Winter has arrived in the Adirondacks — and Whiteface Mountain, New York, is wasting no time kicking off the ski season. Following 18 inches of natural snowfall and round-the-clock snowmaking by the resort’s 160 snow cannons, the iconic New York resort has announced it will officially open for the season this Saturday, November 15.
“The snow checks out, we’re OPENING THIS WEEKEND!” the resort wrote in its announcement, adding that opening day conditions are looking “nothing short of amazing.” Skiers and riders can look forward to a strong early-season start, with freshly groomed trails and expanding terrain as snowmaking continues.
Discounted lift tickets are currently available, giving guests a chance to save on early-season turns. Pricing is as follows: Adult – $65, Teen/Senior – $55, Junior – $45, 70+ – $40, & 6 & Under – $10.
Opening Weekend Details
On Saturday, November 15, and Sunday, November 16, Whiteface opens for intermediate and advanced skiing on the Summit Chairlift only. Skiers will be required to download back to the Main Base Area from the Summit Chair on the Face Lift.
The Face Lift and Summit Quad will open at 10:00 a.m. both days. The Face Lift will close for uploading traffic at 3:00 p.m., and the Summit Quad will close at 3:30.pm. Riva Ridge, Paron’s Run, The Follies, Excelsior, Ilmar’s Alley, Lower Northway, and Summit Express are anticipated to be groomed and open. All skiers and riders will need to download on the Face Lift.
Please note, that no beginner terrain will be open this weekend and only Private Lessons will be available for advanced intermediate skiers and snowboarders only. Reservations will be necessary.
The Cloudspin Bar & Grill will be open Saturday and Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. with a delicious après food and drink options. Brookside Apparel will be open 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and the Rental and Tuning Shop will be open 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The mountain will close again after Sunday until more snow arrives.
Friday, November 21 – Season Passholder Appreciation Day
The resort will host a “Season Passholder Appreciation Day” on Friday, November 21. In addition to having the mountain all to themselves all day long, passholders will have free light bites, 2 for 1 drinks, additional discounts on retail, and a “Meet The Team” event in the Cloudspin Bar & Grill from 2-4 p.m. Details about available terrain and Season Passholder Appreciation activities will be published closer to the day.
Whiteface is expecting to open for daily operations from Friday, November 28. As always, all operations are weather and conditions permitting and subject to change, so stay tuned!
Located near Lake Placid, Whiteface is renowned for having the greatest vertical drop in the East with 3,430 vertical feet and a proud Olympic heritage as the host mountain for the 1980 Winter Games. With this weekend’s early opening, Whiteface joins a growing list of East Coast resorts capitalizing on cold temperatures and early snowfalls—signaling that ski season in the Northeast is officially on.
So grab your gear, rally your crew, and get ready to carve your first turns of the 2025–26 winter season at Whiteface this weekend. With the snowfall still coming, this could be one of the best starts for the East Coast in years!
