Get to Know the Uphill New England Pass

Uphillers rejoice. The Uphill New England Pass is the all-encompassing ski pass for those who really love to earn their turns. It offers ski tourers, split boarders, snowshoers, backcountry skiers, and sidecountry skiers access to 18 resorts across Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont that allow uphill travel. The Uphill New England Pass gives its pass holders a convenient, streamlined way to engage with the uphill community without having to navigate mountain waivers, ski resort policies, and regulations on their own. Let’s dig into it.

What Is Uphill Skiing?

Before we jump into the specifics of the Uphill New England Pass, let’s first talk about uphill skiing. Recently, there’s been an uptick in skiers interested in ditching the lift lines in favor of touring. Touring, uphilling, splitboarding, or backcountry skiing are all different terms that basically describe the same thing — hiking up to shred down. In some cases, this means heading way out into the wild backcountry. However, as evidenced by the Uphill New England Pass, there are plenty of uphill skiing opportunities at ski resorts across North America. Whether you love hiking, want a good workout, or like to hunt for untracked stashes of powder, you’ll find it at the New England ski areas on this multi-resort pass that provides a great alternative to the typical ski resort experience.

Backcountry hike uphill group. — ©Shutterstock

What Gear Do You Need For Uphill Skiing?

As you might expect, uphill skiing, like backcountry skiing, requires different gear then if you were skiing at a resort. Lightweight skis and bindings that release your heel, skins, and boots with a walk mode are recommended for an easier time on the hike up. You’ll need to carry a beacon, shovel, and probe in your pack if you’re heading somewhere with any chance of avalanche danger. Even at a ski resort, where the avalanche danger is considerably lower, it’s still recommended to have these items with you.

What Are The Benefits Of Uphill Skiing?

Uphill skiing has been around for years. However, it gained popularity in 2020 and 2021 as a way to spend time outside while avoiding crowds. Yet uphill skiing is no walk in the park, and it’s not for the beginner skier. Backcountry and sidecountry skiing is demanding, and much more of a workout than traditional downhill skiing, since you’re skipping the ease of the chairlift to earn your turns.

Terrain in the backcountry and sidecountry is also generally more challenging. But if you love glade skiing at ski resorts then you’ll likely love the glade skiing that the backcountry and sidecountry affords. It’ll also take you to untouched areas, providing fresh tracks and more powder. While this might not always be the case for what you find uphilling at a ski resort, the sentiment of skipping lift lines and getting more exercise remains true. Backcountry skiing in New England also has a huge community of dedicated and enthusiastic followers. This can be a great way to make friends and find new people who have the same interests as you do.

What Is The New England Uphill Pass?

Uphill New England is a non-profit organization that created one of the first multi-mountain uphill passes. Passes for the 2024/25 season start at $185 for adults and $115 for students and ski patrol, providing access to 18 mountains that offer uphill enthusiasts a safe space to recreate. You can also purchase single mountain uphill passes for select ski resorts in New England. Below are all 18 ski areas on the New England Uphill Pass. Note that Bolton Valley is limited to 3 days per season, while all the other mountains include unlimited access.

Bolton Valley Vermont alpine touring. — ©Bolton Valley

How The New England Uphill Pass Works

The New England Uphill Pass has four easy steps to purchase and use. You’ll first buy your pass, which can be purchased online at uphillnewengland.org. Unlike many downhill skiing passes, the New England Uphill Pass can be purchased all season long. After your purchase, you’ll receive an email with waivers to eSign from all participating resorts. Your pass will not ship until you’ve signed the waivers. Next, download the Uphill New England app. The app provides information about the resort’s policies, conditions, access and trail closures, deals, and more. Finally, check-in on the app and go skiing. The app keeps track of your pass use and allows you to check-in at the mountains before you go uphilling. Checking in must be done before you start for the day to ensure your safety.

The New England Uphill Skiing Pass will also ship with a physical armband to be worn with your pass visible during all your uphill travels. This armband has a unique identifying number in case of emergencies.

Berkshire East view of mountain, MA. — ©Berkshire East Ski Area

New England Uphill Skiing Pass Member Benefits

As a pass holder, you get access to a variety of benefits across the New England Uphill Pass app and at the ski resorts. The app has a feature called slope scanner, which can track your number of laps and vertical distance traveled. Each participating resort will have QR codes set up at the base and summit. To track, simply scan before you start and after you’ve finished your tour. Tracking your vert could get you an L.L. Bean gift card. The outdoors brand gives out 100 $25 gift cards to pass holders who record the most vertical distance in the app.

Pass holders also get entered in a raffle to win prizes from Uphill New England Brand partners. You can purchase raffle tickets online or get a ticket by checking in for your tour on the app. There’s a limit to one ticket per resort per day. Pass holders also get discounts at participating resorts and access to community events like group tours, backcountry festivals, clinics, and other local backcountry happenings.

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