Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.

  • Rusutsu joins the Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass and Epic Australia Pass in a long-term alliance, beginning with the 2019-20 winter season
  • Epic Pass, Epic Local and Epic Australia Pass holders will receive five consecutive complimentary days with no blackout dates at Rusutsu Resort in Hokkaido, Japan for the 2019-20 season
  • The Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass and Epic Australia Passes now offer 10 total days of Japanese access across 11 resorts in Japan, including the ten resorts in the Hakuba Valley
  • The industry-leading Epic Pass features 66 mountain resorts in eight countries for the 2019-20 season, more than any other season pass in the world
The Westin Rusutsu at Rusutsu Resort in Japan. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
The Westin Rusutsu at Rusutsu Resort in Japan. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) announced on 3rd December a long-term alliance with one of the most renowned resorts in the world for deep powder and tree skiing, Rusutsu Resort, located in Hokkaido, Japan, just 90 minutes from Sapporo and New Chitose Airport. Beginning with the 2019-20 season, the Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass and Epic Australia Pass will offer five consecutive complimentary days with no blackout dates at the three unique, interlinked mountains that make up Rusutsu Resort. The addition of Rusutsu to the Epic Pass, brings total pass access to 66 mountain resorts in eight countries in the 2019-20 season, significantly more than any other season pass in the world.

“We’re excited to announce this long-term alliance between Vail Resorts and Rusutsu Resort, beginning in the 2019-20 season, adding access to another incredible Japanese destination for Epic Pass, Epic Australia Pass and Epic Local Pass holders,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts. “Our season pass holders crave both the variety of world-class ski and snowboard experiences and the unmatched value that the Epic Pass products offer. Now they have access to the deep powder and incredible guest experience at Rusutsu.”

Going to Rusutsu is not only for the skiing, but also for the culture. Reindeer Square. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
Going to Rusutsu is not only for the skiing, but also for the culture. Reindeer Square. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.

“We are pleased to include Rusutsu Resort among the incredible resorts on the Epic Pass,” said Hisatake Kamori, President of Kamori Kanko. “Rusutsu offers vast ski terrain and unrivalled champagne powder to skiers and snowboarders from around the world, eager to experience our renowned Japanese hospitality.”

The addition of Rusutsu to the Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass and Epic Australia Passes, brings the total Japanese access to 10 days across 11 different resorts, including the ten resorts in the Hakuba Valley. Following are the benefits that pass holders receive with each pass.

...but the majority of skiers and boarders go to Japan for the powder! Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
…but the majority of skiers and boarders go to Japan for the powder! Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
  • Epic Pass™: Epic Pass holders will receive five consecutive days of skiing or snowboarding at Rusutsu with no blackout dates, beginning with the 2019-20 season. The Epic Pass offers full access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; Stowe and Okemo in Vermont; Mt. Sunapee in New Hampshire; Stevens Pass in Washington; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Whistler Blackcomb in Canada; and Perisher in Australia (2020 ski season), with no blackout dates. Epic Pass holders will receive seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no blackout dates at both Telluride in Colorado and at Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (Fernie Alpine Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort in British Columbia, Nakiska in Alberta, and Mont-Sainte Anne and Stoneham in Quebec), in addition to five total consecutive days with no blackout dates at Hakuba Valley’s ten ski resorts in Japan. The Epic Pass also grants 26 days of European access across Les 3 Vallées, Paradiski and Tignes-Val D’Isere in France; 4 Vallées in Switzerland; Arlberg in Austria and Skirama Dolomiti in Italy.

 

  • Epic Local Pass™: Epic Local Pass holders will receive five consecutive days of skiing or snowboarding at Rusutsu with no blackout dates, beginning with the 2019-20 season. Guests receive access to 27 resorts, including unlimited, unrestricted access to Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, Okemo, Mount Sunapee, Stevens Pass, Arapahoe Basin, Wilmot, Afton Alps and Mt. Brighton with limited restrictions at Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, and Stowe, plus a combined total of 10 days at Vail, Beaver Creek, and Whistler Blackcomb with holiday restrictions and five total consecutive days with no blackout dates at Hakuba Valley’s ten ski resorts in Japan.
The ski map of Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
The ski map of Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
  • Epic Australia Pass™: On sale now for AU$839, Epic Australia Pass holders will receive five consecutive days of skiing or snowboarding at Rusutsu with no blackout dates, beginning with the 2019-20 season. Guests receive unlimited, unrestricted access to Perisher during the 2019 season; unlimited, unrestricted access to Crested Butte in Colorado; Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire; Okemo in Vermont; and Stevens Pass in Washington State during the 2019-2020 season. Limited holiday access to Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; and Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; and 10 days at Whistler Blackcomb, Vail, Beaver Creek and/or Stowe combined; 5 consecutive days with no blackouts in Hakuba Valley, Japan during the 2019-2020 season.

In the 2019-20 ski season, guests must present their pass at any Rusutsu ticket window in order to receive their five consecutive complimentary lift tickets. In addition, Kamori Winter Pass holders will receive 50 percent off of then current lift ticket prices at all Vail Resorts owned and operated resorts.

Night skiing at Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
Night skiing at Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.

Rusutsu Resort, located in central Hokkaido, receives an average annual snowfall of 45 feet (14 meters) and has some of the best powder and tree skiing found anywhere in the world. The resort, comprised of three separate mountains, offers all levels of ski and snowboard terrain with more than 37 trails, connected by four gondolas and 14 lifts, with two terrain parks and 1,378 acres (42 km) of terrain. Rusutsu’s immaculately groomed trails, powder bowl access and beautiful woodland scenery is ideal for skiers and riders of all levels. Located 90 minutes from Sapporo’s airport, Rusutsu enjoys unbeatable proximity for ski travelers and cultural explorers alike.

