The 1st Non-Glacial Northern Hemisphere Resorts Will Open in 18 Days Fall is here. The days are getting shorter, temperatures are starting to drop, ski mountains are seeing their first dustings of snow, and thoughts of face shots and powder days are on the horizon. Winter is coming. Related: Farmers’ Almanac Winter 2025-26 Forecast: Cold and Snowy Winter Ahead. But Where? Related: Old Farmer’s Almanac Winter 2025-26 Forecast: When and Where […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 15, 2025 0 Comments
Ski Ward, MA, Wins the Race to Open as the First Resort in North America to Offer Lift-Served Turns The race to open for the 2024-25 ski season is over, and in a surprise twist that’s becoming something of a tradition, a small Massachusetts ski area has technically won. Every year, ski areas nationwide see who can get their snowguns running the fastest and their ski lifts running first. In years past, Arapahoe Basin in Colorado has often snagged […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 20, 2024 0 Comments
Snowmaking for Winter 24/25 Begins in 70 Days Summer began three weeks ago, so the days are getting shorter, and we can start dreaming of winter. Let the countdown begin! Colorado resorts Arapahoe Basin and Loveland are usually among the first resorts in North America to open. Their snowmaking teams typically start making snow the last week of September in preparation for a mid-October to early November opening. Related: […] Industry News SnowBrains | July 15, 2024 0 Comments
Minnesota Ski Area Throws Down #RaceToOpen Gauntlet, Teases Opening Day in 5 Weeks Twice in the last three years, Wild Mountain in Minnesota has been the first ski resort in North America to open for the season. If a post they shared to Instagram on Friday is anything to go by, they’re hoping for the same again this year. “5 weeks from today? Hmmmm. Hard to say. Buuuuuut, temps go into the 40s next […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 10, 2023 0 Comments
Which Ski Resort Will Open First This Year? #RaceToOpen Ladies and gentlemen, ski season is right around the corner! Temps are falling, we’re seeing the first snow of the season, and winter will be here before we know it. So, you know what that means; time to make your first chair predictions. Which ski resort will open first? Colorado is notorious for taking the title, with resorts like Arapahoe Basin, Wolf […] Industry News Jack Conroy | August 22, 2023 3 Comments
Wild Mountain, MN, Begins Snowmaking | Could it Win the Race to Open? Wild Mountain, MN, has begun snowmaking ahead of the 2022/23 ski season. Related: The Spirit of Skiing is Alive and Well in Minnesota! Traditionally the first resort to open in the state, Wild Mountain shocked the big boys in Colorado two years ago by being the first resort in North America to open when it started turning a lift on October 20th, […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 17, 2022 2 Comments
#RaceToOpen is Won! Wild Mountain, MN Opened on Monday SnowBrains · #RaceToOpen Is Won! Wild Mountain, MN Opened On Monday Traditionally the first resort to open in the state, Wild Mountain, MN can this week add a new feather to their cap – the first resort to open in North America for the 20/21 season. If your money was on A-Basin, or Loveland in Colorado, then unfortunately you’re out […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 22, 2020 0 Comments
Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, and Vail, CO Begin Making Snow for Real | The #RaceToOpen is On Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, and Vail Resorts in Colorado have all taken advantage of cooler temperatures and the few inches of snow that fell yesterday by firing up their snow guns for real. “The natural snowfall mostly stopped by early evening yesterday. The temperature dropped with an overnight wet-bulb low of 15 F. The snowmakers had all the fan guns spinning. […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 14, 2020 0 Comments
Snowmaking Tests a Success at Arapahoe Basin, CO | #RaceToOpen Begins! Last week’s snowmaking testing was a success, writes Arapahoe Basin COO Alan Henceroth on his blog page. All that remains now is for the temperature to drop so the resort can begin making snow for real and get the slopes ready for an opening day. Last week we ran the snowmaking system for the first time this season. Often, the very […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 5, 2020 0 Comments
