The 2026-2027 ski season is already picking up some momentum, with six ski areas now open across the United States. It started with a handful of early-season openings in Colorado and has now expanded to California and Nevada, giving plenty of opportunities for skiers and snowboarders to get in their first turns of the winter.
Colorado currently accounts for four of the six open ski areas, while Mammoth Mountain and Mount Rose Ski Tahoe have kicked off the season on the West Coast. Here’s a peak at the six mountains currently welcoming skiers and snowboarders.
Arapahoe Basin, Colorado
Arapahoe Basin was the first ski area in North America to open 7 days a week for the 2026-2027 season, welcoming the first skiers and snowboarders on October 28th. That opening also marked the beginning of the mountain’s 80th anniversary season.
The mountain opened with High Noon, accessed by the Black Mountain Express lift. That remains the only trail open, though the resort continues to take advantage of available snowmaking windows and natural snowfall in an effort to open up more terrain.
I was there on Saturday, November 7th. It was pretty crowded at the one chairlift, and High Noon was getting pretty scratchy, but I trust the A-Basin mountain ops crew to get more terrain open soon (hopefully be next weekend, fingers crossed!).
Keystone Resort, Colorado
Keystone Resort joined Arapahoe Basin on October 30th, becoming the second Colorado ski area to open this winter. Their season started with skiing and snowboarding on Schoolmarm with around 43 acres of terrain over a more than 2 mile trail.
Keystone has been working to expand its available terrain as conditions allow. The resort’s early-season skiing has provided an additional opportunity for Front Range skiers to get back on the mountain.
Loveland Ski Area, Colorado
Loveland Ski Area officially opened on Saturday, November 7th, joining the growing list of Colorado mountains operating for the season. The opening came with a special promotion, as Loveland offered $60 adult lift tickets to celebrate 60 years of snowmaking.
Chet’s Dream began spinning around 10 a.m., providing access to Catwalk, Mambo, and Home Run. The opening terrain offered nearly 1,000 vertical feet of skiing and riding, giving visitors a chance to get their season started.
Copper Mountain, Colorado
Copper Mountain became Colorado’s fourth open ski area on Sunday, November 8th. The resort had originally planned to open on November 6th but pushed back its opening after an unusually warm and rainy fall made it difficult to establish a sufficient snow base.
Copper eventually welcomed guests with the American Eagle lift serving early-season terrain.
Mammoth Mountain, California
Mammoth Mountain opened on Thursday, November 5th, eight days ahead of its originally scheduled November 13th opening. An early-season storm delivered approximately 9 to 15 inches of snow, while colder temperatures allowed snowmaking crews to prepare the mountain.
The resort began operations with the Lower Panorama Gondola and Broadway Express, providing access to early-season trails including Broadway, Silver Tip, and Rusty’s. Mammoth’s opening also officially kicked off California’s 2026-2027 ski season.
Mount Rose Ski Tahoe, Nevada
Mount Rose-Ski Tahoe opened on Friday, November 6th, becoming the first ski area in the Lake Tahoe region to welcome guests this winter. The resort’s opening featured the Lakeview Express chairlift, providing access to intermediate terrain with approximately 1,000 vertical feet of skiing. Mount Rose received 8 to 10 inches of natural snowfall ahead of opening day, supplementing its snowmaking efforts.
Now that six ski areas are open across the U.S., and more are expected to open in the coming weeks, I think it’s fair to say that we’re properly in the 2026-2027 ski season. Happy skiing/snowboarding!