With frequent flights between Japan’s New Chitose, Haneda and Narita International airports and major cities in Asia, the U.S., Canada and Australia, it’s never been easier for Epic Pass holders to take a Japanese ski vacation.

For more information, visit www.epicpass.com. Vail Resorts’ 2019-20 season pass products will go on sale in early March 2019.

Powder skiing in Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
Powder skiing in Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.

About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. Vail Resorts’ subsidiaries operate 15 world-class mountain resorts and three urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; Perisher in Australia; Stowe and Okemo in Vermont; Mt. Sunapee in New Hampshire; Stevens Pass in Washington; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Vail Resorts owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.

The-Ski-Guru TRAVEL can organise your bespoke ski trip to the Americas, Alps or Japan, including for those going from Britain to Europe, booking your Eurotunnel trip, and for all trips: lodging, lift tickets, rentals, ski school, and all you need for an excellent vacation. Go to https://www.the-ski-guru.com/travel and upload your information – this page will be updated soon with more travel ideas.

Dog sledging in Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
Dog sledging in Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.

You can start thinking about your trip, by reading the articles on the Planning your Ski Trip tab.  Or how to pack for your family ski trip.  If taking your furry friend abroad to the continent, read about the new Pet Travel Scheme update from DEFRA. Check out our tips for driving to the mountains.  If flying and renting a car in Europe, beware of the extra charges they will pass to you if you want winter tyres, snow chains or ski racks. If driving, check the winter tyres news for Europe and North America.

Or you can read our last news on equipment as seen at the London Ski Show. Also, the new range of skis of Black Crows, one of our favourite brands. Lots of snow makes you wonder how the resorts deal with the avalanche danger. Here you can read the interview to Coco Torres, former Head of Operations of Las Leñas, in Argentina, as how they dealt with avalanches at the resort. 

Or perhaps you may choose to read the Ski Resort NewsSki Passes News, and the Must-Read Guides to Lech,  Zermatt,  CourmayeurVal di Fiemme and Crans-Montana. Coming soon will be the guide to St Anton. Or  watch an amazing heli flight over the Mont Blanc Massif. Also see tips on how not to be scammed when booking a ski chalet.

A skier and a boarder enjoying the snow in Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
A skier and a boarder enjoying the snow in Rusutsu. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.

You can also read what’s new at Les Trois Vallées and the last article on what is new at the Tirol ski areas,  in La Plagne, in 3 Zinnen Dolomites ,  in Adelboden, Lenk and Kandertal, in Gstaad, in Chamonix,  in Georgia’s Gudauri Resort and in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. And how the US Ski Team has chosen Alpe Cimbra to train for the following four ski seasons as their European home. And Saalbach is getting ready for the Ski World Cup. Here is the link to our post on the My Voucher Codes ranking of best European Ski Resorts. 

Or check how Cairngorm Mountain might not run its funicular this coming season and how that can affect the region. And the terrible storms and gails that provoked havoc to Trentino Alto-Adige and Belluno provinces in Northern Italy. 

Thankfully Val di Fassa is ready for opening December 6 as stated here. And the roof of the Rifugio Comici has been fixed in no time and is ready for the start of the ski season in Val Gardena on 6th December. Sudtirol ski areas are ready to start soon and their famous Christmas markets will kick off too. And Cortina D’Ampezzo is getting ready for this winter and the 2021 World Ski Championships. 

Rusutsu by night. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.
Rusutsu by night. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season.

Also, you can read how Grandvalira will be staying together as one lift ticket company and how they are adding Ordino Arcalis to  this offer. And also read how someone tried to sabotage some lifts in Vallnord’s Pal Arinsal. And as if it is starting to be a trend, there were two lifts sabotaged in Passo Rolle, in Val di Fiemme, Trentino.   Or read about the latest investments in Whistler Blackcomb. Or see how Taos is going against the industry trend, and instead of merging with the two biggest oligopolies in skiing at the moment, it goes and buys an airline to get more bums in resort. Or how Jackson Hole is appealing to families and beginners – it is not only a resort for expert skiers anymore. Another great area for families is Stubaital in the Tirol. Or read how a group of experienced industry insiders got together to purchase Tamarack Resort. And how Peak Resorts finalised the acquisition of the resorts of Snow Time.

Sierra Nevada has opened this past weekend with the best snow base ever in its history. The Sun Up and Sun Down Back Bowls from Vail have opened as well, being the third time in this decade that they could open so early. Same case was for Aspen Highlands, that opened the earliest ever because of the snow – Aspen Snowmass got 20 inches of snow during the last week. Grandvalira and Ordino Arcalis in Andorra have also opened. Also read how one employee of Aspen Ski Co got caught in an avalanche but got out unscathed while scouting terrain for the Aspen Mountain Powder Tours. Or how the a gondola of the new American Eagle lift from Copper Mountain crashed into the snow in a trial run. The resort confirmed that the chondola will be fixed before it’s opening day. And there was a gas explosion at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof that injured six, before its opening date.

You can keep up to date on how are the sales for the EPIC and IKON passes are doing here. Read how Emma, the first Digital Mountain Assistant, is launched in Keystone now and will be rolled to eight other resorts this season. And even read about the new incorporation to the IKON Pass: Valle Nevado. Here is also a post on the South American resorts.  

Or check out how now with the EPIC Pass you can ski in Europe, specifically in Les Trois Vallées and the resorts of Skirama Dolomiti in Trentino’s Italy. Or see our review of L’Héliopic Hotel Sweet & Spa if thinking in staying in Chamonix this winter.

Featured Image: Rusutsu will be EPIC for the 2019-20 ski season. Rusutsu, the Japanese Resort joins the EPIC Pass for the 2019-20 ski season. Photo: Rusutsu Resort. 

 

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