When do Colorado ski resorts open? 2026-2027 season dates

The aspens are turning, the mornings are crisp, and skiers along the Front Range are already checking the forecast. Colorado’s ski season usually starts in mid to late October at the highest resorts, and more mountains open through November and December.

Before you circle a date on the calendar, remember that most opening dates are targets, not promises. Resorts open when there’s enough snow, natural or man-made. Targeted opening dates can still change based on weather and snow conditions.

Average Colorado ski resort opening dates over the past decade

Announced dates tell you what a resort is hoping for, but still weather-dependent. Longmont Ledger compiled an average of the past 10 seasons to show what dates resorts tend to open. The chart below tracks confirmed opening days at nine of the state’s most popular resorts from the 2016-17 season through 2025-26.

Confirmed opening days only. Seasons without a verified opening date are left out of each resort’s average. Sources: Loveland Ski Area opening-date history; resort announcements and regional news coverage.

Arapahoe Basin has the earliest average opening day, Oct. 23, and Keystone and Loveland follow within about 10 days. These three high-elevation mountains along the Continental Divide lead because their cold nights let snowmaking crews get started weeks before resorts farther down the valleys.

Those early openers also swing the most from year to year. A-Basin has opened as early as Oct. 11 (2019) and as late as Nov. 9 (2020). Keystone’s range is even wider, from Oct. 12 to Nov. 18. If you’re hoping to ski in October, it’s a good bet most years, but not a sure one.

Most of the other big resorts, including Breckenridge, Winter Park, Eldora, Copper Mountain and Vail, have averaged opening between Nov. 11 and Nov. 16. These mountains usually announce a date well in advance and stick close to it. Steamboat is almost always last among the major resorts, opening around the week before Thanksgiving.

Some seasons break the pattern. In 2020, a dry fall and pandemic operating rules pushed Steamboat to Dec. 1 and Winter Park to Dec. 3. At the other extreme, Winter Park has opened on Halloween twice in the past four seasons, thanks to major snowmaking upgrades.

The early openers: A-Basin, Keystone and Loveland

For skiers in Boulder County, the race to open is decided along the Continental Divide, about 90 minutes up the road. Three mountains usually go first.

Arapahoe Basin

A-Basin hasn’t set a date and usually opens as soon as conditions let it. In mid-September the ski area said its snowmaking crew was ready to start once temperatures dropped far enough. It also said it plans to make enough snow to start the season, then rely on natural snowfall to open the rest of the mountain. Its summit sits at roughly 10,780 feet, so snow can stick there while lower resorts are still waiting for cold temperatures.

Keystone

Keystone surprised a lot of people last year. It opened on October 25, 2025, and was the first ski area in North America to start its season. Vail Resorts, which owns Keystone, wants it to be first in North America again this year and plans an October opening as early as conditions allow. Bill Rock, president of Vail Resorts’ Mountain Division, said in the company’s announcement that “the possibility of blockbuster snowfall has us feeling optimistic” about the coming winter.

Loveland

Loveland hopes to open sometime between mid-October and early November. Its snowmaking usually starts in early October. Loveland has a long history in the early-season race. From 1982 through 2001, Loveland and Keystone were each the first to open 10 times.

Other Colorado ski resort opening dates

Once the early openers get going, most other resorts follow. After the first areas open in mid-October, most of the rest open between early November and mid-December.

These are the announced targets for the resorts Front Range skiers visit most, according to POWDER’s September roundup. Eldora, the closest resort to Longmont, is aiming for November 14. Breckenridge and Copper Mountain are both targeting November 6. Vail Mountain is set for November 13, Steamboat for November 22, and Beaver Creek, Crested Butte and Aspen Mountain for November 25. Winter Park, like A-Basin and Keystone, plans to open as soon as possible.

If you’re heading farther out, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk are targeting December 14 and Silverton December 31. Monarch, Wolf Creek, Sunlight and Echo Mountain haven’t set dates yet.

When does it snow in Colorado’s mountains?

Snow comes to the high country much earlier than it reaches town. The higher mountains can get snow as early as September, but the Front Range and lower elevations aren’t likely to see any soon. The state’s snowpack picture usually becomes much clearer starting in November.

Early-season skiing still depends on the weather. Resorts need several nights in a row, and ideally days too, that are cold enough for snowmaking. That’s why high elevation matters so much in October. It’s also why one cold storm can suddenly push an unexpected resort to the front of the line.

What about El Niño?

A strong El Niño is forecast this year, and it has raised a lot of hope after last winter’s rough season. For Colorado, El Niño generally raises the chance of wetter conditions in fall and spring. The strongest effect is in southern Colorado. Russ Schumacher, Colorado’s state climatologist, told CPR News the outlook is “not a very high confidence forecast for us here in Colorado”.

Some forecasts do look good for local mountains. OpenSnow expects above-normal snowfall for southern and eastern Colorado, including areas near or east of the Continental Divide such as Eldora, Winter Park and Loveland.

Tips for early-season skiing in Colorado

Opening day usually means one or two runs covered in man-made snow. Crowds can be big, especially on weekends. Before you drive up I-70, check the resort’s website or social media the morning you go. Opening dates change often, and a warm week can push them back without much notice.

Your season pass also affects which dates matter to you. Keystone, Breckenridge and Vail are on the Epic Pass. A-Basin, Copper, Eldora, Steamboat, Winter Park and Aspen Snowmass are on the Ikon Pass. Loveland has its own pass.

For official updates as dates get closer, check Colorado Ski Country USA or your resort’s own site.