Arapahoe Basin, CO Have Snow Guns Ready To Go | It Won’t Be Long… The weather forecast might say warm and dry, but that doesn’t mean that thoughts aren’t already turning towards winter. Arapahoe Basin, CO are priming their snowguns and snowmaking equipment, ready to pounce as soon as snowmaking conditions are here. Related: PHOTOS: Arapahoe Basin, CO Began Winter 2019/20 Yesterday with Savage Last Minute Announcement! Regularly the first resort in North America to […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 25, 2020 0 Comments
Arapahoe Basin, CO CEO Recommends ‘Dusting Off Your Skis and Snowboards’ as Snowmaking ‘Has Been Incredible’ Arapahoe Basin, CO began making snow last week in their attempt to win the #RaceToOpen and be the first resort in North America to start their lifts turning for winter 2019/20. CEO Alan Henceroth brought us a couple of updates on how this is going: “The last couple of days of snowmaking have been even better than I was expecting and the […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 8, 2019 0 Comments
7 Resorts Have their Snowguns Blazing | Keystone, CO Joins #RaceToOpen for First Time in Over 20-Years Three resorts across the country already have the snowguns blazing, making snow in preparation for as early an opening as mother nature allows, with four more getting the guns ready. Related: What Ski Resort Will Open First This Year? #RaceToOpen Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe in Nevada was the first to officially begin making snow over the weekend, and Arapahoe Basin […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 3, 2019 0 Comments
These Ski Resorts in North America Will OPEN Next Month #RaceToOpen With the start of September, summer is on the way out, and fall is fast approaching. Oh, and next month ski resorts will start to open! That’s right! Historically, there are a bunch of ski resorts right across North America that target mid-October as their opening day. Related: UPDATE: Wolf Creek Ski Area, CO WILL Open this Weekend for the […] Weather WeatherBrains | September 2, 2019 1 Comment
And So it Begins! Arapahoe Basin, CO Post First Pictures of ‘White Stuff’ on their Mountain Today It might not look much, but it’s a sign that the seasons they are a’changin’! And so it begins. Not sure if it is snow, hail, sleet, slush or what, but the first white stuff of the season was high on the East Wall this morning. Arapahoe Basin, CO posted a picture this morning of ‘white stuff’ on the side […] Weather WeatherBrains | August 22, 2019 1 Comment
PHOTO TOUR: Wolf Creek, CO Opens Winter 2018/19 with Powder Conditions All eyes were on Wolf Creek, CO this weekend as they were the first resort in North America to open for the upcoming season. A 30″ mid-October storm set them up nicely for their second earliest opening day ever. The opening day treated eager skiers and riders to a 22″ base with powder conditions across 3 lifts, 60% of available […] Conditions Report SnowBrains | October 15, 2018 0 Comments
Wolf Creek, CO Wins the #RaceToOpen | A-Basin and Loveland, CO Announce they WON’T Open this Weekend After a storm this week dumped almost 2-feet of snow at Wolf Creek, CO the ski area announced they will open for business at 9 am on Saturday, Oct. 13, making it the first area in North America to open to the public for the season. The resort will open the rental shop, ski school, main lodge, and three lifts. […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 12, 2018 0 Comments
#RaceToOpen UPDATE: Arapahoe Basin, CO Will NOT Open Before Wolf Creek, CO This Weekend For most of the last 20-years, the first resort to open in North America has been one of either Loveland or Arapahoe Basin, CO. Yesterday Wolf Creek, also Colorado, threw a curveball and announced that due to all the recent snow, they would start their lifts turning on Saturday, and will open weekends going forward. Wolf Creek Ski Area, CO Will […] Conditions Report SnowBrains | October 11, 2018 0 Comments
UPDATE: Wolf Creek Ski Area, CO WILL Open this Weekend for the 2018/19 Season #RaceToOpen Wolf Creek Ski Area, Colorado will be open for the season with weekends only, beginning Saturday, October 13th and Sunday, October 14th! Wolf Creek received 12 inches Monday, October 8th with another 8 inches today, October 10th. The settled midway base is 14 inches with 20 inches year-to-date this season. Treasure Stoke, Bonanza, and Nova lifts will be operating with very early […] Conditions Report SnowBrains | October 11, 2018 0 Comments
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