{"id":3489,"date":"2026-10-07T14:26:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T14:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shipskis.com\/blog\/?p=3489"},"modified":"2026-10-07T14:26:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T14:26:16","slug":"when-does-ski-season-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shipskis.com\/blog\/when-does-ski-season-start\/","title":{"rendered":"When Does Ski Season Start? 2026-27 Opening Dates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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As winter approaches, skiers and snowboarders start asking the same question: when does ski season start? The answer depends on where you go. Elevation, weather patterns, and snowmaking capacity all play a part. This year there is extra optimism, since resorts are pointing to a developing Super El Ni\u00f1o as a sign of a big snow year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In North America, the 2026-27 ski season starts in late October, when high-elevation Colorado areas like Arapahoe Basin and Keystone open as soon as snowmaking allows. Most major destination resorts open between November 6 and December 5, 2026, with Thanksgiving week (November 20-27) the busiest stretch of opening days. Peak conditions run from mid-January through February, and many resorts stay open into April or May 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are the announced 2026-27 opening dates for top resorts, a month-by-month breakdown of the season, and tips for timing your trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026-27 Ski Resort Opening Dates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Breckenridge is the first major destination resort with a fixed 2026-27 opening date, on November 6. Keystone and Arapahoe Basin have no set date and plan to open as soon as possible in October. All dates are targets and can shift with weather and snow conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resort<\/th>Location<\/th>2026-27 Opening Date<\/th><\/tr>
Keystone<\/a><\/td>Colorado<\/td>October (as soon as possible)<\/td><\/tr>
Arapahoe Basin<\/a><\/td>Colorado<\/td>October (as soon as possible)<\/td><\/tr>
Breckenridge<\/a><\/td>Colorado<\/td>November 6<\/td><\/tr>
Vail<\/a><\/td>Colorado<\/td>November 13<\/td><\/tr>
Mammoth Mountain<\/a><\/td>California<\/td>November 13<\/td><\/tr>
Park City Mountain<\/a><\/td>Utah<\/td>November 20<\/td><\/tr>
Heavenly<\/a><\/td>California\/Nevada<\/td>November 20<\/td><\/tr>
Whistler Blackcomb<\/a><\/td>British Columbia<\/td>November 20<\/td><\/tr>
Steamboat<\/a><\/td>Colorado<\/td>November 21<\/td><\/tr>
Big Sky<\/a><\/td>Montana<\/td>November 25<\/td><\/tr>
Palisades Tahoe<\/a><\/td>California<\/td>November 25<\/td><\/tr>
Aspen Mountain & Snowmass<\/a><\/td>Colorado<\/td>November 26 (Thanksgiving)<\/td><\/tr>
Telluride<\/a><\/td>Colorado<\/td>November 26 (targeted)<\/td><\/tr>
Jackson Hole<\/a><\/td>Wyoming<\/td>November 27<\/td><\/tr>
Deer Valley<\/a><\/td>Utah<\/td>December 5<\/td><\/tr>
Sun Valley<\/a><\/td>Idaho<\/td>Not yet announced (opened December 3 last season)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk follow on December 12. Last updated October 7, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Does Ski Season Start? A Month-by-Month Breakdown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Early Season Openers (October to Early November)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first lifts of the 2026-27 season will turn in Colorado in late October. High-elevation resorts in Colorado<\/a> and the Canadian Rockies are first because they get cold enough for snowmaking earliest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n