ski destinations in the European Alps. Following Vail Resorts' acquisition of an 84 percent majority stake in the resort, Crans-Montana is now officially integrated into the Epic Pass for 2026-27, granting full Epic Pass holders unrestricted access.

Crans-Montana offers an immense 4,593 feet of vertical drop served by 19 lifts and spanning 140 kilometers of groomed trails. Terrain ascends from charming village bases up to the high-alpine Plaine Morte Glacier at nearly 10,000 feet, boasting sweeping panoramic views that extend from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc.

2. Bear Creek Mountain Resort (Macungie, Pennsylvania) - Indy Pass

Located in the rolling hills of Berks County just outside Allentown, Bear Creek Mountain Resort is a beloved mid-Atlantic destination that officially joined the Indy Pass for the 2026-27 season.

Spanning 86 skiable acres across 510 feet of vertical drop, Bear Creek features 23 trails served by six lifts, comprehensive snowmaking coverage, and dedicated night skiing. With three progressive terrain parks, a welcoming mountain lodge, and close proximity to Philadelphia and New York City, Bear Creek provides a convenient two-day winter getaway for mid-Atlantic passholders.

3. Björkliden (Lapland, Sweden) - Indy Pass

Venturing 250 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle into Swedish Lapland, Björkliden brings true high-latitude adventure to the Indy Pass. Nestled against wild Scandinavian peaks overlooking Lake Torneträsk, Björkliden offers 1,640 feet of vertical drop, 23 groomed pistes, and five ski lifts.

A sister mountain to neighboring freeride paradise Riksgränsen, Björkliden is renowned for untracked Arctic off-piste descents, northern lights night skiing, and late-spring touring beneath the midnight sun. Indy Pass holders receive two complimentary days to experience one of the most unique winter landscapes on Earth.

4. Bear Basin Nordic Center (McCall, Idaho) - Indy Pass (XC)

Deepening Indy's expanding cross-country footprint, Bear Basin Nordic Center joins the coalition just west of McCall, Idaho. Operated by the community-focused Payette Lakes Ski Club, Bear Basin maintains more than 25 kilometers of meticulously groomed classic and skate ski trails.

Winding through snow-draped pine forests within the Payette National Forest, the trail system offers loops for every skill level, designated dog-friendly trails, and scenic vistas of the surrounding mountain ranges. Indy Pass holders receive two days of cross-country trail access.

Explore the updates on FirstChair

All four new resorts are live right now with full trail counts, vertical drops, coordinates, regional linkages, and curated descriptions in our Mountains directory and on our Interactive Map.

Check out the new Blackouts Guide to dial in your holiday ski schedule, and keep an eye on FirstChair as we continue tracking ski pass updates and mountain additions throughout the season.