Who Will Open First? Epic, Icon Ski Passes Set Opening Dates

When will the U.S. ski season start in 2026? Those first fall turns are mere weeks away, with Keystone Ski Area expected to open “as soon as possible in October,” according to a release from parent company Vail Resorts. Arapahoe Basin is also promising, “ASAP,” confirming that these two ski areas will be the likely frontrunners in the unofficial race to be the first major U.S. ski resort to open for the 2026-27 season.

Last year, Keystone started lifts first, opening on Oct. 25, but with a current base of 0 inches and overnight lows remaining above freezing, the actual first runs of the year will depend heavily on natural snowfall and snowmaking conditions.

There’s no guarantee that Keystone will be first again for 2026. Arapahoe Basin has been the first most of the past 10 seasons, opening first as early as Oct. 11 in 2019. In 2024, both A-Basin and Keystone opened on Nov. 2, allowing Wolf Creek in southern Colorado to beat them both easily when they opened on Oct. 22, 2024.

Like Keystone, Arapahoe Basin doesn’t have a set opening date beyond “ASAP.” Shayna Silverman, Senior Communications Manager for Arapahoe Basin, said, “That is TBD, all dependent on Mother Nature. The weather over here in Summit County is starting to get cool and wet.”

Loveland Ski Area used to vie for the “first major ski area to open” title, but for the past three seasons, they’ve conceded the crown, opening in the second week of November. They tied with Arapahoe Basin in 2015, opening simultaneously on Oct. 29.

the first skiers of the year at Arapahoe Basin in 2025 load onto the chairlift holding signs — (Photo/Lucas Herbert)

List of Announced Ski Area Opening Dates

Here’s the complete list of Epic and Ikon ski areas that have announced opening dates as of Sept. 18:

Ikon

ASAP in October – Arapahoe Basin (CO)
Nov. 6 – Copper Mountain (CO)
Nov. 13 – Mammoth Mountain (CA), Eldora Mountain Resort (CO)
Nov. 15 – Sunday River (ME)
Nov. 18 – Stratton (VT)
Nov. 20 – Sugarloaf (VT), Solitude Mountain Resort (UT), Alta Ski Area (UT)
Nov. 21 – Steamboat (CO), Sugarbush (VT), Granite Peak (WI), Snowriver Mountain Resort (MI)
Nov. 25 – Palisades Tahoe (CA), Snowshoe (WV), Big Sky Mountain Resort (MT)
Nov. 26 – Aspen Mountain (CO), Snowmass (CO), Sun Valley (ID), Taos Ski Valley (NM)
Nov. 27 – Crystal Mountain (WA), Schweitzer (ID), Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (WY), Snowbasin (UT), Snowbird (UT)
Nov. 28 – Alyeska Resort (AK)
Dec. 4 – Mt. Bachelor (OR), Panorama (BC)
Dec. 5 – Deer Valley (UT)
Dec. 11 – The Highlands (CO), Pico (VT)
Dec. 12 – Aspen Highlands (CO), Buttermilk (CO)
Dec. 19 – June Mountain (CA)

Epic

ASAP in October – Keystone Resort (CO)
Nov. 6 – Breckenridge (CO)
Nov. 13 – Vail Mountain (CO)
Nov. 20 – Whistler Blackcomb (BC), Park City Mountain (UT), Heavenly (CA), and Northstar (CA)
Nov. 25 – Beaver Creek (CO) and Crested Butte (CO)
Dec. 4 – Kirkwood (CA) and Stevens Pass (WA)

Indy Pass

The Indy Pass has a stable of 300+ independent ski areas, but as they’re, well, independent, Indy doesn’t make roster-wide opening date announcements. Two participating resorts have announced dates, however: