There’s something special about opening day for any sport. No matter what happened last year, it’s a clean slate. There is hope. It’s a time for friends to reconnect and catch up on what they’ve been doing during the off season. A reason to celebrate a new beginning. So, where can you go NOW (or really soon) to get some turns in? Well, here are the first ski resort openings in the US & Canada or ones that will be open in the very near future for the 2025-26 ski season.
Perfect Time To Plan That Big Trip
Even if you aren’t heading to one of these ski resort openings, it’s a perfect reminder to start planning your ski trips this winter! Check out our trip planning guide to get the low-down on time of year to visit and where to find the best snow. Learn what items to bring. Read about unheard of ski resorts that you can find fresh powder days, even weeks after a storm. No matter if you’re a beginner or an expert, you’ll find some juicy tidbit to make this the best winter ever.
Keystone
First To REALLY Open
While Ski Ward in Massachusetts has technically been open for a few weeks, let’s be honest they’ve only had the magic carpet running, not the full mountain. The real start of North America’s ski season always happens in Colorado. And as usual, it came down to a heated battle between Keystone and Arapahoe Basin.
When A-Basin announced they’d be opening on Sunday, October 26th, there was still no word from Keystone about their plans. Then, in true competitive fashion, Keystone threw a curveball — revealing just an hour and a half before opening that they’d be kicking off the season a day earlier, on Saturday, October 25th!
Keystone kicked things off with two miles of skiing across 40 acres, featuring the Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon trails. These runs were accessed via the River Run Gondola and Montezuma Express chairlift. While it wasn’t top-to-bottom skiing this time, we’re just stoked that winter is back, baby!
Arapahoe Basin
(Near) The First to Open & Last to Close
Known as “The Legend”, their investment in snow making and high elevation has really helped them be a competitive force in holding the torch as the first to open in Colorado and many times the first to open in the US. The earliest ever opening being October 9th in 2009, this year they still pushed to open as early as possible by getting the lifts turning on October 26th. As usual, the Black Mountain Express lift was running giving skiers & snowboarders access to their intermediate “High Noon” trail from A-Basin’s front side.
Sunshine Village
First To Open In Canada
Thanks to its high-elevation location, the race to open first in Alberta almost always comes down to one of the province’s “Big 3.” But this year, for the first time in a generation, it’s Sunshine Village that snagged the early-season win, spinning lifts on Sunday, November 2nd.
Mother Nature lent a big hand, dropping nearly 20 inches of snow in October and another foot last week, allowing the resort to bump its opening up by a full week. The Strawberry Express was turning, giving eager skiers and riders access to seven trails, including Dell Valley, Rock Isle Road, Boutry’s Bowl, Strawberry Surprise, Strawberry Face, Snowsnake, and the Mitey Mite Learning Area. And more snow is on the way!
Winter Park
The new early season competition?
For years, the race for first turns in Colorado has been a three- or sometimes four-horse competition. The usual contenders are A-Basin, Keystone, and Loveland, with Wolf Creek occasionally swooping in to steal the crown when Mother Nature delivers an early dump of snow.
But in the 2024/25 season, a new challenger entered the race Winter Park. After investing over $37 million to modernize its late-’70s snowmaking system, including the addition of 200 new snow guns, Winter Park made a bold statement. On October 31st, it became the third resort to open, tying its earliest opening in history.
Timberline Ski Resort
Longest Season in North America
Known for their summer skiing and being open eleven months a year, Timberline usually shuts down for a few weeks of maintenance and for the first snowfall to refresh the base, but that’s about it. Last season La Niña rewarded eager Pacific Northwesterners with Timberline operating the Pucci lift on November 3rd and 4th for a sneak peek. As of October 31st they have a 13” base depth at 6000’ and waiting for more storms to allow them to operate safely.
Sugar Mountain
North Carolina Resort Wins The East
For the 2025/26 season, an unexpected contender is making waves in a state you wouldn’t normally associate with skiing: Sugar Mountain in North Carolina. This mountain is taking the crown as the first ski resort to open on the East Coast. A mix of January-like temperatures and fresh natural snowfall means lifts will start spinning on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Skiers and riders can enjoy top-to-bottom runs across five trails. Want all the details? Read the full story here.
Mt. Rose
Tahoe’s First?
True to their motto, “Where the snow is!”, this resort boasts the highest base elevation in the Lake Tahoe Basin. That advantage lets them fire up the snow guns earlier and keep them running longer than any of the other Lake Tahoe ski resorts. This year, they are targeting a November 7th opening.
Much like Killington, their goal is to offer top to bottom skiing right from the start. Last year, they kicked off the 2024/25 season with an impressive 1,000 vertical feet of skiing on opening day
Wild Mountain
First In The Midwest?
There are a few ski areas that push to be the first open in their respective states. The Midwest is where snowmaking was perfected on the slopes of Boyne Mountain. But shockingly, it isn’t Boyne Mountain that normally wins the race on the first ski resort openings list in the region. Two years ago, the outright winner was Wild Mountain, keeping its 40 year+ tradition alive of being the first in the state to open on October 18th. It wasn’t even the mountain’s earliest opening ever (that was on Oct. 7, 2012), but it did tie for Wild Mountain’s second earliest opening (the other being in 1994). For 2025, the weather hasn’t been conducive for ANY snowmaking, so the race to be the 1st to open in the Midwest is still wide open.
Lastly, if you aren’t prepared for winter yet, check out our gear check-up and tips on getting your body ready for the season.
