Three Colorado residents who bought either Ikon or Epic ski area passes have filed a class-action lawsuit against Vail Resorts Inc. and Alterra Mountain Co., alleging that season passes are part of an “anticompetitive scheme” that “violates the antitrust laws.” 

The lawsuit, which includes a fourth plaintiff from Massachusetts, was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado.

“Countless mergers and acquisitions over the last 30 years, coupled with numerous contractual partner relationships, have resulted in the creation of two — and only two — behemoth ski resort owner/operators in the United States: Vail Resorts and Alterra,” the lawsuit claims.

The 75-page lawsuit outlines how Vail and Alterra allegedly worked to raise prices of on-site purchases of lift tickets for day or weekend use, thereby forcing skiers and boarders to buy season passes. Those passes have become “the primary source of lift revenues and resort visitation” for the companies, the lawsuit said.

Vail disputed the allegations.

“We believe these claims are without merit,” according to a spokesperson via email. “We launched the Epic Pass in 2008 to make skiing and riding more accessible, reducing the price of a season pass by 60%. We’re proud that 18 years later, it’s still one of the best values in the industry, especially following our further 20% price reduction in 2021.”

Alterra officials declined to comment on ongoing litigation.

The lawsuit spells out what it calls an “anticompetitive scheme.”

“For example, for Fiscal Year 2025, Vail Resorts’ various Epic Passes provided 65%of lift revenue and 75% of lift visitations,” the lawsuit said. “As a result, Vail Resorts and Alterra make every effort to drive more and more people to purchase their respective Mega Passes. But in order to do so, they each have resorted to an anticompetitive scheme that, as alleged herein, violates antitrust laws.”

Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz’s comments to The New York Times were included in the lawsuit as proof of the scheme.

“Vail’s lift-ticket prices have been ‘intentionally’ aggressive. … They pushed customers to buy Epic Passes,” the lawsuit quoted Katz as saying.

Landin Goloja, Tyler Maybee and Caitlan Reynolds of Colorado and Daniel Sheiner of Massachusetts filed the lawsuit “on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated.”

“These anticompetitive bundles have raised costs and reduced quality for all skiers and snowboarders regardless of whether they purchase a Lift Ticket or Mega Pass,” the lawsuit said, adding, “The cost of skiing and snowboarding in North America has become excessive, crowding out more price-sensitive locals.”

Vail Resorts started selling Epic Passes in 2008 for $579. Prices have gone up 37% to $1,089 for the 26-27 ski season.

Vail Resorts officials said the lawsuit is misleading.

“As we acquired smaller resorts over the years, we also launched new, lower-priced pass products, such as the Epic Day Pass Local and Limited, for guests who only want to ski close to home,” according to the spokesperson. “We will always give the best value to our pass holders who commit ahead of the season — but that said, we have also been intentional to price our lift tickets, sold in season, on a resort-by-resort basis, including numerous new discount opportunities this past season.”

Plaintiffs are asking a judge to declare “the acts of the Defendants are illegal and unlawful.”

The plaintiffs’ attorneys are from DiCello Levitt LLP, which has offices in Centennial and in New York, Berger Montague PC and Salahi PC.