SUMMIT COUNTY – Let the season ski pass bidding wars begin.

Intrawest officials released their season pass prices late Tuesday afternoon, prompting Vail Resorts to lower the prices they announced earlier that day.

Arguably, the biggest change in Vail Resorts’ deals is that Buddy Passes are now available to anyone, anywhere.

The Buddy Pass debuted in 1998-1999 to compete with Winter Park, which offered a season pass price not seen since the 1970s. The Buddy Pass bundled Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin and Keystone ski areas into one ticket for $249. For an additional $10, skiers could opt for the Colorado Pass and ski 10 days at Vail.

Since then, local skiers have come to expect the cheap pass prices – and tourists were beginning to demand them.

“We had a lot of destination guests riding the chairlift with locals and hearing about all the great deals they get,” said Kelly Ladyga, corporate communications director for Vail Resorts. “They wanted to take advantage of a similar deal – and we wanted to build loyalty and encourage multiple visits over the year.”

Hence, Vail created the Ski Three pass, part of the myriad pass options from which skiers have to choose for the 2003-2004 season. The Ski Three pass – essentially the Buddy Pass for destination skiers – will be available for $299 for adults and $119 for children ages 5 to 12. There are no blackout days.

Beginning Aug. 29, skiers can purchase the Colorado Pass for $319 or the Buddy Pass for $299 at various Front Range locations. Unlike last year, the prices are the same regardless of whether the pass is new or being renewed.

Two other passes targeted toward Vail Resorts’ destination skiers will be available this season, as well.

The Perfect 10, in its third year and priced at $349 for adults and $199 for children, gives skiers and riders 10 days at any of Vail Resorts’ Colorado mountains and Heavenly in California. It is currently available online or at any mountain ticket window from opening day through Jan. 31.

“We’re trying to encourage multiple visits in one season,” Ladyga said. “It will be interesting to see how consumers respond to it. Feedback we’d been getting was, “If you offer us this product, we will likely come more than once a season.’ It’s designed to keep them skiing and riding at an affordable rate at our resorts.”

A third pass, designed to showcase the changes at Keystone, is available for $259. It is only available in the fall.

“It gives them one more choice and more variety,” Ladyga said of the Keystone Pass. “We want them to see the new terrain park, the new Mountain House, the energized River Run village.”

Not to be outdone, Intrawest will again offer its Rocky Mountain Super Pass ($319, $129 for kids), good for Copper Mountain, Winter Park and Mary Jane ski areas. Separate Winter Park and Copper Mountain passes are also available (the Copper pass is $259, $129 for kids.) Copper Mountain also offers seniors 70 and older passes for the cost of a $20 processing fee; however, this year, those passes are good for use Monday through Thursdays only. Kids 5 and under can also get a pass for a $20 processing fee.

Colorado Intrawest passholders also can take advantage of numerous benefits, including discount lift tickets, savings on rental equipment and one-year subscriptions to SKIING magazine.