Vermont Ski Resort Delays Opening

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Nov 20, 2024 4:36 PM ET

It’s probably the last thing powder hungry Northeast skiers wanted to hear: yesterday, Sugarbush Resort, Vermont, announced that it had postponed its opening date which was originally scheduled for Saturday, November 23, 2024.

The Vermont ski resort shared on social media that snowmaking windows this month have been few and far between. If the temperatures aren’t cold enough, Sugarbush can’t make the snow it needs to lay early-season trails.

The future could bring better news. For one, Sugarbush only needs a 36 to 48-hour window of cold temperatures to blow the amount of snow required to open its Gate House terrain. One such window could arrive this Sunday when colder temperatures are expected. Sugarbush also has its eyes on prospective storms that could deliver natural snow, potentially expediting an opening push.

When Sugarbush opens, it expects that the Gate House Quad will serve early season terrain with the Pushover, Slowpoke, Sugarbear Road, and Lower Hot Shot runs available.

Despite the delay, Sugarbush will still host its season-start event, The Big Kicker, on Saturday. Plans for the rail jam portion of the event are yet to be determined. Sugarbush’s brand new cafe, The Tucker Coffee & Cocktails, is also holding its grand opening this Friday through Sunday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Sugarbush will provide further operational updates on its snow report web page going forward.

Up north, Quebec’s Mont-Tremblant announced an opening delay last week, citing similar snowmaking concerns. Originally, Mont-Tremblant aimed for a November 22nd opening date. Now, it plans to open on November 28th.

"Snowmaking is going great on the mountain, and everything is on track," Mont-Tremblant shared on social media today.

Elsewhere in the Northeast, the ski season has gotten underway.

Killington, Vermont, opened for the season on November 14th with a small handful of trails. Sunday River, Maine, also opened on the 14th.

Gore Mountain and Whiteface Mountain, New York, anticipate opening this coming weekend. Belleayre Mountain, the third mountain operated by the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), hasn’t made a call on providing lift-served skiing this weekend yet but, via its snow report, encouraged local skiers to “Stay tuned as we hope to make an announcement on a firm opening in the future.”

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This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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