Best Ski Resorts For Early Season Skiing and Riding in the East

The 2023/24 ski season has officially started in the United States and the push is on for other mountains to announce their opening days. Killington, Vermont, announced Wednesday that it will open this Friday, November 3, and it will be the first major ski resort to open in the East this season. Killington is typically the first to open and the last to close for the season in the East. The first snowfall in Pennsylvania occurred this Wednesday as well at Seven Springs Mountain Resort which is located about an hour east of Pittsburgh. The colder temperatures throughout the Northeast this week should provide the right atmosphere for resorts to really start firing up the snow guns and open shortly as well.

The start of ski season is always exciting for skiers and riders as we look to the upcoming season and start figuring out which resorts we want to hit. The East is home to the most number of ski resorts in the country with a total of 193 if you combine the Northeast (145 resorts) and the Southeast (48) according to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). With so many ski resorts to choose from, it can be difficult, but also a lot of fun choosing which resort to pick to go ski at. Early season skiing in the East is usually focused in the Northeast due to climate which means the states of Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and New York have the advantage. There are great mountains in the Northeast, but which one of them is the best to hit for early season skiing?

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KILLINGTON

A ski resort cannot be on this list if it is not one of the first ski resorts to open in the East every year. Killington is typically the first major ski resort to open in the East, but it has a lot more to offer than just that. It has some of the best snowmaking in the world and has a huge selection of terrain to choose from that will definitely please skiers and riders of all skill levels. The mountain crew not only does a great job of making snow but Killington is also known for having some of the best groomers in the country. “The Beast in the East” hosts the Stifel Killington Cup during Thanksgiving weekend and racers compete on the Superstar Glacier which is one of Killington’s signature runs. The focus is to ensure Superstar is up and running before race weekend so the Federation of International Skiing (FIS) can make the final approval that conditions are up to standard to hold the race.

Besides having some of the best terrain in the East, Killington is also known for having some of the best vibes and atmosphere in the country for skiing and riding. There is just something about that “Killington Feel” that other mountains in the East are searching for. There are plenty of great dining options for the whole family and also many waterholes and breweries for those looking to kick back after a long day on the mountain.

OKEMO

Okemo Ski Resort is located in the Green Mountains in Vermont and is a very popular skiing destination that is known for being a family resort. The mountain boasts several trails that are geared towards beginners and intermediate-level skiers like Dream Weaver, Sapphire, and Heaven Gates. Okemo is also known for its snowmaking capability that spans 98% of the mountain, great groomers, and still provides terrain for experts like Chief and Limelight. Although it is not known for its large number of expert terrain, Okemo would be best suited for skiers looking to enjoy themselves on the mountain with family and friends.

If you have not been to Okemo recently it was purchased by Vail Resorts in 2018 and has upgraded two of its lifts since its acquisition. The Quantum Four lift was expanded from four to six seats at Jackson Gore base and the Evergreen Summit Express is a quad that provides faster access to the summit. Okemo has also added a new accessibility trail that connects Mountain Road directly to the new Evergreen Summit Express chair. This access will allow guests to get to the summit directly without descending to the Sunburst Six.

STOWE

Stowe, Vermont, has a long heritage of being one of the purest ski resorts that provides guests with that true Vermont mountain experience. It has a deep history in skiing with being the first lift-served runs in 1937, the birthplace of the 10th Mountain Division, and home to the country’s oldest Ski Patrol. Some of Vermont’s best skiing and snowboarding can be found at Stowe on Mount Mansfield which is Vermont’s highest peak at 4,395 feet and Spruce Peak which offers a variety of beginner and intermediate terrain. Stowe is known as the “Ski Capital of the East” and is the birthplace of alpine skiing in Vermont. It is also where the Von Trapp family from the movie The Sound of Music settled down in the 1940s and provides cinematic mountain views.

Stowe will have its first full season this year with the Sunrise high-speed six-passenger lift that originates in the Mansfield Base Lodge parking lot. The mountain provides some of the best terrain that Vermont has to offer while still giving guests that authentic New England feel to it. The town of Stowe offers some great lodging, quality restaurants, and even those dive bars to hit that provide a great aprés scene.

If you are looking for great skiing, the Front Four at Stowe are legendary with Goat, Lift Line, National, and Starr being the runs you want to check out. These runs are known to be icy, with sections of the runs that are rock-strewn and are covered in moguls in some parts. These four runs are located on a mountain that has one of the longest vertical descents in the state which will allow you to ski more vertical feet in a day than most other mountains in the East.

GORE

Located in the Adirondacks, Gore Mountain is New York State’s largest ski resort boasting a vertical drop of 2,537 feet, 119 trails, 14 lifts, over 400 accessible acres, and four peaks. It first opened in 1964 and it installed New York’s first gondola three years later in 1967 which remained the state’s only gondola until 1999. For skiers who want to hit some steep terrain that features moguls and glades take the high peaks lift to the designated “high peaks” area and explore Lies and Rumor. Gore has seven mountain areas that offer the most terrain in New York State and 2,537 feet of vertical. 

This season Gore has expanded its snowmaking capabilities on the North Creek Bowl which offers alpine skiing and snowboarding, freestyle fun, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Gore is planning on breaking ground on the new North Creek Ski Bowl Lodge, a new Hudson Chair Quad, and a Zip Coaster this year as well. The new lodge will be an 18,300-square-foot facility with a restaurant and two levels of patios and is scheduled to be completed in 2025.

SUGARLOAF

Sugarloaf Mountain Resort is one of the top year-round destinations in New England and the largest ski area in Maine. Sugarloaf has trails and glades that span across Sugarloaf Mountain, Brackett Basin, and Burnt Mountain. Sugarloaf’s 16 lifts service three terrain parks and pipes, and 134 trails of which 33 are beginner, 44 intermediate, and 57 expert or glade skiing.

The mountain offers many winter activities including skiing, snowboarding, tubing, nordic skiing, snowshoeing, concerts, slopeside lodging, and terrain parks. The summit at Sugarloaf is 4,237 feet, making it the second highest in Maine, and offers the only lift service above treeline skiing in the East. The famous Snowfields of Sugarloaf is like no other place East of the Rockies and makes you feel like you are skiing out west. 

This season Sugarloaf is offering Burnt Mountain Cat Skiing that will carry passengers via Snowcat to the top of Burnt Mountain. The 1.5-mile trip up the mountain will give you access to over 100 acres of powder paradise and 1,500 feet of vertical. The terrain offers skiers in the East that rare opportunity to hit some deep snow and jagged terrain that the Northeast is famous for. 

Sugarloaf is a destination that you have to travel to and the locals love the brutal Northeast weather that separates them from the rest of New England. It is almost a badge of honor to them to be standing on the mountain with Mother Nature slamming them with bitter cold temps and huge gusts of winds. The ‘Loaf’ offers some of the best terrain for skiers who want to hit some of the most difficult trails in the East. If you are not into that, do not worry, Sugarloaf is one of the largest ski resorts East of the Rockies and still offers a wide variety of terrain for beginners and intermediate skiers as well. 

Several ski resorts in the East are great choices to visit for early season skiing, however, these five mountains made this list because the resorts typically open before the end of November. These resorts have the fortune of being located in areas where the weather conditions are favorable for opening each year sooner than other resorts in the East. The mountains also have some of the best snowmaking capabilities located anywhere in the country which is a huge multiplier when trying to open each season. If you get a chance to get some early season skiing, these are the resorts to check out in the East.