Vermont Ski Resorts Compared: Ikon vs Epic Pass Mountains 2025
Friday at 4 PM. Your group chat is blowing up about this weekend's ski trip. Someone says Killington. Another votes Stratton. Your coworker swears by Stowe. You've got an Ikon Pass burning a hole in your wallet, two days off, and absolutely no idea which mountain makes sense for a 4-hour drive from the city.
Here's what nobody tells you: pick wrong and you're looking at $200 wasted on a mountain that doesn't match your pass, 6 hours round-trip of extra driving, or worse—standing in 45-minute lift lines with your kids while your friends at a different resort are sending you powder shots.
Vermont has major ski resorts but 8 are within easy reach of NYC and Boston and are also on the EPIC and IKON passes. They're not interchangeable. The differences actually matter when you're burning gas, vacation days, and four figures on a weekend trip.
This guide cuts through the marketing and tells you exactly which mountain makes sense for your pass, your drive time, and who you're skiing with.