A 5th grade ski pass in Colorado can give your child dozens of low cost or free ski days at name-brand resorts in one season.
Sticker shock at the ticket window hits fast when you ski in Colorado. Walk-up youth lift tickets at big resorts can hover around triple digits before rentals and lessons. If you have a child in 5th grade, though, statewide passes change the picture. With the right mix of programs, many families pay almost nothing for kids’ lift access while still skiing name-brand mountains.
What Is The 5th Grade Ski Pass Colorado Deal?
When people talk about the 5th grade ski pass Colorado families mention on chairlifts, they are talking about a set of programs that give elementary students big discounts or free access to dozens of mountains. Today the standouts are the Colorado Ski Country USA Kids Ski Passport and Vail Resorts’ Epic SchoolKids Colorado Pack. Both include 5th graders, and both can sit in the same jacket pocket.
The Kids Ski Passport is run by Colorado Ski Country USA, a group of independent and smaller-chain resorts across the state. For the 2025–26 season it offers four days of skiing or riding at each of nineteen participating resorts for students in kindergarten through 6th grade, with a price of seventy-two dollars for grades three through six and two free junior rental days from Christy Sports built in.
The Epic SchoolKids Colorado Pack is a free product from Vail Resorts for children in kindergarten through 5th grade. It provides four free days at each of five major destinations: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Crested Butte, along with one complimentary first-timer lesson and rental package for kids who have never been on skis or a board before.
| Program | What A 5th Grader Gets | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Kids Ski Passport (Grades 3–6) | Four days at each of nineteen Colorado Ski Country USA resorts, plus two junior rental days | About $72 plus small processing fee |
| Kids Ski Passport (Grades K–2) | Four days at each of the same nineteen resorts for younger siblings | About $67 plus small processing fee |
| Epic SchoolKids Colorado Pack | Four free days at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Crested Butte | No charge, registration required |
| Epic SchoolKids First-Timer Package | One free beginner lesson and rental package for a brand new skier or rider | Included with Epic SchoolKids for eligible kids |
| Gems Teen Pass | Two days at each of ten Colorado Ski Country USA “Gems” resorts for older siblings | Just over two hundred dollars for teens |
| Gems Parent Pass | Two days for one adult at each Gems resort when a child holds a Ski Passport or Gems Teen Pass | Mid-three-hundred dollar range per adult |
| Standard Youth Walk-Up Ticket | Single day of skiing at a large resort without discounts | Often falls around $150–$200 on busy dates |
The table shows why families chase these student offers. One regular day ticket at a marquee mountain can match or exceed the full price of the Kids Ski Passport, while Epic SchoolKids adds another stack of free days at different resorts. Taken together, they turn one 5th grader into the most affordable person in the family ski budget.
5th Grade Ski Pass In Colorado: Main Options For Families
Colorado Ski Country Kids Ski Passport Basics
The Kids Ski Passport now spans grades kindergarten through six, but many parents still think of it by the old name, the 5th grade passport. For a modest flat fee you get four lift days at each of nineteen Colorado Ski Country USA resorts, ranging from family friendly hills like Granby Ranch and Sunlight to well known names such as Aspen Snowmass and Winter Park. Colorado residency is not required, so visiting families can apply too.
To buy the pass you create an online account, upload a recent photo of your child, and submit basic school and grade details. Colorado Ski Country USA explains current pricing, blackout dates, and participating resorts on its official Kids Ski Passport page, so start there before you pull out a card. The pass now lives in a digital wallet style account, and you redeem days at the ticket window where staff scan the pass and hand over a single day lift ticket.
Four days at each mountain adds up fast. With nineteen resorts on the list, one 5th grader technically has access to seventy-six possible lift days in a single season. Even a handful of weekend trips plus a school break can deliver far more value than the purchase price.
Epic SchoolKids Colorado Pack For 5th Graders
The second pillar of 5th grade access sits on the Epic side of Colorado. The Epic SchoolKids Colorado Pack gives kids in kindergarten through 5th grade four free days at each of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Crested Butte. Registration opens months before the snow flies and usually closes in early autumn, so parents need to act while everyone is still wearing shorts.
