Where To Ski Right Now – Or Really Soon

Chairlifts are beginning to spin across America. Colorado's Copper Mountain, pictured here, is open for the season.

Over the weekend 18 inches dropped in Bozeman, Montana. Two more feet fell in Alta, Utah, to make for a 43-inch base one week ahead of opening day. California’s Mammoth Mountain is open from top to bottom. Sixteen inches of snow just blanketed Grand Targhee in Wyoming. And on the east coast, in a glimmer of brightness along Hurricane Sandy’s tragic path, mid-Atlantic and northeastern ski resorts received a bounty of snow.

Early season blizzards or not, opening day is inching closer at all resorts. So to make sure you are ready to shred as early as possible we decided to compile a list of some major - and not so major - US resort opening days, and those resorts that have already opened.  So drag the gear out of its summer hibernation, replace whatever you trashed last season, and update to the latest and greatest. Before you know it, winter will be full-on, so get out there and get ready.

While this list is pretty long, it does not list every resort in the United States. If you know of a resort opening, list it in the comments. Dates subject to change.

Browse All Resorts World Wide In The TGR Travel Section

COLORADO

Arapahoe Basin: OPEN
Loveland: OPEN
Copper Mountain: OPEN
Wolf Creek: Nov. 14
Winter Park Nov. 14
Eldora: Nov. 16
Vail: Nov. 16
Beaver Creek: Nov. 21
Steamboat: Nov. 21
Monarch: Nov. 21
Crested Butte: Nov. 21
Telluride: Nov. 22
Aspen Mtn: Nov. 22
Snowmass: Nov. 22
Ski Cooper: Nov. 22
Durango: Nov. 23
Silverton: Dec. 1
Howelsen: Dec. 1
Sunlight: Dec. 7
Aspen Highlands: Dec. 8
Ski Granby Ranch: Dec. 12
Powderhorn: Dec. 13
Buttermilk: Dec. 15

UTAH

Brighton: OPEN
Solitude: Nov. 14
Alta: Nov. 16
Park City: Nov. 17
Snowbird:  Nov. 15
The Canyons: Nov. 23
Powder Mountain: Nov. 21
Snowbasin: Nov 22
Deer Valley: Dec. 8

WYOMING

Grand Targhee: Nov. 23
Jackson Hole: Nov. 24 
Snow King: Dec. 8
 
WASHINGTON

Stevens Pass, Nov. 21
Mt. Baker: Tenatively Thanksgiving
Crystal Mountain: TBD

IDAHO

Sun Valley: Nov. 22
Schweitzer: Nov. 17

MONTANA

Big Sky: Nov. 22
Bridger Bowl: Dec. 8
Whitefish Mountain Resort: Dec. 8
Montana Snowbowl: Dec. 11
Moonlight Basin: Dec. 8

NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Bear Mountain: OPEN
Mammoth: OPEN
Northstar at Tahoe: Nov. 16
Squaw Valley USA: Nov. 21
Kirkwood: Nov. 21
Alpine Meadows: Dec. 7
Homewood: Dec. 10

NEW MEXICO

Taos: Nov. 22

ALASKA

Alyeska: Nov. 21

ARIZONA

Arizona Snowbowl: TBD, mid-December

OREGON

Mt. Hood Meadows:  Nov. 19  
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl: Nov. 25
Mt. Bachelor: Tentatively Nov. 21

WISCONSIN

Trollhaugen: OPEN

NEW YORK

Whiteface: Nov. 23
Gore: Nov. 25
Hunter Mountain: Nov. 25
Plattekill: Dec. 11

MAINE

Sugarloaf:  OPEN
Sunday River:  OPEN

VERMONT

Okemo: OPEN
Killington: OPEN
Stratton: November 24
Stowe: November 17
Jay Peak: November 23
Mad River Glen: November 22, Tenatively

PENNSYLVANIA

Whitetail: Dec. 4
Blue Knob: Dec. 14   
Camelback: Dec. 16

WEST VIRGINIA:

Timberline Resort: Dec. 8
Winterplace: Dec. 9
Canaan Valley: Dec. 10