Two Colorado Epic Flagships Just Upgraded Every Private Lesson at No Extra Cost
Vail and Beaver Creek private lessons now include Epic Ascent for 2026-27: a concierge, skip-the-line access, and flexible start times for groups of up to six.
Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek are folding every private ski and snowboard lesson into a new program called Epic Ascent for the 2026-27 season. Vail Resorts announced it on September 29, and both resorts say the upgrade comes with every private lesson at no additional cost.
The headline perks are skip-the-lift-line access and a dedicated concierge. Each booking covers an individual or a group of up to six at the same price, and the instructor builds the day around the group's goals rather than a fixed curriculum.
What Epic Ascent includes
- Concierge support: help with dining reservations, mountain transportation, ski day itineraries, and rental coordination
- Gear: access to a private gear fitting area when rentals are added, plus delivery to your lodging at no extra cost
- Lift lines: skip-the-lift-line access during the lesson
- Timing: flexible start times and meeting points, including earlier half-day morning starts and later afternoon starts
At Vail, private lessons normally meet at Golden Peak, Lionshead, or Vail Village. Under Epic Ascent, the concierge confirms the meeting spot that fits the day and can arrange alternatives when possible. Standard hours still frame the day: half-day mornings run 9 a.m. to noon, afternoons 12:45 to 3:45 p.m., and full days 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Why it matters for trip planners
Private lessons at Vail and Beaver Creek have long been a premium purchase. Rolling concierge service and line access into the base product, rather than selling them as add-ons, makes the six-person group booking the obvious play for families or friend groups who were already splitting a private instructor. The practical value is time: fewer minutes in line and less planning work outside the lesson itself.
The same announcement expands the connected Ski and Ride School inside the My Epic app from four resorts to 14, and reminds Epic Pass holders that they save 20 percent on group lessons, rentals, and more. Vail Resorts also flagged that pass prices go up after October 7, the same deadline we covered for the Epic Day Pass.
Vail is scheduled to open November 13 and Beaver Creek November 25, conditions permitting. Full program details are on the official Epic Ascent page. For terrain, lodging, and dining, see our Vail guide and Beaver Creek guide.