Look Back to 2019/20 – Earliest Ski Resort Openings Ever!

The beginning of the 2019-20 ski season was one that will be talked about for years to come at a lot of ski areas. How? By setting records on their earliest ski resort openings ever! For a few of them, we’re not talking days but weeks ahead of schedule, all thanks to new technology, an arctic blast of cold air, and of course a bit of Ma’ Natural. From Colorado to Pennsylvania and places in between, here’s six ski areas that set records on the earliest ski resort opening ever for their resort! Or if you want to get the latest on who’s going to be the FIRST to open THIS SEASON, be it all natural or “enhanced” by snowmaking, continually check in as we update this page: Opening Day Is Here – First Ski Resorts Opening In US/Canada For The Season.

Great Divide Ski Area

Opening Day: November 9th
Source: Independent Record

Great Divide has a long-standing streak of being the first to open and last to close in Montana. And for the 2019-20 ski season, they kept that tradition alive and well. Thanks in part to over 55 inches of snow up through September and cold temps, Great Divide Ski Area opened on November 9^th, beating their previous record by one day. Alongside their ski area expansion, this helped start an amazing 2019-20 ski season.

Steamboat Springs Resort

Opening Day: November 15th
Source: Steamboat Pilot & Today

As we talked about in our article 1^st ski resorts to open in the US/Canada, Colorado had an insanely good early season. So good that Steamboat Springs had its EARLIEST opening in its history by running lifts on Friday, November 15^th. This was all thanks to cold temperatures and significant snowfall. In fact, the 63 inches accumulated at mid-mountain was the MOST ever since they started recording in 1996.

Greek Peak Mountain Resort

Opening day: November 15th
Source: CNY Central

Central New York’s largest ski resort, set in the Finger Lakes Region, decided to take a risk for the 2019/20 ski season. Due to the abundance of cold weather and a dash of natural snow, they pulled the trigger and started making snow early. The result? Greek Peaks’s earliest opening in history as the lifts started turning on Friday, November 15^th. It was such a big deal that a few loyal fans in the region took the day off to hit the slopes. And for those that picked up an Indy Pass, you were able to join in on the early season fun too since Greek Peak is part of this amazing bargain.

Bear Creek Mountain Resort

Opening Day: November 15th
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

A great example of a RECORD early season opening is Bear Creek Mountain Resort in the Lehigh Valley. Under the current ownership, the earliest ski resort opening ever was on December 1^st. As the temps dipped below freezing to a “balmy” thirteen degrees, they opened on Friday, November 15^th.

Perfect North Slopes

Opening Day: November 15th
Source: Cincinnati.com

Residents of Cincinnati were seen donning hats, gloves, and mittens not just because it was cold but rather their local ski area Perfect North opened up for the ski season! This was all due to them hitting the “magic” number of 28. That’s the temperature needed to start making snow and boy did they ever! On Friday, November 15^th, they opened terrain off of three lifts and set their earliest opening ever.

Blue Mountain

Opening Day: November 16th
Source: The Morning Call

As we highlighted in our previous Who puts the “king” in snowmaking article, Blue Mountain is a BEAST when it comes to shooting snow. While they try to open by Black Friday every year, this particular fall gave them the opportunity to have the earliest start to a ski season in the resort’s 42-year history. They opened on Saturday, November 16^th with five trails and two lifts.

Snow-making technology has come a long way in the last few decades. So, when the thermostat dropped below freezing, these ski areas took full advantage of it. If you were fortunate to live near one of these resorts, we hope you waxed your gear and grabbed those helmets ‘cuz it was the earliest ski resort opening ever!