Ontario's Blue Mountain Resort adding its own version of a 'fast pass' for skiing

If you're a skier or snowboarder in the GTA, there's nowhere that can really compete with Blue Mountain. Yes, the Collingwood resort is pretty minuscule compared to competitors in B.C.,  Alberta, and elsewhere in the world, but it's the biggest we've got in Ontario, with 43 trails and 147 hectares (364 acres) of skiable terrain.

As such, the slopes at Blue can get quite packed during peak times. While this has been somewhat balanced out by options like the 5x7 pass, which doesn't include weekend-day riding, the resort's parent company has turned to more extreme measures for the upcoming season: a controversial fast pass of sorts.

Employed for years at high-traffic attractions like Canada's Wonderland and, more recently, the CNE, fast passes are almost equally loathed and celebrated, depending on whether you're willing to shell out the extra bucks to skip long lineups after you've already paid a hefty price for admission.

Blue Mountain's Reserve Pass, though, takes the idea of a premium experience to another level: It offers not only priority line access to the resort's chairlifts on the busiest days, but also preferred parking and admission to a special lounge.

"Spend less time waiting and more time carving fresh lines. With exclusive weekend and peak day access to priority lift lanes, you'll move effortlessly up and onto the slopes," the team at Blue, which is owned by U.S. brand Alterra Mountain Company, advertises on its website.

Of course, this privilege does not come cheap. 

An adult Reserve Pass will run you $1,799 before tax, which unfortunately comes on top of the price of a standard Ikon Pass, Ikon Base Pass, Blue 7x7 Pass, Blue 5x7 Pass, or Blue 5x7 XL Pass, as it is an add-on option only.

A representative explained to us that Blue isn't the only destination getting this addition, either: it will be rolled out, in various forms, across all Alterra properties this year.

They also clarified the terms of the deal, which include both lounge and priority line access on all six-pack chairlifts on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only, as well as over the holiday periods of Dec. 20–Jan. 4, Feb. 16, and Mar 16–20. Preferred parking is offered in the P2 village-adjacent lot seven days a week for the entire season, but is first-come, first-serve and subject to space availability.

For those of us who don't just have a few thousand extra dollars to throw around and who may be concerned about what this new experience will mean for wait times, Blue's team also says there is nothing to worry about.

"Reserve Pass holders will merge from a dedicated line before boarding during peak periods, so this isn't a 'skip the line' product,'" the representative told us, adding that because the new product has limited availability, they don't expect Reserve passholders to comprise even two per cent of all customers.

"This means minimal, if any, impact on other guests' ski experience," they said.

"At Blue, we are confident in the optionality we offer for all guests, whether you prefer to simply enjoy the mountain as it is, or enhance your experience with additional convenience and ease. Every skier and rider should be able to choose the day that feels right for them, and the Reserve Pass is one more way to do that."

Of course, some patrons have been quick to respond negatively to the news.

One person took to Reddit to call the idea "the enshittification of skiing" in a post that had people reminiscing about the days when you didn't have to pay tons more "just to have a decent experience" at a local attraction, and not every aspect of an experience was monetized.

To the company's credit, though, a portion of Reserve Pass proceeds will go toward the resort's Second Tracks Program, which, in partnership with other local organizations, reduces financial and other barriers for youth who want to learn winter sports.

As far as when you can actually go hit the slopes, Reserve Pass or not, Blue Mountain officially opens for the 2025/2026 winter season at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11.