Opening Dates '21/'22

[liquidfeet]

Bretton Woods has been blowing snow today.

This trail is Rangeview, the first run to be opened most every season. Things look good for a Thanksgiving week opening, as long as Mother Nature is generous to skiers this year.
This one also from today. They are blowing snow on a route from the top of the gondola. Perhaps when the mountain opens, there will be two lifts (Zephry and the Gondola) accessing two top-to-bottom runs. It won't take much more snow-blowing action to connect the two along the summit ridge.

The Presidentials are snow-capped across the street. Looks like golf is still possible.

 

[MissySki]

Beautiful!

 

[MissySki]

Sunday River has announced opening day for tomorrow at 9am!

 

[MissySki]

Sugarloaf is saying they'll open Monday 11/22 if all goes well.

 

[Ski Sine Fine]

I’ve been keeping track of Hunter, thinking of skiing there within the next two weeks. The Epic website is really unhelpful in saying whether it will or it will not open as scheduled. So I went googling:

https://snowbrains.com/8-resorts-postponed-opening-this-week-lack-of-snow/



BTW, it’s 72F in Northern Virginia. Supposed to get cold overnight, but come on!

 

[ilovepugs]

sugarbush just emailed to say they were pushing back opening day.

 

[MissySki]

sugarbush just emailed to say they were pushing back opening day.

That stinks, when were they supposed to open again?

 

[ilovepugs]

That stinks, when were they supposed to open again?

Saturday.

 

[Iwannaski]

Rumor has it that the place we have passes to started blowing today. They don’t promote when they are bare, just when hey have meaningful amounts. I call 12/2 at 4 pm as opening day. EEEEEEEP. Everything is ready to go!!!!

 

[newboots]

I’ve been keeping track of Hunter, thinking of skiing there within the next two weeks. The Epic website is really unhelpful in saying whether it will or it will not open as scheduled. So I went googling:

https://snowbrains.com/8-resorts-postponed-opening-this-week-lack-of-snow/



It rose to 71 here today ((I’m around 30ish miles south of the Catskills.). But it’s getting colder again starting tomorrow.

 

[marzNC]

Meanwhile, there will be skiing in NC this weekend. The cold fronts have dipped far south in the last few weeks. Sugar was open last weekend, Cataloochee (on Indy) opens this weekend. Seven ski areas/resorts in NC or WC starting blowing snow in serious way last night. Temps at my house near Raleigh are supposed to be in the 20s for several nights in the next week.

 

[MissySki]

Meanwhile, there will be skiing in NC this weekend. The cold fronts have dipped far south in the last few weeks. Sugar was open last weekend, Cataloochee (on Indy) opens this weekend. Seven ski areas/resorts in NC or WC starting blowing snow in serious way last night. Temps at my house near Raleigh are supposed to be in the 20s for several nights in the next week.

Are you heading out?

I didn't make it to opening day at Sunday River yesterday, but I'll be driving up for the weekend. Excited and a little nervous (new boot trial) for my first day tomorrow!

 

[MsWax]

Was really hoping Bretton Woods would open this weekend, but alas, I don't think it's going to happen. Considered making the trek to Sunday River, but it's a LOT of driving for 1 trail. Cannon officially pushed opening day to Dec. 3, so I think we'll spend this weekend picking up passes and maybe getting in one more hike.

 

[MissySki]

Was really hoping Bretton Woods would open this weekend, but alas, I don't think it's going to happen. Considered making the trek to Sunday River, but it's a LOT of driving for 1 trail. Cannon officially pushed opening day to Dec. 3, so I think we'll spend this weekend picking up passes and maybe getting in one more hike.

They should have a good window for blowing tonight and tomorrow night. Hoping they’ll be solidly top to bottom then at least. I’ve heard people are able to ski all the way down now, but the lower you go it’s not as good of coverage.

I’m going up to ski, but also to get my ski clothing and gear setup at the condo since I haven’t brought all of that up yet. Good to have another activity in mind for these days where the actual ski day might be shorter. If there are a ton of people I won’t stay out super long. Excited for the season to get going though!

 

[marzNC]

Are you heading out?

I didn't make it to opening day at Sunday River yesterday, but I'll be driving up for the weekend. Excited and a little nervous (new boot trial) for my first day tomorrow!

I don't ski the WROD in the southeast any more. I just pay attention to satisfy my curiosity. Plus it's easy since SkiSoutheast keeps up with the details.

