The first resorts have opened, and when others might follow

Young skiers enjoy the first day of the season at Bretton Woods. (Bretton Woods)

The 2024-25 ski season began on Oct. 19 when Ski Ward offered $5 lift tickets for one of its carpets. Sunday River jumped in with a Halloween treat, but daily operations (knock on wood for no hiccups) got underway Nov. 14 when Sunday River and Killington spun the lifts for pass holders and welcomed the general public the following day.

Bretton Woods got the New Hampshire season started on Nov. 16 with two trails and two lifts for two days and is expected to resume operations over the weekend.

The weather has a lot to do with when resorts are able to spin the lifts. Loon and Okemo have both pushed their start dates by more than a week.

Jay Peak had a one-day opening on Nov. 23, and daily operations will begin on Nov. 29, its “Day for the Devoted.”

Hope for snow so that resorts can welcome skiers and riders as soon as possible.

Open

Nov. 14 – Killington, Sunday River

Nov. 16 – Bretton Woods

Nov. 29 – Cannon, Jay Peak

Nov. 30 – Waterville Valley

Dec. 1 – Okemo, Stratton

Dec. 3 – Loon, Mount Snow, Stowe

Dec. 4 – Mount Sunapee, Sugarbush, Wildcat

Dec. 5 – Bromley, Smugglers’ Notch, Wachusett

Dec. 6 – Attitash, Bolton Valley, Butternut, Cranmore, Crotched, Gunstock, Mohawk, Pleasant, Ragged, Saddleback

Tentative opening dates

Dec. 7 – Berkshire East, Burke, Catamount, Jiminy Peak, Mad River Glen, Magic, Mount Southington, Pats Peak

Dec. 13 – Bousquet, King Pine, Lost Valley, McIntyre, Pico

Dec. 14 – Cochran’s, Lonesome Pines, Titcomb Mountain

Dec. 15 – Bradford

Dec. 20 – Black (N.H.), Dartmouth Skiway, Saskadena Six, Ski Quechee

Dec. 21 – Otis Ridge, Quoggy Jo, Tenney

Dec. 26 – Abenaki, Black (Maine), Spruce Mountain

When conditions permit: Arrowhead, Baker Mountain, Big Moose, BigRock Mountain, Blue Hills, Camden Snow Bowl, Granite Gorge, Lyndon Outing Club, Middlebury Snowbowl, Mount Abram, Nashoba Valley, Northeast Slopes, Powder Ridge, Ski Sundown, Whaleback, Yawgoo Valley

(Keith Pearson is the editor of the New England Ski Journal. He can be reached at [email protected])