Disclaimer: This is sponsored content. All opinions and views are of Monarch Mountain and does not reflect the same of KOAA.
It's time once again for the start of the Monarch Ski Report - and ski season is underway this weekend in Colorado.
Here's a look at what you can expect this weekend, opening dates for various resorts, and what's new.
Monarch Mountain enhancements:
Monarch Mountain is opening 377 acres of new terrain - with many new runs, with its No Name Basin expansion. This is a 50 percent increase in area with a new triple fixed grip lift. Monarch relies solely on natural snow- so it won't open until sufficient snowpack exists on the slopes.
Snowpack
Snowpack is well below average, and large-scale weather patterns are unlikely to improve that status in November. A combination of a La Nina - cooler waters in part of the eastern equatorial pacific - coupled with other large scale weather patterns suggest an unusually dry November is ahead.
Weather this weekend
Saturday is the cooler day - with relatively light winds. Sunday will see about an 8-15 degree rise in temperatures (depending on the resort, aspect, and elevation of the specific mountain), relative to Saturday.
Both days will be breezy, with Sunday being breezier than Saturday at the height of higher summits (e.g. the tops of open resorts).
Base depths at open resorts are at 18", which is generally about the minimum they open with. With the early season conditions, riding conditions will be more likely to become icy when temperatures warm on Sunday.
Open Terrain
So far - Keystone, A-Basin, and Winter Park are open.
| RESORT | OPEN RUNS |
| A-BASIN | 1 |
| KEYSTONE | 3 |
| WINTER PARK | 5 |
OPENING DATES
Dates are subject to change - but this is what Colorado's resorts have announced:
| Ski Resort | Opening Date |
| Arapahoe Basin | Open Now |
| Aspen Mountain | November 27 |
| Aspen Highlands | December 13 |
| Buttermilk | December 13 |
| Beaver Creek | November 26 |
| Breckenridge | November 7 |
| Cooper | December 10 |
| Copper Mountain | November 7 |
| Crested Butte | November 26 |
| Echo Mountain | TBD |
| Eldora | November 14 |
| Granby Ranch | November 26 |
| Hesperus | Closed |
| Howelson Hill | November 29 |
| Kendall Mountain | TBD |
| Keystone | Open Now |
| Loveland Ski Area | TBD, typically by early November |
| Monarch Mountain | TBD |
| Powderhorn | November 21 |
| Purgatory | November 22 |
| Silverton | December 27 |
| Snowmass | November 27 |
| Steamboat | November 22 |
| Sunlight | December 12 |
| Telluride | November 27 |
| Vail | November 14 |
| Winter Park | Open Now |
| Wolf Creek | TBD |
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