It’s almost that time of year, boys and girls. Fall is on our minds, if not in the air quite yet. Winter forecasts are being released (and immediately dissected), Labor Day gear sales are on, and daydreaming about opening day doesn’t feel so preposterous any more. Haven’t bought your pass yet? Epic Pass prices increase on Sept. 2, so get moving.
It’s tempting to sit at home Googling “La Niña” in an effort to mentally fast-forward to late November, but the real hardcore move is to get out there early: At some U.S. ski resorts, the lifts will start turning in mid-October 2024, which is less than two months from now.
Also Read: You Still Have Time to Choose the Right Season Pass
Last week, Vail Resorts announced the opening dates of a handful of its resorts, including a mid-October opening of Keystone. And a mid-October opener for Keystone likely means the lifts will start turning at neighboring Arapahoe Basin a few days earlier (if the previous three seasons are any indication).
Wolf Creek and Winter Park tend to be right behind Keystone, along with a couple of early openers in Vermont and Nevada.
So for all of you eager beavers, here’s our rundown of the U.S. ski areas expected to open the earliest this year:
Arapahoe Basin, Colo.
- Expected Opening: October, slightly before Keystone
It’s always impressive how long the A-Basin season lasts. The mountain didn’t close until a couple of months ago (June 16, 2024) and their reopening is expected in less than two months. On the latter, the team at A-Basin has been quiet, but they’re typically the first Colorado resort to welcome back skiers (often a matter of days before Keystone).
Last year, A-Basin opened for the ski season on October 29, the year before that it was October 23, and in the 2021-’22 ski season the ski area opened on October 17. A-Basin’s earliest opening day of all time was October 9, 2007.
Keystone, Colo.
- Expected Opening: mid-October
Keystone is expected to be the first ski area in the Vail Resorts family to open this year, as it usually is. The recent Vail Resorts press release stated that they’re planning for mid-October (pending early season conditions). That said, it’s worth noting that the lifts didn’t start turning at Keystone until November 1 last season.
Killington, Vt.
- Expected Opening: early November
Killington is an early opener by East Coast standards. The resort opened on November 3 last year and November 17 the year in 2022. But back in 2015, 2016, and 2018, the Beast of the East pulled off a mid- to late-October opening. SnowPak gave Killington a projected opening date of November 2, while OnTheSnow predicts a November 1 opener.
However, Killington hasn’t said anything about their 2024 opening date and is in the process of an ownership change—POWDR announced on Aug. 22 that they’re selling Killington to a group of local investors. The resort will keep its Ikon Pass access for the time being.
Winter Park, Colo.
- Expected Opening: early November
Winter Park doesn’t typically engage in the early season battle between Keystone and A-Basin, but they don’t open that much later. Last year, Winter Park opened on November 3, and the year prior, they opened on October 31, which was their earliest opening day on record.
OnTheSnow and SnowPak are at odds when it comes to Winter Park. The former is estimating an October 28 opener, while SnowPak thinks it will be more like November 18.
Wolf Creek, Colo.
- Expected Opening: early November
Last year, Wolf Creek opened a little late, on November 11, but the year before, lifts were turning on November 4. Wolf Creek was the first Colorado ski area to open for the 2021-2022 season with an opening date of October 16. SnowPak is predicting a November 1 opener for Wolf Creek, while OnTheSnow is betting on November 8.
Breckenridge, Colo.
- Expected Opening: November 8
In the Aug. 14 press release, Vail Resorts listed Breckenridge with a planned opening date of November 8 (weather permitting, of course). Breck doesn’t get the early season attention or press that A-Basin and Keystone see, but when you look back at the resort’s opening dates, they’re wonderfully consistent—and fairly early. Last year they opened on November 10 and the year before it was the 9th.
Mt. Rose, Nev.
- Expected opening: early to mid-November
Mt. Rose is rarely mentioned in regard to early-season skiing, which is surprising since it opened on November 9 last year and November 11 in 2022. The resort hasn’t announced a date, but OnTheSnow is projecting a November 8 opening date.
Never been? Read “What I Wish I Knew Before Skiing Mt. Rose for the First Time” to make the most of this Tahoe-area sleeper.