Colorado’s ski resorts are putting opening days on the calendar, with Breckenridge and Copper Mountain both targeting Friday, Nov. 6, for the start of the 2026-27 season. Those dates could follow earlier openings elsewhere, however, with Keystone pursuing an October start and several other mountains waiting for conditions rather than committing to a specific day.
The announced schedule stretches through Thanksgiving and into December, when Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Silverton Mountain plan to begin their seasons. Opening dates remain dependent on weather and snow conditions. The dates below are announced targets, while mountains without a verified opening day are listed separately rather than assigned an estimate.
The Early Openers: Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Loveland, Winter Park And Wolf Creek
Arapahoe Basin is advertising an opening as soon as possible, without naming a specific date. Keystone’s announced goal is to open as soon as possible in October, also without a firm day on the calendar. Both remain mountains to watch for skiers and snowboarders hoping to get on snow before the scheduled November openings.
Loveland’s official operating schedule identifies a late-October to early-November opening window for the 2026-27 season. That is a window, not an announced opening day. The ski area says its initial snowmaking work will focus on establishing a top-to-bottom opening-day route.
Winter Park is also planning to begin skiing and riding as soon as possible, with no specific date announced. One scheduling change worth noting for later in the season: The resort plans to open lifts at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays beginning Dec. 5, conditions permitting. That earlier weekend schedule should not be confused with its still-unannounced opening-day hours.
Wolf Creek has not committed to an opening date, explaining that the decision depends on weather, temperatures and natural snowfall. Its 2026-27 calendar lists opening day as to be determined, so a specific date should not be treated as official until the ski area announces it.
November 6: Breckenridge And Copper Mountain
Breckenridge and Copper Mountain share the earliest specific opening date among the announced targets in this roundup: Friday, Nov. 6. Breckenridge’s event listing confirms the date but says additional opening-day details are still to come.
Copper, which announced its November opening target in September, has already outlined some of its celebration. Plans include hot cocoa, giveaways for the first 50 people in the lift line and music at Eagle’s Landing and Aerie.
November 13: Vail
Vail Mountain is targeting Friday, Nov. 13, one week after the scheduled starts at Breckenridge and Copper. The resort’s opening-day listing says more event details are coming and explicitly cautions that the date can change with weather and conditions.
November 20: Powderhorn And Purgatory
Powderhorn lists Friday, Nov. 20, as its tentative opening day, while Purgatory has scheduled its winter start for the same date. Those targets would add options on the Grand Mesa and in the San Juan Mountains ahead of Thanksgiving week.
Purgatory is also preparing its Colorado Couloir chairlift and terrain expansion for the upcoming winter. That project is separate from the resort’s general opening announcement, so the Nov. 20 target should not be read as confirmation that the new lift and its terrain will be available that day.
November 21: Steamboat
Steamboat’s opening-day celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21, with festivities beginning at 7:30 a.m. and lifts scheduled to open at 8:30 a.m. The resort says Ikon Pass, Ikon Base Pass and Steamboat-specific passholders will be able to use their passes on opening day.
The first 100 guests on the mountain are slated to receive a limited-edition opening-day T-shirt and Smartwool socks. Complimentary doughnuts, coffee and mimosas are also planned while supplies last, along with the traditional ringing of the Champagne Powder Snow Bell.
November 25: Beaver Creek, Crested Butte And Granby Ranch
Three more resorts are targeting the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Beaver Creek plans to open Nov. 25, with cookies, giveaways and music from DJ Pippen included in its opening celebration.
Crested Butte’s Nov. 25 plans call for the first chair at 9 a.m., with DJ MIJO providing music in the base area. Complimentary opening-day posters and hot cocoa will be available beginning at 8:30 a.m., while supplies last. Granby Ranch’s event calendar also lists Wednesday, Nov. 25, as opening day.
November 26: Aspen Mountain, Snowmass And Telluride
Thanksgiving Day falls on Thursday, Nov. 26, and Aspen Mountain and Snowmass are scheduled to open together. This is the first of Aspen Snowmass’ two opening waves, with Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk scheduled to follow in December.
Telluride is also targeting Nov. 26. The resort identifies the date as a target and notes that its winter operating schedule can change because of weather, conditions or unforeseen circumstances.
November 28: Howelsen Hill
Howelsen Hill is scheduled to open Saturday, Nov. 28, conditions permitting. The city-owned ski area in Steamboat Springs offers a separate opening-weekend option from nearby Steamboat Resort, which is targeting the previous Saturday.
Howelsen has operated since 1915 and identifies itself as Colorado’s oldest continuously operated ski area. Its announced 2026-27 season is scheduled to run through March 28, subject to conditions.
December 9 And 11: Ski Cooper And Sunlight
Ski Cooper’s tentative opening day is Wednesday, Dec. 9, with its opening event scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The ski area labels the event “Weather Permitting,” making clear that the date remains dependent on conditions.
Sunlight Mountain Resort is targeting Friday, Dec. 11, according to Colorado Ski Country USA’s Oct. 6 season announcement. That is the current date in the industry association’s official resort opening list.
December 12: Aspen Highlands And Buttermilk
Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk are scheduled to open Saturday, Dec. 12, completing Aspen Snowmass’ planned four-mountain rollout. Their opening comes more than two weeks after the Thanksgiving targets for Aspen Mountain and Snowmass, an important distinction for anyone planning an early-season trip around a particular mountain.
December 31: Silverton Mountain’s Guided Season
Silverton Mountain’s guided season is scheduled to begin Thursday, Dec. 31. The lift is scheduled to start at 9 a.m., and guided guests are asked to arrive at the base area by 8:15 a.m.
This date applies to guided skiing, not the start of Silverton’s unguided season. The mountain’s 2026-27 operating schedule lists guided-only operations from Dec. 31 through March 14, generally Thursdays through Sundays, plus Presidents Day. Unguided skiing is scheduled to begin March 17. Avalanche beacons, shovels and probes are required, with rentals available at the mountain.
Other Colorado Ski Areas Awaiting Verified Opening Dates
Eldora is telling guests it will see them in November, but a specific 2026-27 opening day was not confirmed in the official information reviewed for this roundup. Monarch Mountain also has no verified opening date here. Its published late-November-to-early-April season description is a typical operating window, not an announcement for this winter.
Echo Mountain is selling 2026-27 season passes, but a new opening date has not been verified. Kendall Mountain’s published operating schedule still refers to the 2025-26 season, so those dates should not be carried forward into this winter’s calendar.
Hesperus also does not have a verified reopening date. Its standing operations update, published in March 2024, says the ski area will remain closed until it can secure water for snowmaking. That older notice is not a new 2026-27 announcement, and Hesperus should not be assigned a speculative opening day.
Check More Than The Date Before Heading Up
Before committing to an opening-day trip, check the resort’s latest lift and terrain report, parking arrangements and available services. Families and first-time skiers should specifically verify whether beginner terrain, lessons and rentals will be available. A season-opening announcement is not a promise that every chairlift and trail will be ready to go straight away. Start limbering up and think snowy thoughts.
