The ski season is here, and there’s no better way to ring in winter than by getting in some early-season turns. A few ski areas were lucky enough to open in October, while most North America ski resorts are projected to open in the coming weeks (note that these are projected opening dates and can change quickly depending on weather and conditions). It’s been cold enough to fire up the snowmakers at many ski areas, while others have enjoyed some nice early-season storms. Is it enough to hit those early-season opening goals? Time will tell, but as you’re getting excited for the season, you can head over to Meteorologist Chris Tomer’s long-range forecast to get a sense of what the ski season may hold.
Below, see our recommendations for the best early-season skiing in North America.
Best Bets For Early-Season Skiing
Utah and Colorado
Wolf Creek was the first ski resort to start spinning lifts for the 2024/25 season. After an impressive early October storm that dropped more than 25 inches of snow, Wolf Creek opened on October 22. As of late October, roughly 25% of Wolf Creek was open for early-season skiing, and that’ll only continue to increase.
A number of Colorado ski resorts followed soon after Wolf Creek. Keystone opened on November 2 with two miles of accessible ski terrain. Arapahoe Basin, which is historically one of the first ski resorts to open in Colorado, also opened the first weekend of November. Breckenridge and Copper are projected to open on November 8. Copper, one of Colorado’s largest resorts, by acreage, has upped their snowmaking game in recent years to open as early as possible. Loveland, Vail, Eldora, and Winter Park often open by mid-November, too.
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While many of Utah’s Cottonwood Canyon resorts are known for their long seasons, it’s actually Brian Head in Southwestern Utah that’s expected to open first on November 8. Alta Ski Area, Park City, and Solitude are expected to open the weekend of November 22 (Park City opening November 21). Alta has already seen a little bit of snowfall for the 2024 season. You may remember the 2022 season, when it received 85 inches in November, which gave it a head start on its way to a record-breaking 903 inches of total snowfall for the season. Park City is a prime pick for early-season skiing and riding thanks to upgrades in snowmaking technology, specifically on popular trails that include Chicane and Another World.
Snowbird, Brighton, and Snowbasin are projected to open the last weekend of November, just in time for Thanksgiving weekend laps. Brighton should have the Majestic Express up and running to give riders access to one of its state-of-the-art terrain parks. Snowbird will be ringing in the season on Thanksgiving Day for those who want to skip the Turkey Trot and head straight for the slopes.
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Pacific Northwest
Thanks to some early-season snow, Lookout Pass announced that they would open for the season on November 8, making it the first ski area to open in Idaho. Schweitzer Mountain is often one of the first Idaho ski resorts to open, projected to open on November 22. The 2,900-acre resort will open for the weekend and then close for a few days to prepare for Thanksgiving weekend. Bogus Basin is also scheduled to open November 22, while the legendary Sun Valley is set to start spinning lifts on November 28 to kick off its 89th season of operation. Guests on Thanksgiving Day can take a few laps, enjoy live music at the River Run Plaza, and then head inside for a traditional Thanksgiving Buffet.
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While Oregon’s Timberline Lodge often opens later in the season, since it depends on natural snow, it opened in early November thanks to a number of early-season snow storms. Timberline Lodge continues its reputation as one of the most reliable resorts for skiing (almost year-round) in the United States. In 2024, Timberline stayed open until August 18th, thanks to the resort’s elevation and “snow farming” technique that preps the famous Palmer Snowfield for operation in the summer.
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Located outside of Wenatchee, Washington, Mission Ridge is another Pacific Northwest ski area that plans to run its lifts before Thanksgiving. After coming off its most extended season in 26 years for the 2022/23 season, Mission Ridge is geared up and ready to go for its 58th year, with increased snowmaking on the horizon.
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California
California’s behemoth, Mammoth Mountain, is set to open on November 15 to welcome in its 71st year of operation. Guests can join Woolly, the Mammoth’s mascot, for the annual first chair and banner breaking ceremony to officially start the 2024/25 season. Afterward, enjoy a toast to the new season on Tusks Sundeck with picturesque views of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
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In Northern California, Heavenly and Northstar look to be a couple of the first Lake Tahoe ski resorts to open, with lifts starting to spin over the weekend of November 22 (November 21 at Heavenly). Their high summit elevations of 10, 067′ and 8,610′ means the area often enjoys an early start date. Look for more Lake Tahoe ski resorts to open the weekend after, just before Thanksgiving week.
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New England
Technically, Ski Ward located in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, became the first ski area in North America to open for the season. On October 21, thanks to its all-weather snowmaking system, Ward opened a small section of a run accessible by a magic carpet to take the title of the first to open for the season. It more properly kicked off the ski season in November, with lessons beginning on November 1, and the season kick-off Rail Jam on November 2.
Killington Resort, in Vermont, will likely be the first ski resort in the East to open with top-to-bottom skiing. The Beast of the East tends to open on the earlier side, especially since it’s regularly one of the first stops on the women’s FIS Alpine World Cup Tour, which takes place over Thanksgiving weekend. Killington is projected to open around mid-November, with its base-to-peak ride, the K-1 Express Gondola, running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. One of its quads is expected to provide access to advanced and intermediate terrain.
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Maine’s Sunday River has a projected opening date of November 15, though it’s doing an unofficial opening on Halloween for Passholder Day. The Locke Mountain Triple will run for skiing and riding on the T2 trail October 31, while the rest of the early-season skiing is projected to be at Jordan Bowl upon officially opening.
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Canada
Skiing kicked off in early November at all of SkiBig3’s resorts in Alberta. Lake Louise, Sunshine, Mt. Norquay were spinning lifts by the second weekend of November. SkiBig3’s resorts typically open in early November, meaning that you can often find decent early-season conditions. This makes the Banff area one of the best ski destinations in North America for early-season skiing and riding.
Check conditions and snow reports on our website, or app, as early-season conditions can be limited and change quickly. Ski areas often announce the opening of new terrain and lifts on their social media pages.
Header image ©Breckenridge/Vail Resorts
November 20, 2024
