A new Vail program will offer Utah students the opportunity to hit the slopes this winter. Through Vail Resorts’ Epic SchoolKids program, Utah students in grades K-5 are eligible for five free days of skiing at Park City, the mountain resort.
Ski Utah also offers free skiing to Utah students through the Passport program. Offered to fifth and sixth grade students, the Passport program allows fifth graders to ski or ride three times at each of Utah’s 14 resorts. Sixth graders can ski one time for free at each resort. The processing fee for the program is $35, with the price increasing after Jan. 31, 2016.
Epic SchoolKids, being offered for the first time in Utah this winter, also provides students a free, full-day beginner lesson and equipment rentals during January, which is Learn to Ski & Ride Month.
Bill Rock, Park City’s Chief Operating Officer, said offering skiing and snowboarding to young students is a great way to foster a love of winter sports at an early age.
“I started skiing in fifth grade,” he said. “It seems like kindergarten through fifth grade is a good time to get kids out enjoying winter sports. It’s a pretty awesome deal for kids in Utah to get them out on snow and get more kids out skiing and riding and enjoying the outdoors.”
Rock added that Utah children will be able to enjoy the unique snow the state has to offer.
“We all love our mountains,” he said. “Kids in Utah are lucky to live with the greatest snow on earth and some of the best resorts in the world.”
Rock expects many students to take advantage of the Epic SchoolKids program, but doesn’t know exactly how many kids will sign up.
“We’re not sure — it’s the first time we’ve offered it,” he said. “Once the word gets out, we think it’ll be a very popular program.”
Rock added that now is the time for families to take advantage of the program, with the 2015-16 winter season rapidly approaching.
“We’re within 100 days of opening, so it’s getting real for all of us,” he said. “This is when families start making their plans for how they’re going to spend their winter and enjoy the winter activities.”
Registration is now open, and will end Oct. 11. Sign-up is available at any season pass office at Canyons Village, or at the Breeze Ice Rink or Canyon Mountain Sports.
“People have to go in person,” Rock said. “You have to show a school ID or a report card and parents have to show a Utah license.”
For more details about the Epic SchoolKids program, visit www.epicschoolkids.com/Utah . For more information on Ski Utah’s Passport program, visit www.skiutah.com/passes/passports .
Epic Local Pass
The Epic Local Pass, which provides unlimited days of skiing and riding at Park City, and at several resorts in Colorado and Lake Tahoe, with holiday restrictions, is currently on sale for $579.
Vail Resorts announced that Sept. 7 will be the final day to guarantee the $579 price for the upcoming season.