Major Midwest Ski Resort Group Moves from Indy Pass to IKON Pass

Skiing's independent multi-pass, Indy Pass, will see some changes to its lineup of resorts for the 2026/27 season, and the company's director has something to say about it.

By offering access to more than 300 resorts worldwide for two days of skiing at each, without taking ownership of the resorts, the Indy Pass has long been committed to supporting independent ski areas and keeping skiing more accessible.

As passes for next season go on sale, which resorts are included on each pass is a major consideration for pass holders.

On March 5, 2026, IKON Pass announced that Midwest mountains Lutsen, Minnesota; Granite Peak, Wisconsin; and Snowriver, Michigan will all join the IKON Pass.

Family-run company Midwest Family Ski Resorts will retain ownership of the mountains and continue to run them independently. IKON Pass holders will get seven days of skiing at each mountain (five with IKON Base Pass).

All three mountains were previously part of the Indy Pass, and as a family-owned collective, are very in line with the Indy Pass' brand and ethos. Both Lutsen and Granite Peak appeared in a 2022 film made by ski film production company Teton Gravity Research in conjunction with Indy Pass about independent resort ownership retaining the soul of skiing at Midwest ski areas.

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Indy Pass Director Erik Mogensen posted to the Indy Passholders Facebook group on March 5, regarding the change. According to Mogensen's post, Indy Pass only learned of the change from a second-hand source late on March 4, before seeing IKON release the news the following day. "I hate seeing the corporations that have compromised the sport and culture of skiing grab more," said Mogensen in the post.

Mogensen's full post read:

"A quick message to the our Midwest Passholders from Erik Mogensen, Indy Pass Director.

We are sorry to see Lustsen, Granite Peak, and Snowriver join the IKON Pass. Like every season we had been in discussions with Mid West Family resorts over what Indy Pass would look like heading into the 26/27 at their resorts, we only learned of their participation in IKON, second hand late last night. This morning we saw it come out publicly with the rest of you. I hate seeing the corporations that have compromised the sport and culture of skiing grab more. The Indy Base starts at $349, while the IKON Base starts at $924. The Indy + sits at $399 and the Ikon at a staggering $1,349.

For a few years now we have included an option for all our passholders, in all locations, that if a resort did not renew that was key to your purchase of a pass, we would happily refund you, no questions asked. That remains the case. Passholders may request a refund for an unused pass by December 1, 2026, if a favorite resort from the 25/26 season does not renew for 26/27. It is a very simple and transparent policy and that it is what makes Indy different. Our Colorado and New Hampshire based customer support team is always here to help and there is plenty of time before any refund cut off date. Keep calm, ski on, and know that Indy Pass will always do the right thing.

We can’t always talk about new resorts and our plans for the following season due to contractual issues but I will leave you with a sentence from a Storm Skiing Journal article that came out this morning:

“Perhaps Indy will work out a deal with these ski areas – though it jettisoned former Indy partner Buck Hill, Minnesota following its joining of Ikon two-day last year. Regardless, Indy, which has assembled more than twice as many partners as Epic, Ikon, and Mountain Collective combined, is hardly helpless. Indy Pass officials have confirmed with The Storm that “they are sitting on a significant amount of new resorts that have been contracted,” and that they will, “release a few more as they finish up their spring pass sale,” and announce more in the fall.

We all have a role to play in keeping skiing independent.

Erik Mogensen
Indy Pass Managing Director"

The Indy Base Pass is available for just $349, rising to $399 for the Indy+, though both offer only two days per mountain.

In contrast, the IKON Base starts a $924 and the IKON Plus goes for $1,349, offering five and seven days at the Midwest Family Ski Resort's ski areas, respectively.

Mogensen's post notes that if a mountain that played a key role in a skier's Indy Pass purchase didn't renew with the Indy Pass, refunds were available. Indy Pass is reportedly in talks with these mountains about accepting Indy+ Pass holders for the 2026/27 season, per a note on the resort's landing pages.

Previously, another iconic and independently owned Midwest ski area, Buck Hill, was part of the Indy Pass until joining the IKON Pass last year and completely parting ways.

Lutsen, which sits on the shores of Lake Superior, boasts the Midwest's largest ski area and only gondola. Granite Peak is home to the Midwest's first high-speed six-pack chair. Snowriver, the most recent addition to Midwest Family Ski Resort's roster, was purchased in 2022 and is currently in the midst of a $15M reinvestment in the resort.