When do New England ski resorts open?

Most New England ski resorts open between late November and mid December. Killington and Sunday River typically open first, often in late October, thanks to aggressive snowmaking. Northern Vermont and Maine resorts ski latest, into April and sometimes May.

Which New England ski resort opens first?

Killington in Vermont and Sunday River in Maine race each year to be first to open in the East, usually spinning lifts in late October on a single top-to-bottom snowmaking trail.

Which New England ski resort stays open latest?

Killington usually skis latest in New England, often into late May. Sugarloaf and Jay Peak also regularly run into late April or early May.

upslope / opening day

When every New England mountain opens — typical dates, and 2026–27 announcements as they land.

New England ski resorts typically open between late October and mid December. Killington and Sunday River usually race to be first, often spinning lifts in October; most mountains open in early to mid December, and the northern Vermont and Maine resorts ski latest into April and May. For the 2026–27 season, 0 of 32 resorts have announced an opening date so far.

Opening dates · 2026–27

Resort	Typically opens	2026–27 announced	Typically closes
KillingtonVT	late October	not announced	late May
Sunday RiverME	late October	not announced	early May
Jay PeakVT	late November	not announced	mid April
OkemoVT	late November	not announced	mid April
StoweVT	late November	not announced	mid April
StrattonVT	late November	not announced	mid April
SugarbushVT	late November	not announced	mid April
SugarloafME	late November	not announced	early May
AttitashNH	early December	not announced	early April
Bolton ValleyVT	early December	not announced	mid April
Bretton WoodsNH	early December	not announced	early April
CannonNH	early December	not announced	mid April
LoonNH	early December	not announced	mid April
Mount SnowVT	early December	not announced	mid April
Mount SunapeeNH	early December	not announced	late March
Smugglers' NotchVT	early December	not announced	mid April
Waterville ValleyNH	early December	not announced	early April
Berkshire EastMA	mid December	not announced	late March
Black MountainNH	mid December	not announced	late March
BromleyVT	mid December	not announced	early April
BurkeVT	mid December	not announced	early April
CranmoreNH	mid December	not announced	late March
CrotchedNH	mid December	not announced	late March
GunstockNH	mid December	not announced	late March
Mad River GlenVT	mid December	not announced	early April
Magic MountainVT	mid December	not announced	early April
Pats PeakNH	mid December	not announced	late March
PicoVT	mid December	not announced	early April
RaggedNH	mid December	not announced	late March
SaddlebackME	mid December	not announced	mid April
WachusettMA	mid December	not announced	late March
WildcatNH	mid December	not announced	mid April

Typical dates are historical patterns, not promises — every season turns on snowmaking weather. Announced dates come from the resorts themselves; we add them as they're published.

Which mountain opens first?

Killington and Sunday River race for it every year, and the winner is decided by one thing: a cold snap long enough to blow a single top-to-bottom trail. Both have the snowmaking horsepower to open on manufactured snow alone, so a late-October cold window is all it takes. Natural snow rarely factors in that early — the first real natural skiing usually arrives on the northern Vermont summits in November.