Late October Snow Primes the Pump for More Ski Area Openings

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SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., Nov. 2, 2023—More North American ski areas are opening for the season after late-October snowstorms pummeled various regions this past week and cooler temps allowed other areas to fire up their snowmaking systems. Here is a rundown of some recent and soon-to-come opening dates. Courtesy of Sommet Saint-Sauveur

East

In Quebec, Sommet Saint-Sauveur opened Nov. 2, and has posted operating hours through Nov. 5. It will offer night skiing Nov. 2-4. Weekend operations are available only to Les Sommet members "depending on the validity of their passes," the resort said on its website.

In the Northeast, Killington will be the first ski area in Vermont to open for the season, with an exclusive opening for season pass, Beast 365, and Ikon pass holders Nov. 3. The resort will be open to the public beginning Nov.4. (Ski Ward, Mass., did open with limited operations on Oct. 22, using all-weather snowmaking technology.)

“What better way to kick off our 65th season than an early November opening? We are very excited to get back to skiing and riding,” said Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington and Pico Mountain.

The ability to get snowmaking operations underway and recent natural snowfall sets the stage for good conditions for the Audi FIS Ski World Cup women’s giant slalom and slalom races scheduled at the resort from Nov. 24-26.

In New Hampshire, cooler temperatures allowed many ski areas in the state to fire up their snowmaking systems around Nov. 1, said Ski New Hampshire’s Jessyca Keeler. Snowmaking crews at Bretton Woods opted to skip trick or treating in favor of around-the-clock snowmaking in preparation for its 50th Anniversary season opener scheduled for mid-November.

West

Keystone became the second Colorado ski area to open for the season—following Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 29—with its Nov. 1 opening. Many Colorado resorts received several inches of snow, with Steamboat and Winter Park receiving about 12 inches from the same system. Winter Park and Eldora will open Nov. 3. Breckenridge and Vail plan to open Nov. 10, followed by Wolf Creek Nov. 11.

In Canada, Alberta’s “Big 3” resorts were among the first to report a dousing of new snow Oct. 24, from a system that continued through the week and into Halloween. Mt. Norquay and Lake Louise are set to open Nov. 3, followed by Sunshine Village on Nov. 9. Also in Alberta, Nakiska ski area will open for the weekend of Nov. 4-5 after receiving about 10 inches in the past week.

In California, Mammoth and other areas received only dustings of snow, but cooler temps allowed them to begin snowmaking operations. Mammoth has a Nov. 10 opening planned, the earliest in the state.

In Utah, snowmaking crews at Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, and Solitude cranked up operations on the heels of receiving between 6 to 8 inches of snow. Cooler temperatures have helped Brian Head get its snowmaking underway; it is scheduled to be the first Utah ski area to open on Nov. 10. Most other resorts plan to open over the following two weeks.

Midwest

In the Midwest, Minnesota’s Wild Mountain became the first ski area in the region to open for the season, with surface lift access to its terrain park on Oct. 28. Andes Tower Hills opened the same day for limited operations, with snowmaking crews able to make enough snow overnight to open one run serviced by a conveyor lift.

Lots of ski areas in the Midwest—and across the country—are firing up their snowmaking operations in anticipation of continued low temps and snow. SAM will post an update on the next round of openings next week.