Industry News
Beartooth Basin, Wyoming, is North America’s only summer ski area, and it’s set to open the week of May 25, weather permitting. It is located right off the Beartooth Highway near the Wyoming-Montana border at roughly 10,900 feet elevation. The ski area is serviced by two high-speed platter lifts, and the Twin Lakes Headwall provides 600 acres of skiing terrain that varies in pitch from 15 degrees to 50 degrees in steepness. The surrounding areas offer 3,000 vertical feet of shuttled or hike-in backcountry skiing and riding. Beartooth Basin typically opens at the end of May and operates until the end of July, depending on the snow conditions.
Beartooth Pass is the highest mountain pass in the Northern Rockies, and Charles Kuralt called it “the most beautiful drive in America” on his TV show On the Road. The ski area was established in the mid-1960s by three Austrian-American race coaches as an alpine ski racing summer training ground until its sale to its new owners in the late 1990s, who opened it up to the general public.
“Beartooth Basin’s crew has been busy prepping for the 2026 season. While the opening date is still TBD, it will likely be around May 25th (+ or – 2 days), and we will keep everyone updated. We have opened ticket sales from May 27th to June 10th and will open the earlier and later dates as we have better confirmation of being open. Thank you all for your patience and curiosity; we hope to see you all up at the Basin contributing to the ‘Spirit of Skiing’ this season!” the Beartooth Basin team wrote in an email to SnowBrains.
Beartooth Basin operates without a traditional lodge or winter season. Instead, it opens for a short but intense period from late May through June, catering to skiers and snowboarders chasing high-elevation snowpack well after most U.S. resorts have closed. With a pair of surface lifts and steep terrain, the area draws a mix of freeriders, race camps, and backcountry enthusiasts each year.
