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The IKON Pass doles out access to some of the world’s deepest resorts, allowing you to walk through an RFID gate to the goods.
Say what you will about mega passes, but there’s been no better time in history to be a destination skier. The IKON Pass doles out access to some of the world’s deepest resorts, allowing you to walk through an RFID gate to freedom anywhere the storms track. Some folks look for consistency in their snowfall, but sometimes it’s all about that one killer season. We’re honing in on the best single season at each of these IKON resorts. Wax up your fat skis and let’s dig in.
7. Mount Bachelor
By May 2011, Mount Bachelor saw an overwhelming 633 inches of snowfall at its mid-mountain, leaving us wondering just how deep it got at the top of the cone
6. Niseko, Japan
While most of North America suffered a drought in 2017-2018, Niseko, Japan was buried to its roofs. The Japanese resort wound up with 665 inches of snow during its short season, making a strong case for Japanuary.
5. Snowbird
Snowbird’s 2018-2019 season delivered over 700 inches of snow, surpassing their 2010-2011 record. Skiers found powder and good coverage all the way until closing day on the Fourth of July.
4. Mammoth Mountain
In 2019, Mammoth Mountain stood on the receiving end of an enormous series of atmospheric rivers. The resulting mega storms delivered a total of 715 inches on the summit after a February that delivered 24 feet alone. The mountain was open through August.
3. Alta
The 2010-2011 season at Alta raged all the way through April (and beyond—the resort stops keeping track when the bull wheel stops spinning). When the storms cleared, the resort was left with a whopping 723 inches of snow.
2. Palisades Tahoe
Tahoe was buried in the almighty season of 2010-2011. An overwhelming dump left the resort now known as Palisades Tahoe with an abundant 810 inches of snow on the upper mountain—and a whole lot of shoveling.
1. Lotte Arai, Japan
The deepest snow you can find on the IKON Pass is in one of its newest partners. Lotte Arai resort in Japan was abandoned for years but reopened in 2017 to enormous snowfall. In the 2021-2022 season, they received more than 866 inches of snow, mainly between the end of December and the end of February.
