By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
NEWBURY – After Gov. Kelly Ayotte said she would have the attorney general investigate Vail Resorts over its decision to tax skiing in New Hampshire with its EPIC pass, the Colorado-based company said Friday it will provide a tax-free option to pass holders who only plan to ski at Granite State resorts this coming winter.
The press release indicates guests who are interested in a pass with only New Hampshire access and no taxes should fill out a request form.
“Guests who have already purchased an eligible pass can also use this form to request a refund of the tax paid and an adjustment to their resort access,” it reads.
The governor was not immediately available for comment late Friday afternoon when Vail released its statement. On April 27, Ayotte issued a press release indicating that she has asked for an investigation into Vail’s “Not-So-Epic Sales Tax.”
“New Hampshire is proud to have no sales tax, and we’re not going to let an out-of-state company try to sneak one in,” said Ayotte. “The Attorney General will thoroughly investigate Vail Resorts’ attempt to charge a sales tax on Granite State skiers. We’ll continue to ensure New Hampshire is America’s best place to ski — sales tax-free.”
She indicated in a release that in March of this year, the company disclosed in an investor presentation that it would begin charging a “blended” sales tax rate of 3.2% on all multi-resort Epic pass products, which appears to include those sold in (and even those potentially only used in) New Hampshire.
The company, which operates ski areas across North American, holds a lease to operate state-owned Mount Sunapee Resort, here, and owns Attitash in Bartlett, Wildcat in Pinkham Notch and Crotched in Southern New Hampshire, said:
“We understand the concerns raised by Governor Ayotte and appreciate the feedback from the New Hampshire community. While we provide lift tickets without taxes for our resorts in New Hampshire, we understand that some guests plan to use our multi-resort pass products to only access our four New Hampshire resorts …In response to these concerns, we are happy to offer Pass Holders the option to limit their access to our New Hampshire resorts only and forego a tax on their pass. The following passes are eligible for this option:
Northeast Value Pass – $662 (adults), $497 (teens, young adults & seniors)*
Northeast Midweek Pass – $497 (adults), $367 (seniors)
Epic Military Pass – Starting at $215
Epic Day Pass (local resort access) – As low as $46/day
“Importantly, even with access limited to our four New Hampshire resorts, the Northeast Value Pass…provides incredible value and costs significantly less than other multi-resort season passes in New Hampshire. It also costs less than most single-resort season passes in the state.”
A 2025-26 season pass for a New Hampshire adult resident at Cannon Mountain, which is owned by the state, with no blackout dates cost $675 about the same price as the Vail Northeast Value Pass for 2026-27.