North America
Snowbird
For 2026-27, Snowbird is on the Ikon Pass (7 days combined with alta) and the Mountain Collective (2 days). Lifts run from 7,760 ft (2,365 m) to 11,000 ft (3,353 m), a vertical drop of 3,240 ft (988 m) across 2,500 acres, with about 500 inches of snow a year.
Snowbird shares Little Cottonwood Canyon with Alta and pairs 500+ inches of Utah powder with some of the most sustained steep terrain in the country. The 125-passenger Aerial Tram rises 2,900 feet to Hidden Peak in one shot, opening the Cirque, Mineral Basin, and endless chutes, and the high, shaded terrain keeps lifts spinning into late May most seasons.
Ski passes at Snowbird, 2026-27
| Pass | Access | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ikon Pass | Access: 7 days combined with Alta | Full Ikon Pass = 7 days total shared between Snowbird and Alta, no blackouts (skiing both in one day uses one day). Ikon Base Pass = 5 days at Snowbird (no Alta) with blackouts Dec 26-30 2026, Jan 16-17 and Feb 13-14 2027; Ikon Session Pass days also work. |
| Mountain Collective | Access: 2 days | Two free days at Snowbird with no blackouts (separate from Alta's 2), then 50% off additional day tickets. |
Not on the Epic Pass or Indy Pass this season.
Snowbird's Summit Pass (unlimited; eligible for an Ikon Base add-on) or the Alta-Bird Pass (unlimited Alta + Snowbird, 2026-27 adult $3,188); a Flex-5 pass gives 5 no-blackout days at $112/day. The free Freeloader Pass lets each adult, military or senior Summit or Alta-Bird passholder gift a season pass to anyone 18 or under.
Lift ticket prices
Peak walk-up adult day ticket, 2026-27: $238; online in advance from around $194. Dynamic pricing: the Dec 26 2026 window price is $238, or $215 with the 15% online discount; weekday tickets were listed from $194, so buy online and ahead.
Terrain Breakdown
Snowbird elevation, altitude and mountain stats
Peaks and base areas
| Peak | Peak: Hidden PeakTop of the Aerial Tram; access to the Cirque, Mineral Basin and Peruvian Gulch | 11,000 ft (3,353 m) |
| Base | Base: Snowbird Center / Tram Plaza | 8,100 ft (2,469 m) |
| Base | Base: Lowest lift base (Gad Valley area) | 7,760 ft (2,365 m) |
Getting to Snowbird: airports and drive times
The closest airport to Snowbird is Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), 33 mi (53 km) away and about 55 min by car.
| Airport | Drive | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 55 min | 33 mi (53 km) |
| Jackson (JAC) | 5 hr 40 min | 293 mi (471 km) |
| Steamboat / Hayden (HDN) | 5 hr 55 min | 322 mi (518 km) |
| Montrose (MTJ) | 6 hr | 341 mi (549 km) |
Typical driving time with no traffic and open roads, rounded to five minutes. Chain controls, storms and resort-weekend traffic add to it. Routed over OpenStreetMap road data.
Snowbird in 3D
Runs and lifts as mapped on OpenStreetMap, over terrain from elevation data (heights exaggerated slightly). Drag to look around; two fingers on a phone.
Highlights
Pros
- ✓Relentless expert terrain that rewards strong skiers and riders
- ✓Deep, frequent snowfall with a snow-preserving high north-facing layout
- ✓Tram laps deliver more steep vertical per hour than almost anywhere
- ✓Snowboarder-friendly counterpart to skiers-only Alta
- ✓Long spring season with quality snow at 11,000 ft
Cons
- ✗Tram lines get long on powder mornings
- ✗Canyon road closures and avalanche delays on storm days
- ✗Brutalist concrete base area lacks village charm
- ✗Intimidating trail map for true beginners despite some green terrain
Quick answers
Is Snowbird on the Epic Pass?
No. Snowbird is not on the Epic Pass for 2026-27. It is on the Ikon Pass (7 days combined with alta) and the Mountain Collective (2 days) instead.
Is Snowbird on the Ikon Pass?
Yes. For the 2026-27 season the Ikon Pass includes 7 days combined with alta at Snowbird. Full Ikon Pass = 7 days total shared between Snowbird and Alta, no blackouts (skiing both in one day uses one day). Ikon Base Pass = 5 days at Snowbird (no Alta) with blackouts Dec 26-30 2026, Jan 16-17 and Feb 13-14 2027; Ikon Session Pass days also work.
Is Snowbird on the Mountain Collective?
Yes. For the 2026-27 season the Mountain Collective includes 2 days at Snowbird. Two free days at Snowbird with no blackouts (separate from Alta's 2), then 50% off additional day tickets.
What is the elevation of Snowbird?
Snowbird sits at an altitude of 7,760 ft (2,365 m) at the base and 11,000 ft (3,353 m) above sea level at the top of the lifts, for 3,240 ft (988 m) of vertical drop. Named peaks and lift tops: Hidden Peak at 11,000 ft (3,353 m).
How big is Snowbird?
Snowbird has 2,500 acres, 13 lifts and 169 runs.
How much snow does Snowbird get?
About 500 inches (1,270 cm) a year on average, as reported by the resort.
How much is a lift ticket at Snowbird?
A walk-up adult day ticket peaks at $238 for the 2026-27 season. Buying online ahead, adult tickets have started around $194. Dynamic pricing: the Dec 26 2026 window price is $238, or $215 with the 15% online discount; weekday tickets were listed from $194, so buy online and ahead.
