Season Starting in Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah & Washington States as 15 US Areas Open This Weekend

There’s been a slew of announcements of US ski areas opening for their 24-25 seasons this weekend, many of them earlier than expected thanks to healthy snowfalls.

A total of eight ski area in Colorado have so far announced their intention to open along with the first resorts in each of Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah and Washington.

It means there’ll be at least 15 ski areas open in six states this weekend, the most of any country in the world and making the US the first ski nation to get into double figures for areas open.   

In Colorado Eldora, Loveland and Winter Park have said they’ll open joining Breckenridge and Copper Mountain who had already slated this weekend for opening too.  Those five join already open Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and first to open Wolf Creek. Many have had up to two feet (60cm) of snowfall so far this week.

Beyond Colorado ski areas opening include the Arizona Snowbowl, Nevada’s second, Mt Rose, Lookout Pass in Idaho, New Mexico's Pajarito Mountain which says it has had the most early November snowfall in 40 years, Utah’s Brian Head and Washington State's Timberline.

“The early-season snowstorms have been plentiful, our mountain teams have put in extensive work to get the mountain ready, and the time has come to welcome you all back for another phenomenal winter season - our scheduled opening day is now set for Friday, November 8th!” a social media statement from Arizona Snowbowl explained.

Of the ski areas outside Colorado that had already opened, Lee Canyon in Nevada is expected to re-open this weekend, however Ski Ward in Massachusetts which opened a small slope first in the US last month using and all-weather snowmaking machine says it has been forced to close as record-setting +80F temperatures are too much even for that. It hopes to re-open next week though.