On Monday, Steamboat Resort announced they will be delaying opening day by a week, now shooting for November 27. They say warm fall temperatures have limited their snow-making to only 8 total hours so far this season. In a typical year, they would have had 200 hours of snow-making by now.
Since their announcement, Steamboat has seen 2 inches of natural snow this week as well as some additional snow-making.
Despite the weather pattern, Eldora is managing to open with limited terrain Friday. They plan on a fun start to the season with a DJ and fresh muffins for opening day. Their free round trip shuttle service on weekends and holidays from Boulder begins this Saturday.
Sam Bass, the marketing director with Eldora Mountain Resort, encourages skiers/snowboarders to manage their expectations and be safe during the crowded and limited early-season terrain. The big takeaway, Bass says, is the staff at Eldora are excited to open and those who come visit should enjoy the respite that the mountain brings.
Purgatory is next to open on Sunday, with Copper Mountain planning to open Monday, November 22nd.
Then the flurry of Thanksgiving opening dates arrive with a potent storm to boot.
The jet stream moves overhead this weekend bringing limited moisture to the mountains Saturday. Accumulations look to be on the order of 1-2 inches for zones along I-70 and the Front Range mountains. Steamboat has the potential to see 4 inches of snow through Sunday morning.
A stronger wave of energy looks possible by Wednesday/Thursday next week, just in time for Thanksgiving travel. This storm has the potential to impact all mountain zones in Colorado, including the moisture-starved San Juans and Sangre De Cristos. Early forecasts indicate 2-8 inches possible for mountain zones in this time frame.
Colorado Ski Area Opening Dates Fall 2021 (subject to change):
| Arapahoe Basin | Open |
| Aspen Mountain | Nov. 25 |
| Aspen Highlands | Dec. 11 |
| Buttermilk | Dec. 11 |
| Beaver Creek | Nov. 24 |
| Breckenridge | Open |
| Cooper | Dec. 8 |
| Copper Mountain | Nov. 22 |
| Crested Butte | Nov. 24 |
| Echo Mountain | Nov. 26 |
| Eldora | Nov. 19 |
| Granby Ranch | Dec. 10 |
| Hesperus | Dec. 17 |
| Howelsen Hill | Nov. 27 |
| Kendall Mountain | Dec. 17 |
| Keystone | Open |
| Loveland Ski Area | Open |
| Monarch Mountain | TBD |
| Powderhorn | Nov. 26 |
| Purgatory | Nov. 21 |
| Silverton | Dec. 30 |
| Snowmass | Nov. 25 |
| Steamboat | Delayed Nov. 27 |
| Sunlight | Dec. 10 |
| Telluride | Nov. 25 |
| Vail | Open |
| Winter Park | Open |
| Wolf Creek | Open |
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