The consortium of companies that purchased Intrawest (among others) will henceforth be known as Alterra Mountain Company. This grouping of 12 brand-name North American mountain destinations has just announced the new Ikon Pass for the 2018-2019 season

It will now be easier to name the joint venture company made up of subsidiaries of KSL Capital Partners and Henry Crown and Company, which now brings together 12 iconic four-season destinations, including the biggest heli-skiing company in North America. Created by fusing the words altitude and terrain, the word Alterra is meant to “pay homage to the mountains and communities that form the backbone of the business,” we learn via press release. Alterra Mountain Co has also revealed the new season pass that provides access to all of its resorts and partner destinations. Designed to attract skiers and riders, the Ikon Pass will compete with the famous Epic Pass offered by Vail Resorts, which brings in close to 700,000 sales annually.

Twelve iconic destinations

Alterra Mountain Company’s destinations are located in five American states and three Canadian provinces. They include Steamboat and Winter Park in Colorado; Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain and Big Bear Mountain Resort in California; Stratton in Vermont; Snowshoe in West Virginia; Tremblant in Québec; Blue Mountain in Ontario; Deer Valley in Utah; and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures in British Columbia.

Ikon: one pass, 23 destinations

In addition to these destinations, the Ikon Pass also provides access to partner destinations including Aspen Snowmass, Copper Mountain Resort, Eldora Mountain Resort, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Big Sky Resort, Killington Resort, Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Loon Mountain Resort and Alta Ski Area and Snowbird.

The Ikon Pass will allow skiers and boarders to access close to 50,000 acres of snowy, skiable terrain from one end of the continent to the other. It includes “privileges running from unlimited access to a set number of days, depending on the destination,” we learn via press release dated January 25.

A duopoly of titans

According to an article in the Denver Post, published January 11, Alterra Mountain Company should rival Vail Resorts, creating a duopoly in which these ski industry giants control two dozen of the mountain destinations that draw about 16 million visitors annually. The 12 Alterra Mountain Company resorts – including Steamboat and the long-term operating contract of the skiable terrain of Denver’s Winter Park – will draw about six million visitors annually, versus 10 million for Vail Resort’s ten destinations.

Banking on the unique identity of each destination

Still according to the Denver Post, the idea is not to build a new brand, but to create a platform that will enhance the individuality of each of the resorts in the company. When the new identity was announced, the company made a point of emphasizing the fact the “at each destination, Alterra Mountain Company leaders are empowered to be decisive, creative, and bold in order to retain each mountain’s authentic character.”

“Alterra Mountain Company is made up of unique mountain destinations, each with a personality and spirit that has delighted visitors for generations. Our vision […] is to protect and enhance what makes each destination special, inviting guests back to their favorite mountain, and enticing them to visit new destinations on their bucket list,” said David Perry, President and COO, Alterra Mountain Company, in a press release. “We respect and continue to learn from the pioneers and leaders that built these iconic locations and paved the way before us, as we push the boundaries and innovate for our future.”

Alterra Mountain Company, based in Denver, Colorado, was created when the subsidiaries of KSL Capital Partners, owners of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, and Henry Crown And Company, acquired Intrawest, Mammoth Resorts and Deer Valley Resort in 2017.