Which Ski Resorts Will Open First for the 2024-2025 Season?

La Nina forecasts, Farmer's Almanac prognostications, and 2024-2025 gear releases—the now-bubbling collective ski fever will break in the not so distant future.

The anticipatory atmosphere naturally leads towards one question: who, of the hundreds of North American ski resorts, will open first this season? Admittedly, answering that question with any certainty isn’t that much better than visiting Caesars Palace and spending a few hours—or days—staring at the slot machines. The weather plays a determinative role in determining when ski resorts open their doors, and the weather does whatever it wants. You never know when a freak storm will allow an unexpected resort to open in October.

However, historically speaking, several ski areas tend to get going earlier than the rest. Here are a few to keep an eye on as winter approaches.

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

Opening date last season: October 29th

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, reliably offers one of North America’s longest lift-served ski seasons. Last winter, they opened on October 29th, 2023, and kept the lifts spinning until June 16th, 2024. That’s well over half the year, which, at Arapahoe Basin, is par for the course.

Keystone Resort, Colorado

Opening date last season: November 1st

Last winter, Keystone Resort opened right after Arapahoe Basin with two miles of skiing and riding on the Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon trails. They also had a hike park for freestyle-inclined skiers. Keystone, like Arapahoe Basin, is always in the pre-season hunt. We’ll see which resort comes out on top this year.

Wolf Creek, Colorado

Opening date last season: November 11th

Many of Colorado’s heavy-hitter resorts are glamorous destinations, but Wolf Creek offers a more humble, locals-oriented vibe. When it comes to the early season, though, they can hang with the big dogs. During the 2021-2022 season, they opened on October 16th, becoming the first ski area open in Colorado for the second year in a row. We’re sure local passholders are hoping for a repeat performance this year.

Wild Mountain, Minnesota

Opening date last season: October 30th

The early season action isn’t relegated to the Rockies. In 2023, Wild Mountain beat out numerous Western ski areas when it opened on October 30th . The ski area kicked things off with the Front Stage rope tow and a handful of terrain park features. The ski area’s earliest opening date took place on October 7th, 2012.

Trollhaugen, Wisconsin

Opening date last season: November 2nd

Trollhaugen, Wisconsin, is another midwestern resort that aims high during the early season. It opened on November 2nd, 2023, and, on October 19th, 2022, became North America’s first ski area to spin a lift for skiing and riding. The resort utilizes 'snow farming' techniques to preserve snow throughout the summer.

Sunday River, Maine

Opening date last season: November 14th

Sunday River, Maine, holds down the fort out East. Ahead of last winter, the resort bolstered its snowmaking system—a crucial early-season tool—by tripling water capacity in the Jordan Bowl. On opening day 2023, Sunday River intended to run with over 50 acres of terrain.

Killington, Vermont

Opening date last season: November 3rd

A lot’s changed at Killington, Vermont, in recent history. Well, sort of. In August, the resort announced that it would be sold from its previous mountain conglomerate owner, POWDR, to a group of local pass holders. Killington has maintained that despite the sale, it's business as usual, which, presumably, means the resort will continue to push for ASAP turns. The resort hit the early-November mark this past season and, during winter’s prior, opened as early as mid-October. And, of course, Killington’s known for staying open as late as June—an impressive feat no matter the region.

Ski Ward, Massachusetts

Opening date last season: October 22nd

And now for the ultimate underdog. At only 45 acres, Ski Ward is an unassuming ski area just outside Boston, Massachusetts. But last October, they made headlines when they became North America's first ski area open. Ski Ward accomplished the feat with a swanky Latitude 90 snowmaking system that can blow snow when outdoor temperatures are as high as 76 degrees Fahrenheit. While the terrain on offer was humble and serviced by a magic carpet, first is first.

Related: Cranmore Mountain Resort Joins Uphill New England Multi-Mountain Season Pass

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