By admin 
With the possibility of an ultra-powdery ski season on the horizon, Vail Resorts announced the projected opening days for its resorts, including three in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Lake Tahoe.
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Heavenly Ski Resort, Northstar California Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort are expected to open for the 2026-27 season in late November and early December, according to a Tuesday morning news release by Vail Resorts.
With the “Super El Niño” weather pattern appearing to strengthen going into the colder months, models have shown parts of the Sierra Nevada could get significantly more snowfall than usual in December and January, signaling the chance of a “blockbuster” snowsports season.
“While no one can predict exactly what Mother Nature will deliver, the possibility of blockbuster snowfall has us feeling optimistic about the winter ahead,” said Bill Rock, president of Vail Resorts’ mountain division, in the news release. “While we’d love to see Super El Niño live up to the hype, we’re also taking an aggressive approach to snowmaking to ensure this ski season is one to remember.”
When will Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood open in 2026?
Vail announced Tuesday that Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar California Resort are scheduled to open Friday, Nov. 20, and Kirkwood Mountain Resort is slated to open two weeks later, on Friday, Dec. 4. Opening day is subject to change depending on snow and weather conditions.
In 2025, Heavenly opened for its landmark 70th season on the mountain on Nov. 24, while Kirkwood opened Dec. 5 and Northstar opened on a delayed timeline on Dec. 6.
The ski resort company also announced opening dates for the rest of its West Coast ski areas:
- Keystone Resort, Colorado: As soon as possible in October
- Breckenridge, Colorado: Nov. 6
- Vail Mountain, Colorado: Nov. 13
- Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada and Park City Mountain, Utah: Nov. 20
- Beaver Creek, Colorado and Crested Butte, Colorado: Nov. 25
- Stevens Pass, Washington: Dec. 4
Are Vail Resort ski passes for this season still on sale?
Season passes to Vail-owned resorts are still on sale online for the 2026-27 season, and prices will be rising in the coming weeks.
The Epic Pass has a variety of options for a diverse selection of skiers and snowboarders. There are four main season pass options fit for Tahoe-area visitors, which provide different tiers of access to the mountains.
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The standard Epic Pass allows full unlimited access to more than 90 Vail-owned resorts and partner resorts across the globe, though it costs a steep $1,119 for adults aged 31 and over. Teens and young adults ages 13-30 can purchase the pass for $889, and passes for children 5-12 cost $569.
A more cost-effective option is the Epic Local Pass, which has limitations on the resorts and number of times pass holders can visit during the season. Epic Local Passes for adults 31+ cost $829, teen and young adult passes for ages 13-30 cost $659 and child passes for ages 5-12 cost $435.
For skiers and snowboarders who plan to stick around in the Tahoe area, there are two lower-cost options exclusively allowing access to Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood.
The Tahoe Local Pass — costing $699 for adults 19 and up, $566 for teens 13-18 and $349 for children 5-12 — offers admission to the three Tahoe-area Vail resorts on most days, as well as five extra days at some of Vail’s Colorado and Utah resorts.
Another cheaper option for Northern California-based skiers and snowboarders is the Tahoe Value Pass, which offers daily access to Heavenly and access to Northstar and Kirkwood six days per week, excluding Saturdays. This pass is available to adults 19-64 for $597, teens 13-17 for $497, children 5-12 for $294 and seniors 65 and up for $507.
Some of the passes restrict access to the resorts on “peak days,” which include some holiday weekends in November through February. Pass holders can purchase half-price tickets to the resorts on these peak days.
According to Vail Resorts, prices for all Epic Pass categories are set to increase after Sept. 7, which is Labor Day.
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