Wolf Creek in Colorado, 2025-26 news and conditions

[marzNC]

No October opening at Wolf Creek Ski Area (WCSA) for 2025-26. Although that's not unusual. In the past five years, the opening day has been in October three times and in November twice.

A storm system is forecast for mid-November in Colorado. While opening by the weekend of Nov. 15-16 might be wishful thinking, should be no problem to start running lifts before Thanksgiving.

For the 2023-24 season, WCSA didn't open until Nov. 11. WCSA has been 100% open by Dec. 11 for all four of my early season trips to Wolf Creek in the second week of December (2021-24). Hoping for a repeat in 2025. I and my crew will be in South Fork in just under a month.

Fun in the low angle trees, December 11, 2023


Wolf Creek 2024-25 thread:

Wolf Creek in southeast Colorado, 2024-25

Wolf Creek Ski Area (WCSA) will be the first to open in Colorado for 2024-25. WCSA benefits from snowstorms that come from more than one direction. The first storm dropped almost two feet in the last few days. They seem intent on making the most of it to celebrate 85 years since the founding...

www.theskidiva.com

 

[Briski]

Love Wolf Creek! It is the other side of th mountains southwest of me, not far really- but it takes 4 hours to get there. It has been really dry and warm in this part of the state.

 

[marzNC]

WCSA started snowmaking! They plan to spin the short Nova lift on Nov. 22. That means parents can get younger kids on snow that day. What else is open by Thanksgiving will depend on the snowfall in the next week.

 

[Briski]

Plus some snow is coming next week

 

[marzNC]

Not only has Wolf Creek opened for the 2025-26 season, as of Nov. 22, WCSA will be open 7 days a week.

The base lift that isn't open yet is Raven, which serves frontside green/blue groomers. After the next snowstorm, there will be enough base on those trails to open and stay open. With the addition of Tumbler a few years ago, beginners have good short greens to get warmed up during early season.

I've had a good time at WCSA when mid-mountain snow depth was 25 inches. Since a big storm is forecast for early December, I expect by the time I and my crew get there we'll have plenty of terrain to enjoy.

 

[marzNC]

Ooh, the 10-day forecast for Wolf Creek is looking very snowy!

Purples on this forecast map from Nov. 22 are for 30 inches or more.

 

[marzNC]

When there is a snowstorm, it's great fun to check the WCSA ski patrol's morning snow report. Being at such a high elevation, it usually stays cold enough even at the base so that there is little melting expected in the next few months. The base of WCSA is at 10,300 ft and the summit is almost 12,000 ft. Any decrease in snow depth measurements from mid-November until mid-March is usually because the snow on the ground settles down and becomes more compacted.

 

[marzNC]

Another way to look at a 10-day snow forecast is cumulative totals on a map. When I'm using my OpenSnow account, the map is interactive so I can click and tell which resort goes with which forecast. In this screenshot, 13" at the top is Steamboat, 10" in the middle is Vail, 7" in the middle is Keystone, 13" in the middle is Snowmass, 11" below Snowmass is Crested Butte. In southern CO, Wolf Creek looks good at 25" and Purgatory is showing 18".

From OpenSnow on November 24 for period ending December 4, 2025:

 

[marzNC]

Here's a different view of the total forecast map for the mountains around Wolf Creek for the period Nov. 25 through the evening of Dec. 7. By then my crew will have all arrived in South Fork. On the interactive version in OpenSnow, can find where the ski resorts are located by changing the level of detail. I added the names to the screenshot.

Wolf Creek is in just the right place along the Continental Divide to catch southern and northern storms. For the next storm system from the south, WCSA will be a big winner. Dark blue means no snow in the high prairie (Pueblo, Colorado Springs). Purple zones mean cumulative 30+ inches in the forecast.

 

[Bookworm]

Wolf Creek in December is on my list for next year

 

[marzNC]

Raven is open as of Nov. 25. Kelly Boyce and Bunny Hop are the wide green trails from the top of Raven, which can also be accessed from Bonanza. Difference is that Raven is a high-speed detachable quad while Bonanza is a fixed-grip triple. Also need to go uphill from the main base lodge to get to Bonanza while Raven loading is essentially downhill.

