By admin 
Well, folks, it’s that time of year again. The weather’s still hot, but that isn’t stopping ski resorts and resort companies from teasing their planned opening dates in a bid to build hype before the snow starts flying.
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And you know what? As funny as it is to be talking about the first day on hill in August, I like knowing where to throw a figurative X on my figurative calendar (I don’t actually own a calendar, but you know what I mean). Maybe you do, too.
The latest to join the party is Vail Resorts, which released a list of planned—but not guaranteed, of course—opening dates for many of its major resorts. Unsurprisingly, the frontrunner is Keystone, Colorado, which is targeting “as soon as possible in October.”
It’s an ambitious goal, to be sure, and one that will hinge on the cooperation of Mother Nature. But last winter, Keystone did successfully become the first ski resort to officially open in North America on October 25, beating out fellow frontrunner Arapahoe Basin, despite less-than-stellar early-season conditions.
Vail also noted that Keystone hopes to claim the “first to open in North America” title for the second year in a row, so keep your eyes out for an exciting “race” between the mountain and others in Colorado.
Here’s the list of other announced ski resort opening dates so far from Vail.
Vail Resorts 2026-27 Planned Opening Dates
- November 6 – Breckenridge (CO)
- November 13 – Vail Mountain (CO)
- November 20 – Whistler Blackcomb (BC), Park City Mountain (UT), Heavenly (CA) and Northstar (CA)
- November 25 – Beaver Creek (CO) and Crested Butte (CO)
- December 4 – Kirkwood (CA) and Stevens Pass (WA)
Now, you may be wondering: it’s August, what if the so-called Super El Niño exceeds expectations in the worst way? More importantly, should I trust any of this?
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Yes and no. The earlier a planned opening date is, the more it could be subject to weather delays. Last season—which, as you probably know, was historically rough out West—led several Western ski resorts to delay their openings, particularly ones that were aiming for early November. Meanwhile, later planned openings, like those in late November and early December, are more insulated from weather because, you know, it tends to get colder as the weeks pass.
For instance, barring something dramatic, I feel quite good about saying, yes, Whistler Blackcomb will open on November 20, and Kirkwood will open on December 4. Breckenridge’s November 6 target is a bit more of a gamble, but one made less uncertain by modern snowmaking techniques. Ski resorts are getting better and better at having skiable surfaces even if the precipitation doesn’t line up.
“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 Vail’s Mountain Division president Bill Rock in a news release. “And 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.”
After the memorably awful Western ski season, I’m choosing to be optimistic, too. Let it snow.
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This story was originally published August 18, 2026 at 9:39 AM.