The race to open for the 2026-2027 ski season continues to heat up in Colorado, with a fourth ski resort now firing up its snow guns. Copper Mountain announced on Thursday, October 15th, that snowmaking operations are underway, joining Arapahoe Basin, Keystone Resort, and Loveland Ski Area.
Copper Mountain Begins Snowmaking
Copper Mountain shared the news on Instagram, confirming that its snowmaking team is taking advantage of consistent cold temperatures to begin building a base for the upcoming season.
Copper is targeting Friday, November 6th, for opening day, weather and conditions permitting. That puts the resort on the same scheduled opening date as nearby Breckenridge, though there’s a chance the three early-season contenders could get skiers on the slopes sooner if conditions cooperate.
Three Other Colorado Resorts Already Making Snow
Copper joins three other Colorado ski areas that have already started snowmaking operations. Arapahoe Basin, Keystone Resort, and Loveland Ski Area all began making snow in the past few days as temperatures dropped across Summit County. All three are known for competing to open among the first ski areas in Colorado each season. While none has committed to a specific opening date, they’re all hoping to open as soon as possible.
Snowmaking depends on suitable weather conditions, and warmer temperatures or the wrong humidity can force operations to pause. Even so, the combination of recent natural snowfall and the start of snowmaking is bringing us closer to their first turns of the season.