Sign-up happens in person at designated Epic Mountain Gear locations along the Front Range. A parent or guardian brings the child, shows proof of grade such as a report card or school ID, and completes the enrollment form. Once approved, the child receives a pass card that works like any other Epic product at the lifts, with blackout dates around peak holidays.
The pack also includes a single free first-timer lesson and rental day for kids who have never skied or snowboarded. That lesson has to be reserved by phone and is only offered during selected early-season weeks, so spots go fast. For a nervous 5th grader new to snow sports, one structured lesson day can replace guesswork, rental stress, and a full retail ski school bill.
How Much Skiing Can One 5th Grader Get?
On paper the numbers look almost unrealistic. A 5th grader with both a Kids Ski Passport and an Epic SchoolKids Colorado Pack sits on up to seventy-six days at Ski Country resorts plus twenty free days at Epic mountains. That is ninety-six possible days of lift access in a single school year from just one child’s passes.
Real life schedules cut that total. Between school, work calendars, travel time, storms, and budget, many families might only manage six to twelve child ski days. A typical walk-up youth lift ticket at major Colorado destinations can run over one hundred dollars on peak days, so three or four snow days can already offset the Kids Ski Passport fee.
Parents often use the Ski Passport for closer, quieter days where they can drive up early, ski a few hours, and head home before dark. Epic SchoolKids days often get saved for marquee trips: a long weekend at Breckenridge, a visit to Vail for a birthday, or a spring break stay near Keystone or Beaver Creek. Planning that mix in advance keeps the calendar clear and avoids burning through all four Epic days at one resort too early in the season.
Parents who live far from the mountains often stack days during long weekends and school breaks instead of chasing every powder alert. Carpooling with classmates, packing lunches, and sharing a roof with another family in a rental condo can stretch the pass value while keeping the trip mood relaxed and safe.
Sample 5th Grade Ski Pass Game Plans In Colorado
Once you understand what both passes include, it helps to map a few sample trips. Think about which resorts you want to visit, how much driving you can handle, and which weekends line up with school breaks. Then match those windows with Ski Passport days and Epic SchoolKids days so the season feels balanced instead of rushed.
| Trip Plan | Child Lift Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| One Epic Weekend At Breckenridge | Two Epic SchoolKids days used, no child ticket cost | Parents buy lift access separately, book lesson ahead |
| Two Saturdays At A Ski Passport Resort | Two Ski Passport days used, small share of pass price | Good way to warm up season at a smaller mountain |
| Long Weekend Mixing Epic And Passport | Two Epic days, one Ski Passport day | Sample one Epic resort and one Ski Country hill |
| Winter Break Local Week | Four Ski Passport days at two nearby resorts | Rotate between areas to keep runs fresh for kids |
| First-Timer Lesson Day | Epic SchoolKids lesson and rental package | Use early season so skills are ready for peak trips |
| Sibling Trip With Teen And Parent Passes | Child on Ski Passport, teen and adult on Gems products | Helpful for families with mixed ages who share rides |
The sample plans in the table keep child lift costs near zero while spreading days across different resorts. Adults still need tickets or passes, and travel costs add up, yet shifting child lift charges to these programs makes the math friendlier.
Common Mistakes Families Make With 5th Grade Ski Passes
A few patterns trip up many Colorado parents. The biggest one is waiting too long to register for Epic SchoolKids and discovering that the cutoff date has passed. The next is assuming there are no blackout dates; both programs block out popular holiday periods, so read those calendars before booking lodging or asking for time off.
Another misstep is treating kids’ passes as a reason to ski beyond family energy or money limits. Long lift lines on peak Saturdays, icy drives, and rushed mornings can sour kids on snow sports fast. A smaller set of calmer, well planned days tends to build better memories than chasing every possible day listed on paper.
If you hear parents rave about the 5th grade ski pass Colorado families rely on, what they mean is that they used these programs with intention. Clear deadlines, early registration, and a simple trip plan turn a year of 5th grade into a season where the smallest member of the crew gets the best deal on the hill.