In The Spotlight
Lookout Pass goes seven days a week this season. (Lookout Pass/Facebook)
As a new season begins, skiers and snowboarders head to the hills, always looking for what’s new at their favorite resort – and what improvements they might find if they venture to other areas.
Here’s a look at a quintet of resorts in Colorado, Idaho and California that expect to drop the ropes in early November.
At Keystone and Breckenridge, the installation of snowmaking infrastructure occupied crews this summer. Keystone’s Paymaster run got a new main pipe to keep its most popular run well-covered. Neighbor Breckenridge followed suit, installing 50 new snow guns on Peak 9. The busiest mountain in the West also started up Breck Guides service for backcountry tours.
Up in North Idaho, Lookout Pass loyalists will have to wait a year for a planned mountain expansion. But the resort will be open seven days a week for the first time. Childrens’ program will dip into the youngest ages, with lessons on weekends and holidays for those 4 to 6 years old.
Heading into the backcountry tops Mammoth Mountain’s newest developments. Newcomers can take Intro to Backcountry Touring before going under the ropes. Also, the SoCal mountain opens up three-hour sidecountry touring loop past Tamarack Lodge on the backside and a return to the main lodge.
It was all about beginners at Boreal Mountain this summer. A new chair, the California Cruiser, went in on the novice slope, and so did more snowmaking equipment. Also, a new parking lot went in – free for pass-holders and pre-purchase ticket buyers.
Yee-hah!! The ski and snowboard season begins in Calfornia. (Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe/Facebook)
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is set to drop the ropes a week early to give season pass holders the privilege of putting down the first tracks of 2018-2019.
The formal opening date has been set for Oct. 26, but mountain managers announced that the Wizard lift will begin spinning on Friday (Oct. 19) and Saturday (Oct. 20) with access to three beginner runs at the base of the California mountain. They point to the installation of 17 new snow guns this summer – and a long-term commitment to early-season snowmaking – as the reasons why Mt. Rose can open earlier than expected.
The café and bar in the Main Lodge will be open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The equipment rental and repair shop, ski school, and retail shops will not be open.
Skiers and riders can purchase and pick up season passes in the Main Lodge. Pre-season rates, which start at $199, will be in effect and last until Sunday online.
At 3 p.m. on Saturday, the Main Lodge will open for a “hiring mixer” for people interested in getting a full- or part-time job at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe for the winter.
Oct. 19 is the earliest date that the Nevada mountain has opened; it began operations on Oct. 26, 2017.
Located a half-hour drive from Reno, Mt. Rose has the highest base elevation (8,260) in the Lake Tahoe region – as well as one of the longest steeps in the 1,500 vertical feet of The Chutes.
This is not a test. Snowmaking is live at Sunday River. (Sunday River)
Update October 18 1 p.m.: Sunday River Ski Resort intends to open for the 2018/19 winter season tomorrow, Friday, October 19, at 10 a.m. The resort expects to open on the T2 trail, accessible via the Locke Mountain Triple lift in Barker Basin. All plans depend on weather and snow conditions; keep an eye on the resort’s website and social media channels for the most up-to-date information.
“As always, we’re dedicated to getting our trails open as fast as possible our passholders and loyal guests,” says Resort President and General Manager, Dana Bullen. “This commitment is shown through the improvements we made to our system this summer, and continues as we take advantage of these favorable snowmaking temperatures before the foliage has fallen.”
The resort also opened on October 19 during the 2015-16 season, which is the second earliest date for skiing and riding in the resort’s history. Lift tickets will be $30 for all ages and available to purchase at the Barker Lodge. All 2018-19 New England Passes will be available to purchase or pick up at the South Ridge Lodge.
The resort expects to open on Friday, and weather permitting, plans to be open on Saturday and Sunday as well. The early season lift schedule will usually operate on weekends only until mid-November after opening day.
The forecast in Maine is calling for sustained snowmaking temps. And Sunday River is taking full advantage. Wax 'em up.
Snowmakers and Mother Nature were hard at work last night. Snowmaking started up with top-to-bottom blasting on T2, Upper Sunday Punch, and Sunday Punch. Plus, they woke up to 2-3" of new snow blanketing the mountain.
“We received 2-3” of new snow last night and the snow guns are running on Locke Mountain. Temperatures look ideal to continue to make snow today, but with Friday and Saturday warming up, we haven’t made the call yet on opening this weekend,” Sunday River’s Karolyn Castaldo told SnoCountry.com.
“Our current temperatures are great for firing up the snowmaking system using the new pipeline and pump that we installed over the summer, which allows us to get 15 percent more water to our on-mountain infrastructure from our water source,” Castaldo told us. “With a higher water capacity, we’re able to make snow more quickly with sustained cold temperatures. The forecasts are showing that we’ll get those temperatures next week as well.”
Sunday River typically opens for the season with skiing off of the Locke Mountain Triple with midstation access and add top-to-bottom ASAP.
Natural snow has been a boost for early season in Colorado. (Arapahoe Basin/Facebook)
While Wolf Creek took the First To Open title for the 2018-19 season last weekend, Arapahoe Basin and Loveland are following close behind and will be the first resorts to open for seven-day-a-week runs starting this Friday and Saturday. Killington will once again take the honors of first to open in the East this Friday.
As of October 19, Arapahoe Basin will be open to the public seven days a week until early June. Black Mountain Express Lift will service the intermediate High Noon trail from mid-mountain to the base. The small Banana Terrain Park will be open with several features.
A-Basin lifts will turn starting at 9 a.m. Friday with lift tickets through Dec. 21 at $85 for adults, $70 for youth, and $41 for children. Children age 5 and under ski free every day of the season.
“Thanks to lots of hard work from our skilled snowmaking team and two feet of snow from Mother Nature, we are excited to announce that Loveland Ski Area will open with exceptional early season conditions this Saturday,” said Rob Goodell, chief operating officer. “We hope this early season snow is the start of a generous winter and invite everyone to join us on Saturday as we kick-off another long and powder packed season at Loveland.”
Loveland’s new high-speed detachable quad, Chet’s Dream, will run 8:30 - 4:00 Saturday with one top-to-bottom run covered from tree-to-tree with an 18-inch base. Catwalk, Mambo and Home Run make up this opening day run, which is over a mile in length and nearly 1000 vertical feet.
Loveland will be open seven days a week until early May. Early season lift tickets are $65 for adults and $31 for children 6-14.
Vermont’s Killington will kick off its 2018-19 winter season at 10 a.m. Friday, October 19, becoming the first Eastern resort to open for skiing and snowboarding.
The first turns of the season will be reserved for Season Pass, Express Card, Beast365 and Ikon Pass holders. The resort will open to the general public on Saturday, October 20 at 9 a.m.
The K-1 Express Gondola will provide uploading and downloading to open terrain for skiers and snowboarders from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and the North Ridge Triple lift will allow uploading until 3:45 p.m. Skiers and snowboarders will use the Peak Walkway to access open terrain and return to the K-1 Express Gondola for the trip down to the base area when finished for the day. Skiing and snowboarding will be on advanced terrain only, providing roughly 600 vertical feet of open trails.
Beginning Saturday, daily lift tickets will be $59 for adults, $45 for youth and $50 for seniors.
Live Cams
Resorts In Your State
| Area Name | Status |
| Bryce Resort , VA | Opening Soon for Snow Sports |
| Massanutten Resort , VA | Opening Soon for Snow Sports |
| The Omni Homestead , VA | Plan to Open 12/15 |
| Wintergreen Resort , VA | Opening Soon for Snow Sports |
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