Will this be a deep winter for the Southwest? This past weekend, the ski season in the Southwest kicked into high gear, with operations commencing in Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern Utah. Ski season is also underway in Southwestern Colorado, with Wolf Creek being open in limited capacity over the past couple of weekends, and Purgatory opening on Saturday.
The big question for the Southwest is whether this El Niño winter, which typically treats them well, will deliver the goods this time around. It’s been a slow start so far, but as this weekend’s snowfall showed, things can change in an instant.
Here’s a breakdown of what ski resorts are currently open in the Southwest, which we’re going to classify as Arizona, New Mexico, Southwestern Colorado, and Southern Utah…
Arizona Snowbowl got its season started on Friday. They currently have five trails and two lifts open, and recent snowfall made it look like winter.
In Southern Utah, Brian Head Resort opened for the 2023-24 season on Friday. They currently have three trails and two lifts open. Brian Head got 10 inches of snow in 24 hours over the weekend, so I guess you could say things are getting pretty serious.
Purgatory Resort in Durango, Colorado got things going on Saturday. Their trail and lift count is also limited, with only two trails and two lifts open.
On Friday, Sipapu became the first to open for the season in New Mexico. They currently have three trails and two lifts (Lifts 2 & 5) open to the public. They will soon be joined by Taos Ski Valley, which is expected to open on Thanksgiving.
Wolf Creek has had limited operations over the past couple of weekends. Currently, the Southern Colorado ski area has Nova and Susan’s runs open, and two lifts (Nova chairlift and the Magic Carpet) spinning. They’ll be open daily through November 26th, with the possibility of going back to weekends only depending on the snowpack. While things are dry right now, significant snowfall could be on the way for Friday.
Image/Video Credits: Arizona Snowbowl, Brian Head Resort, Purgatory Resort/Isaac Deen, Sipapu, Wolf Creek
