The countdown to winter is officially on. Here are the 2026–27 ski season opening dates that resorts across North America have announced so far.
Updated September 10, 2026
The 2026–27 ski season opening dates are starting to pile up.
Across the United States and Canada, ski resorts are adding opening days to their calendars, with the first major wave currently scheduled for early November and dozens more mountains planning to start spinning lifts before Thanksgiving.
Several notable announcements have landed in just the past few days. Copper Mountain announced a November 6 opening, Palisades Tahoe put November 25 on its calendar, and Aspen Snowmass announced that Aspen Mountain and Snowmass will begin their seasons on November 26.
As of September 10, Unofficial Networks could verify 51 North American ski areas or individual mountains with an announced, scheduled, targeted, tentative or projected opening date for the 2026–27 ski season.
But here’s the interesting part:
The ski season could begin well before the first firm dates currently on the calendar.
Colorado resorts, including Keystone, Loveland, Winter Park, and Arapahoe Basin, are among the mountains worth watching in the annual race to open first.
So who opens when?
Here are the 2026–27 ski season opening dates announced so far.
2026–27 Ski Season Opening Dates
Opening dates remain subject to snow, snowmaking, weather and mountain conditions.
| Ski Area | State/Province | 2026–27 Opening Date |
|---|---|---|
| Breckenridge | Colorado | November 6, 2026 |
| Copper Mountain | Colorado | November 6, 2026 |
| Brian Head Resort | Utah | November 6, 2026 |
| Lake Louise Ski Resort | Alberta | November 6, 2026 |
| Mammoth Mountain | California | November 13, 2026 |
| Vail Mountain | Colorado | November 13, 2026 |
| Arizona Snowbowl | Arizona | November 20, 2026 |
| Grand Targhee Resort | Wyoming | November 20, 2026 |
| Heavenly Mountain Resort | California | November 20, 2026 |
| Northstar California | California | November 20, 2026 |
| Park City Mountain | Utah | November 20, 2026 |
| Solitude Mountain Resort | Utah | November 20, 2026 |
| Whistler Blackcomb | British Columbia | November 20, 2026 |
| Steamboat Resort | Colorado | November 21, 2026 |
| Sun Peaks Resort | British Columbia | November 21, 2026 |
| Sugarbush Resort | Vermont | November 21, 2026 — projected |
| Beaver Creek Resort | Colorado | November 25, 2026 |
| Big Sky Resort | Montana | November 25, 2026 |
| Crested Butte Mountain Resort | Colorado | November 25, 2026 |
| Palisades Tahoe | California | November 25, 2026 |
| Snowshoe Mountain | West Virginia | November 25, 2026 |
| Aspen Mountain | Colorado | November 26, 2026 |
| Snowmass | Colorado | November 26, 2026 |
| Big White Ski Resort | British Columbia | November 26, 2026 |
| Telluride Ski Resort | Colorado | November 26, 2026 — targeted |
| Tremblant | Quebec | November 26, 2026 |
| Taos Ski Valley | New Mexico | November 26, 2026 |
| Ski Santa Fe | New Mexico | November 26, 2026 — tentative |
| Jackson Hole Mountain Resort | Wyoming | November 27, 2026 |
| SilverStar Mountain Resort | British Columbia | November 27, 2026 — tentative |
| Snowbird | Utah | November 27, 2026 — reported target |
| Sugar Bowl Resort | California | November 27, 2026 — targeted |
| Bromont | Quebec | December 4, 2026 — planned |
| Castle Mountain Resort | Alberta | December 4, 2026 — anticipated |
| Kirkwood Mountain Resort | California | December 4, 2026 |
| Mt. Hood Meadows | Oregon | December 4, 2026 — planned |
| Panorama Mountain Resort | British Columbia | December 4, 2026 |
| Stevens Pass | Washington | December 4, 2026 |
| Whitefish Mountain Resort | Montana | December 4, 2026 |
| Whitewater Ski Resort | British Columbia | December 4, 2026 |
| Revelstoke Mountain Resort | British Columbia | December 5, 2026 |
| Ski Cooper | Colorado | December 9, 2026 — tentative |
| Bridger Bowl | Montana | December 11, 2026 — projected |
| Mt. Seymour | British Columbia | December 11, 2026 — anticipated |
| Pico Mountain | Vermont | December 11, 2026 — scheduled |
| Asessippi Ski Area | Manitoba | December 11, 2026 |
| Angel Fire Resort | New Mexico | December 11, 2026 |
| Aspen Highlands | Colorado | December 12, 2026 |
| Buttermilk | Colorado | December 12, 2026 |
| June Mountain | California | December 19, 2026 — reported target |
| Silverton Mountain | Colorado | December 31, 2026 |
The 2026–27 Ski Season Could Still Begin In October
The earliest firm date currently on our list is November 6, but that doesn’t mean skiers will have to wait until November.
Far from it.
Every autumn, a handful of high-elevation resorts compete to become the first ski area open in North America.
Colorado is usually at the center of that race.
Keystone has said it plans to open as soon as conditions allow and could potentially begin operations in October. Loveland Ski Area is targeting a window from roughly mid-October into early November.
Winter Park is also leaving its opening date flexible, describing opening day simply as “as soon as possible.”
Then there is Arapahoe Basin, one of the most famous players in the early-season battle.
A-Basin has not committed to a specific opening date yet, which makes it one of the resorts to watch closely as overnight temperatures begin dropping.