When does Snowbird open for the season?
Typically: opening Late November (opened 27 Nov in 2025; 2026-27 date not confirmed), closing Late May or later, snow permitting (typical). Dates move with snowfall, so check the resort before booking.
What pass is Snowbird on?
For 2026-27 Snowbird is on the Ikon Pass (7 days shared with Alta), the Ikon Base Pass (5 days, with blackouts) and the Mountain Collective (2 days). It is not on the Epic Pass or Indy Pass.
Can you snowboard at Snowbird?
Yes. Snowbird allows snowboarding on every lift including the tram. Neighbouring Alta is skiers-only, so the Alta-Bird connection is for skiers only.
What is the Snowbird tram capacity?
Each of the two Aerial Tram cars carries 125 people and climbs about 2,900 vertical feet to Hidden Peak (11,000 ft) in roughly 7-10 minutes.
What is the Snowbird Freeloader Pass?
It is a free season pass for anyone 18 or under, gifted by an adult, military or senior Snowbird Summit or Alta-Bird passholder. It returns for 2026-27, and the child does not have to be related to the passholder.
What is the closest airport to Snowbird?
The closest airport to Snowbird is Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), 33 mi (53 km) away and about 55 min by car.
Skier Insightssummarized from skier trip reports and forum reviews
Snowbird is the mountain skiers invoke when they want to sort the strong from the confident — the standing skiers line is that a week at the Bird will either fix your skiing or humble it. It shares Little Cottonwood's 500-inch snow firehose with Alta, but arranges its terrain vertically: one tram ride, 2,900 feet of sustained fall line, repeat until your legs quit. Where Alta cultivates nostalgia, Snowbird runs on adrenaline and efficiency, concrete lodge and all.
The practical rhythm is tram-centric but shouldn't be tram-dependent. Powder mornings create a queue culture of their own — the move veterans push is skipping it entirely: lap Gadzoom or Little Cloud while the horde waits, or shoot through the Peruvian tunnel into Mineral Basin when it opens. Experts get the densest steep menu in Utah (Great Scott, Pipeline, the Cirque's endless entries); strong intermediates thrive on Mineral Basin and Chip's Run off the tram; actual beginners should honestly start elsewhere — the green terrain is cat-tracks and the trail map does not exaggerate. Snow stays winter-cold on the north faces, and the season routinely stretches to Memorial Day, when tailgate-and-slush laps become the culture.
It's best for advanced skiers and riders who measure days in vertical feet, and for snowboarders locked out of Alta. Value-wise, window tickets sting, so most regulars come on the full Ikon Pass (seven combined Alta-Bird days — the Base Pass won't cover the canyon) or the Alta-Bird pass. Lodging on-site is limited and functional; most visitors stay in Salt Lake and commute, which also dodges the interlodge lottery. Compared with Jackson Hole — its usual sparring partner in 'burliest US resort' threads — Snowbird counters with better snow preservation, a longer season, and an airport commute that Jackson can't touch.
What skiers like
- +The tram delivers 2,900 vertical feet in under ten minutes — nowhere else in the US lets a strong skier stack steep vertical this fast
- +Mineral Basin doubles the mountain: morning sun softens it first, and the Peruvian tunnel's magic carpet through the ridge is a genuinely fun commute
- +The steep inventory is relentless — Great Scott, Silver Fox, and the Cirque traverse lines are real no-fall terrain, inbounds and avalanche-controlled
- +Seasons regularly run into late May and occasionally June — high, north-facing terrain makes it Utah's spring-skiing king
- +It's the Little Cottonwood option for snowboarders, and riders treat it as a pilgrimage since Alta next door won't have them
- +Terrain depth that takes seasons to learn — Gad 2 trees, Thunder Bowl, Baldy — locals still find new lines after decades
- +The Cliff Lodge rooftop pool and spa staring into the Cirque is the best après-in-a-swimsuit view in American skiing
- +Twenty-five minutes from Salt Lake City on a clear day — no other terrain this serious sits this close to a major airport
Common complaints
- −Powder-morning tram lines blow past 45 minutes — savvy skiers bail to Gadzoom or Little Cloud and out-lap the queue
- −All the canyon problems Alta has, Snowbird has too: red-snake traffic, avalanche road closures, and interlodge lockdowns on big storm cycles
- −The brutalist concrete base does not do 'charming' — it's function over romance, and first-timers expecting a village are startled
- −Dynamic day-ticket pricing pushes windows past $238 — walk-up spontaneity gets punished hard
- −Beginner terrain is mostly cat-track green — genuinely one of the worst major resorts in the country to learn at
- −Wind and sun crust exposed faces fast; Mineral Basin can bake to mank by noon while the Cirque stays boilerplate
- −Ikon access is tight: seven combined Alta-Snowbird days on the full pass, and Ikon Base gets five Snowbird days with holiday blackouts and none at Alta
- −Flat light above treeline is disorienting — on socked-in days the Cirque and Mineral turn menacing and everyone crams into Gad Valley trees
Common Questions
How do I avoid the tram line on a powder day?
Snowbird or Alta — which one for my trip?
Can beginners ski Snowbird?
How late does Snowbird's season actually run?
What is interlodge and will it wreck my trip?
Sources: ikonpass.com, headless.skimag.com, snowbrains.com, onthesnow.com, snowstash.com, alta.com, en.wikipedia.org, utah.com, saminfo.com
Photo: VeggieGarden / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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