Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort Opens in Less Than 100 Days for the 2025-2026 Ski Season

Palisades Tahoe’s opening date is, of course, subject to change due to weather and conditions. A good storm can prompt a ski resort to open earlier than planned. Warm weather can do the opposite. 

For Palisades Tahoe, though, November 26 seems to be a solid estimate. Last winter, the ski resort opened on November 22, just a few days ahead of schedule after an early-season storm deposited some fresh snow.

The pre-season anticipation isn’t just for Palisades Tahoe skiers. Elsewhere, numerous other ski resorts have announced their targeted opening dates. 

On Wednesday, Vail Resorts shared when many of its major mountains hoped to open. Who’s first? The always-ambitious Keystone, Colorado, is aiming for mid-October, weather and conditions permitting. Other Vail Resorts properties, like Breckenridge and Vail Mountain, are set to follow soon afterward.

Per a list compiled by Ski Utah, three Beehive State ski resorts have shared their opening dates so far: Brian Head, Alta, and Solitude. Of these three, Brian Head is the frontrunner as of now with an anticipated November 7 kickoff date. 

As the weeks pass, more ski resorts throughout North America are sure to add their names to the list. For skiers, it can, admittedly, sometimes feel silly to be talking about firing up the chairlifts in August. Don’t these ski resorts know it’s still mountain biking and grilling season?

Of course they do. But offering an opening date makes the arrival of winter suddenly feel more real. Many of us have spent the summer doing our best to pretend skiing doesn’t exist by distracting ourselves with seasonally appropriate pastimes. Now, though, we have estimated opening dates, so we know we should prepare to call in “sick” from work.