From the Snow Report comments on November 25, 2025:
* Wolf Creek Ski Area is open for the 2025-2026 ski season with 7-day-a-week operations!
* The Raven, Treasure, Bonanza, Nova, Tumbler and Lynx Lifts will be operating from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., giving access to roughly 20% of the mountain. The Magic Carpet will be open for the Wolf Pup & Wolf Rider Programs.
* Machine-groomed trails include Tranquility, Lower Navajo Trail, Powder Puff Valley, Charisma, Turnpike, Bonanza Crossover, Bonanza, Prospector Bowl, Divide Trail/Kelly Boyce, Bunny Hop, Okey Dokey, Flora, Sparkle, Foxy, Spencer’s Run, Nova and Susan’s.
* Ungroomed trails that are skiing good include the top to bottom of Treasure and Lower Holy Moses.

 

[floridakeysskibum]

Wolf Creek in December is on my list for next year

Are you skiing at all in 2026?

 

[marzNC]

Oh well, the upcoming snowstorm faded quite a bit. Still could be another 10 inches on top of what's already on the ground by the time I get to South Fork.

 

[marzNC]

WCSA is celebrating Thanksgiving by opening ALL lifts!

From WCSA homepage on November 27, 2025:
"Wolf Creek's midway snow depth is 22 inches. The year-to-date snowfall total is 33 inches. Surface conditions are powder/packed powder/machine groomed with early season conditions - expect rocks and unmarked obstacles.

• All Lifts are operating from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., giving access to roughly 80% of the mountain!
• A full grooming report can be found on the Grooming Report Page.
• Lift tickets are at regular rates; $93 for adults, $62 for seniors, and $46 for children. Tickets are reloadable this season, so an initial ticket will have an additional charge of $2. Lift tickets can be pre-purchased at shop.WolfCreekSki.com.
• SuperSaver Season Pass Holders are blacked out Friday, November 28th and Saturday, November 29th.
• The Wolf Creek Lodge, our main day lodge, is open and serving a full menu! A traditional Thanksgiving meal inclusive of Cornish Game Hens, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with a choice of dessert is available for Thanksgiving Day."

 

[aliceisla]

On November 22, 2025, Werewolf Creek Ski Area opened for the 2025–2026 season, and it has already seen a substantial amount of snowfall. Due to avalanche hazard reduction activities, there may be vehicle delays on Wolf Creek Pass while the ski area is open, especially on the west side. There may be additional snow in the upcoming days, according to recent weather forecasts.

 

[marzNC]

On November 22, 2025, . . .

Welcome! Are you going to ski WCSA in December?

My friends and I started doing an annual early season trip a few years ago. WCSA has been 100% open during our week. I expect that to happen again. We stay in a house in South Fork.

 

[cosmicplanks]

I was at Wolf Creek on Saturday and Sunday last weekend and was shocked at how good it was considering they had like, a 20-inch base.

 

[marzNC]

Thanks for the photos!

I'm not surprised. The trip when there was 25 inches at mid-mountain, we were still able to ski mellow trees because we knew where to go and what to look out for. There can be advantages to staying on less steep terrain when there is fresh snow on a relatively thin base. That's part of what makes WCSA such a good early season destination. Certainly far better than TSV.

 

[marzNC]

Fair to that there will be 10+ inches of new snow at WCSA in the next week. From the OpenSnow Daily Snow for Colorado, it's hard to predict exactly what will happen in southern Colorado. Could be more than expected at Wolf Creek. Pretty clear that whatever natural snow comes down, it will be dense. Now is not the time for fluffy powder. Denser snow packs down better to build up a base on groomers and for covering up "brown" on the ground off-piste, meaning grass, branches, logs, stones, etc.

 

[floridakeysskibum]

Does anyone know what performance/demo skis WC has in their rental program ?