The concept that completely revolutionized the ski resort industry—the multi-mountain pass—is now getting the mountain bike treatment. For years, skiers and snowboarders have used Epic and Ikon Passes (sold by Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company respectively) as their open ticket to numerous ski resorts across the U.S., Canada, and beyond. Now, a newly launched cycling pass—called Loam Pass—aims to provide similar multi-trail, money-saving benefits for destination mountain biking adventures.
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It’s an idea that was hatched (on a chairlift) by bike industry professionals Rob Brown and Joey Foresta, who were inspired by the Ikon/Epic success stories, and felt they could be applied to their own wheelhouse—downhill mountain bike resorts.
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“I just thought, why is biking being left out? Why can’t we have a multi-resort pass of our own?” recalls Brown, who pitched the idea to Foresta while riding a lift at Deer Valley resort in Utah in the summer of 2023. By the time they reached the top, they were both completely sold on the idea.
“We immediately started researching and putting a business plan together, taking our time to make sure we had a solid idea of how exactly it would work,” adds Brown. Focusing on improving the user experience for both resorts and consumers was at the heart of it.
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Loam Pass went live on January 1, 2024, functioning much like its ski pass predecessors. One flat fee ($250) for the pass gets you two full days at each of the Loam Pass destinations. Currently, there are nearly 30 spots on the Loam Pass roster in over 20 U.S. states stretching from California to New Hampshire, with 10 more destinations slated for later this spring.
“You get 60 days of riding on the pass, and the average ticket price at our destinations is about $44, so if you use the pass six times it pays for itself,” says Brown, who estimates the potential annual savings of a Loam Pass at around $2,400.
The pass is targeting some of the best paid mountain biking trails and terrain across the country. Top recommended destinations include Ride Rock Creek and Kanuga in North Carolina, Big Rack Shuttles in Utah, Bryce and Massanutten in Virginia, and Cog Wild and Trans Cascadia Excursions in the Pacific Northwest. Beyond resort benefits, a Loam Pass includes access to pedal-friendly trail systems and mountain bike shuttle operations as well.
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“We want the pass to be a tool for these places to receive more visitation and grow their businesses,” says Foresta. “They’re investing heavily in awesome trails, and we want to encourage these destinations to keep building them,” adds Brown.
Loam Pass is valid for a full calendar year. If you have ski pass prices in your head, an annual Loam Pass is a fraction of those at $250.