Local News

Colorado ski resorts look forward to opening day of the 2025/2026 season

By Jeff Gurney

Updated on: August 20, 2025 / 1:07 PM MDT / CBS Colorado

Ski bums who want to get back on the slopes can see the light at the end of the long, hot summer tunnel. On Wednesday, Vail Resorts announced when its ski resorts will open. And winter is coming despite near-record temperatures forecasted by the First Alert Weather team for Denver this week.

There is always a race to see who will be first to open in Colorado. This year will be no different. Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, and Loveland all say they hope to open in October, depending on snow conditions.

Communications Director for Loveland Ski Area, Loryn Roberson, told CBS News Colorado Wednesday, "We'll open as soon as possible."

Loveland does not set a specific opening date; however, "weather permitting, we hope to have the snow guns fired up toward the end of September," Roberson said.

Skier at Crested Butte Taylor Ahearn Crested Butte Resort

Wolf Creek Ski Area opened first during the 2024-2025 ski season.

Colorado has 21 major ski mountains, with smaller hills peppered throughout the high country.

Other opening dates:

Nov. 7: Breckenridge
Nov. 7: Copper Mountain
Nov. 14: Vail
Nov. 26: Beaver Creek
Nov. 26: Crested Butte
Nov. 27: Aspen Mountain
Nov. 27: Snowmass
Dec. 13: Aspen Highlands
Dec. 13: Buttermilk

Snowboarding at Kestone Resort Katie Young Keystone Resort

Jeff Gurney

Jeff Gurney enjoys serving his community through journalism. He loves telling good stories and creating dynamic content for all platforms: television newscasts, the stream and CBSColorado.com.