Wolf Creek is another wildcard. A significant early-season Colorado snowstorm can sometimes change the entire opening-day race in a matter of days.
We took a closer look at the contenders in our story on which ski resort could open first in 2026.
November 6 Is The First Major Opening Day On The Calendar
If nobody manages an October opening, Friday, November 6, 2026 could mark the unofficial beginning of the major North American ski season.
Four notable resorts currently have November 6 on their calendars:
- Breckenridge
- Copper Mountain
- Brian Head
- Lake Louise
Copper Mountain’s announcement is particularly noteworthy because the Colorado resort only confirmed the date this week.
You can read more about Copper Mountain’s November 6 opening day announcement here.
One week later, two more heavyweight destinations join the party.
Mammoth Mountain and Vail Mountain are both scheduled to open November 13.
As always, Mammoth notes that opening day is dependent on weather and conditions.
November 20 Could Be One Of The Biggest Ski Opening Days Of The Year
Things get much busier on Friday, November 20.
That is currently the planned opening day for:
Whistler Blackcomb, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Grand Targhee, Arizona Snowbowl and Solitude.
That single date stretches from British Columbia to Utah, Wyoming, Arizona and California.
Vail Resorts released many of its 2026–27 opening dates in August, giving skiers an unusually early look at how the calendar will unfold.
Then Thanksgiving week arrives.
Thanksgiving Week Will Open A Huge Chunk Of North America
For many destination resorts, Thanksgiving remains the traditional target for opening day.
This year is no exception.
November 25 currently includes:
Palisades Tahoe, Beaver Creek, Crested Butte, Big Sky and Snowshoe.
The following day — Thanksgiving Day, November 26 — is even busier.
Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Big White, Telluride, Tremblant, Taos and Ski Santa Fe all currently plan or hope to open that day.
Then on November 27, Jackson Hole, SilverStar, Snowbird and Sugar Bowl are currently aiming to begin their seasons.
If conditions cooperate, Thanksgiving week should be the point when a huge percentage of North America’s major destination ski resorts are finally up and running.
When Do Colorado Ski Resorts Open In 2026?
Colorado will once again have one of the busiest early-season calendars in North America.
Here are the Colorado opening dates announced so far:
- Breckenridge: November 6
- Copper Mountain: November 6
- Vail: November 13
- Steamboat: November 21
- Beaver Creek: November 25
- Crested Butte: November 25
- Aspen Mountain: November 26
- Snowmass: November 26
- Telluride: November 26, targeted
- Ski Cooper: December 9, tentative
- Aspen Highlands: December 12
- Buttermilk: December 12
- Silverton Mountain: December 31
Keystone, Loveland, Winter Park and Arapahoe Basin could potentially beat all of them.
Those mountains have yet to lock in exact opening dates.
When Do Utah Ski Resorts Open In 2026?
Utah’s announced opening calendar currently begins with Brian Head on November 6.
After that:
- Park City: November 20
- Solitude: November 20
- Snowbird: November 27, reported target
Alta is notably absent from the table.
Some third-party calendars have published specific Alta dates, but the resort itself currently lists its projected 2026–27 opening day as TBD.
That’s the standard we’re using with this tracker: we’d rather wait for stronger confirmation than publish an estimated date as an official opening day.
When Do California Ski Resorts Open In 2026?
California’s major resorts currently spread across several November and December dates.
- Mammoth Mountain: November 13
- Heavenly: November 20
- Northstar California: November 20
- Palisades Tahoe: November 25
- Sugar Bowl: November 27, targeted
- Kirkwood: December 4
- June Mountain: December 19, reported target
Mammoth is currently positioned to be the first major California resort on the calendar.
Of course, early storms could still shake things up.
Why Ski Season Opening Dates Change
An announced opening date in September is never a guarantee.
Opening a ski resort requires more than simply getting a few inches of snow.
Early-season operations depend heavily on:
- Overnight temperatures
- Snowmaking conditions
- Humidity
- Natural snowfall
- Ground temperatures
- Terrain coverage
- Lift and trail preparation
- Ski patrol safety work
A warm October can delay opening day.
A week of cold nights can move a resort dramatically closer to opening.
And one major early-season storm can completely rewrite the calendar.
That’s why resorts like Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, Keystone, Wolf Creek, Killington and Sunday River often avoid committing to an exact date months in advance.
They want to open when winter gives them the opportunity.
Which Ski Resort Will Open First In 2026?
That’s still the big unanswered question.
On paper, November 6 is currently the first major scheduled opening date.
But history says there’s a very real chance somebody opens earlier.
Watch Colorado closely once sustained snowmaking temperatures arrive.
Keystone, Loveland and Arapahoe Basin are obvious contenders.
Wolf Creek could suddenly enter the conversation if southern Colorado gets buried by an October storm.
And in the East, Killington and Sunday River are rarely far from the early-opening discussion once cold air arrives.
The race may ultimately come down to a handful of cold nights.
Bookmark This 2026–27 Ski Season Opening Dates Tracker
Dozens of ski resorts still haven’t announced exact opening days.
That means this list will change significantly between now and November.
Unofficial Networks will continue updating this 2026–27 ski season opening dates tracker as mountains announce dates, change their targets and begin spinning lifts.
For now, November 6 is the first major date on the calendar.
But the real first chair of winter could come considerably sooner.
Did your local mountain announce its opening date? Let us know so we can add it to the list.