My first ski days will be in Colorado in mid-Dec.

 

[MissySki]

I don't ski the WROD in the southeast any more. I just pay attention to satisfy my curiosity. Plus it's easy since SkiSoutheast keeps up with the details.

My first ski days will be in Colorado in mid-Dec.

I feel like I’ve never skied any true WRODS.. conditions have always been quite good when I start and usually not death defying dodging people either. We’ll see though. I want to try the boots, been killing me that I haven’t been able to go do it at Big Snow.

 

[ilovepugs]

New projected opening day at Sugarbush! 11/24. Doubt I’ll be able to sneak out for some runs, but who knows. I do know I’ll be getting my Thanksgiving prep work done early and heading out the next day though!!

 

[marzNC]

Per usual, Mother Nature and the date for Thanksgiving is behind opening dates. Every region depends on snowmaking to open these days, not just the mountains in the southeast that have always needed snowmaking to open before January. Thanksgiving is in late November in 2021, so that's helpful.

Keep in mind that being "open" can mean just a lift or two even for destination resorts at big mountains. Usually there will be one route that's top-to-bottom. With no help from Mother Nature it's possible there is very little terrain for beginners or even cautious intermediates.

OCT-NOV OPENING DATES IN USA before Thanksgiving weekend, Nov 28-29
* Epic
** Ikon, Alterra
***Ikon, Partner

Oct 16: Wolf Creek, CO - weekend only
Oct 17: Arapahoe Basin, CO - 7-day operations
*Oct 22: Keystone, CO - snowmaking started by 11Oct
**Oct 29: Palisades Tahoe, CA - 3 weeks early due to 3 foot storm, was 23Nov
**Oct 29: Mammoth, CA - early
Oct 30: Loveland, CO- snowmaking started 11Oct

**Nov 6: Killington, VT
*Nov 12: Breckenridge, CO
*Nov 12 Vail, CO
Nov 15: Sugar, NC
Nov 18: Cataloochee, WV (Indy)
***Nov 18: Sunday River, ME; Boyne
**Nov. 19: Crystal, WA
Nov 19: Grand Targhee, WY (MCP)
*Nov 19: Afton Alps, MN
Nov 20: Cataloochee, NC (Indy)
**Nov 20: Winter Park, CO
***Nov 23: Solitude, UT - delayed from 19Nov as of 16Nov
***Nov 24: Alta, UT - delayed from 20Nov as of 18Nov
*Nov 24: Snowbasin, UT
**Nov 24: Sugarbush, VT
***Nov 24: Stratton, VT
**Nov 24: Snowshoe, WV

*Nov 25: Sun Valley, ID
***Nov 25: Jackson Hole, WY
***Nov 25: Snowmass, CO
*Nov 25: Telluride, CO
***Nov 25: Taos, NM
Nov 25: Wolf Creek, CO - open for Thanksgiving and weekends in Nov
Nov 25: Lutsen, MN (Indy) - open Nov 25-28, Dec 3-5, daily starting Dec 10
Nov 26: Whiteface, NY
Nov 26: Mt. Bachelor, OR
**Nov 27: Steamboat, CO - delayed from Nov 20
Nov 27: Jay Peak, VT
Nov 27: Stratton, VT
***Nov 30: Snowbird, UT
**Nov 30: Copper, CO

 

[marzNC]

Here are a few places that don't have announced opening dates yet. All Epic locations announced tentative dates quite a while ago. It's hard to get useful info about opening dates from the individual websites.

Boyne typically doesn't announce an opening date for Brighton until they are very sure, meaning just a day or two before the lifts spin for the public. That may be the case for Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands too. I've never tracked them before.

Wachusett also waits until they are very sure that they can open.

***Nov. ??: Brighton, UT; Boyne
***Nov ??: Boyne Mountain, MI; Boyne

Nov ??: Wachusett, MA

*Nov 19: Northstar, CA - delayed from 19Nov as of 15Nov
*Nov 19: Heavenly, CA - delayed from 19Nov as of 15Nov
*Nov 19: Park City, UT - delayed from 19Nov as of 12Nov
*Nov 19: Stowe, VT - delayed from 19Nov as of 15Nov
*Nov 19: Hunter, NY - delayed from 19Nov as of 15Nov

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Western Wyoming updates:

Grand Targhee just delayed their opening which was slated for yesterday and Jackson Hole is trying to make enough snow for next Thursday's scheduled opening, but temps in the 40s are not helping much.