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October is Prime Time to Jump on the Best Deals for an Epic Tahoe Winter Vacation
  • Prepare for El Niño by Booking a Best of Tahoe Trip Early
A strong El Niño is here, according to NOAA, and all forecasts indicate it will continue through to spring. This means skiers and riders should prepare now by securing everything needed for a winter of epic powder days, including Lake Tahoe’s most valuable season pass, the Tahoe Local Pass, as well as the best deals on lodging and ski and snowboard school programs.
 
“Don’t be caught off-guard in Tahoe this winter. Securing your season pass now will prove to be a smart decision when these large storm systems begin to move in,” said Pete Sonntag, Tahoe region vice president and chief operating officer. “Every season brings with it a new beginning, a fresh start, and El Niño is only reinforcing everyone’s hope for a great year in terms of snowfall.”
 
Tahoe Local Passes to the Best of Tahoe resorts – Heavenly Mountain Resort, Northstar California Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort – are still available for $499 through Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015. Providing access to the largest amount of terrain and most reliable snow surface conditions at Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Local Pass continues to offer the region’s most valuable season pass option, especially when taking into account it now includes five free days at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone or Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, or Park City in Utah which is now combined with Canyons to form the largest ski resort in the U.S.
 
To assist guests in booking their ultimate winter vacations, the Best of Tahoe resorts have compiled this handy “Back to Ski” checklist:
  1. Acquire the Tahoe Local Pass, which provides access to three premier mountains in Lake Tahoe – Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood. New for the 2015-16 season, the Tahoe Local Pass now includes five free days of skiing at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone or Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, or Park City in Utah, allowing pass holders to chase the storms and choose their own adventure.
  2. Lock in the best lodging rates at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood. The Tahoe Local Pass becomes even more valuable when pass holders book lodging at the resorts’ highly desirable properties. Throughout the year, Epic Pass holders save up to an additional 20 percent off the lowest lodging rates and existing promotional packages with Vail Resorts’ owned and operated properties at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood.
  3. Book a lesson. Vail Resorts’ Ski and Snowboard Schools deliver instruction that provides inspiration, adventure and self-discovery. Heavenly’s Ultimate 4 is the perfect mix of instruction and mountain exploration, providing customized lessons for groups of four or fewer; Northstar’s Primo Private Lesson or Guided Adventure invites guests to enjoy carte-blanche access to the mountain through its custom concierge service; and Expedition:Kirkwood’s unique offerings include avalanche certification courses, women's programs, E:K Cat Tours, private guides, specialty ski and snowboard clinics and progression sessions.
Vail Resorts 2015-16 Season Pass Options for Lake Tahoe Skiers and Snowboarders
  • The Tahoe Local Pass is the best way to access Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood seven days a week. It includes Saturday access at all three Tahoe resorts with limited holiday restrictions, all for $499. Pass holder tickets are available for purchase for 50 percent off during blackout dates at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood. The Tahoe Local Pass pays for itself in fewer than four days. New for the 2015-16 season, the Tahoe Local Pass now includes five days of non-holiday skiing and riding to Utah’s Park City, combined with Canyons Resort to now become the largest ski resort in the U.S., and Colorado’s Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin. A child pass is $239 (ages five to 12).
  • The Tahoe Value Pass™ is best for people who can handle a few restrictions. Ski or ride seven days a week at Heavenly and six days a week at Northstar and Kirkwood. The pass is available for $449, and pays for itself in just over three days. The Tahoe Value Pass has holiday restrictions at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood with Saturdays excluded at Northstar and Kirkwood. Pass holders can purchase lift tickets valid at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood Resorts on restricted days for 50 percent off per day.
  • The Epic Pass™ allows pass holders to ski and ride as much as they want, whenever they want for $789. The Epic Pass pays for itself in less than five days of skiing or riding. With more than 32,000 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain, this pass can’t be beat. Unlimited, unrestricted access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; Perisher in Australia for the 2016 season there; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; and up to five free consecutive days when staying at in-resort accommodations at Verbier, Switzerland. No restricted dates. A child pass is $409 (ages five to 12).
Heavenly and Northstar are slated to open for the 2015-16 season on Friday, Nov. 20, with Kirkwood opening on Saturday, Nov. 21. For the best prices of the season on all Tahoe passes and for more information on pass holder benefits, visit www.bestoftahoe.com before Oct. 11, 2015.
 
Season Pass Insurance
Vail Resorts encourages guests to purchase pass insurance. All of the Company’s season pass products are non-refundable and non-transferable; however, pass insurance covers pass holders in the event of unexpected circumstances including sickness, injury and job loss. Pass insurance starts at $10 for adults and $5 for children (ages five through 12) and varies by pass type. Coverage applies to all season passes valid for the 2015-16 winter season.
 
About Best of Tahoe Resorts
Collectively, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Northstar California Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort offer guests unmatched variety, the highest standard of guest service, the most terrain with 10,270 skiable acres, and access to the region’s finest snow surface conditions through state-of-the-art snowmaking and acclaimed natural snow depth. The Best of Tahoe resorts, subsidiaries of Vail Resorts, Inc., represent the essence of Lake Tahoe’s most famed characteristics – including Heavenly’s unrelenting, high-energy party atmosphere, Northstar’s renown for laid-back California luxury and Kirkwood’s prized bounty of authentic, big-mountain terrain and prodigious snow depth. Each resort’s unique characteristics complement one another and combine to offer skiers and riders the Best of Tahoe experience. 

About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. The Company’s subsidiaries operate nine world-class mountain resorts and two urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Perisher, Australia; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. The Company owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.
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