Home to iconic ski resorts like Deer Valley, Alta Ski Area and Park City Mountain, Utah is second only to Colorado and California as the state seeing the highest number of slopes-bound visitors from year to year.
Many come specifically for the state’s famous powder snow and larger number of ski runs spread across a large terrain. This week, Ski Utah CEO Nathan Rafferty held a press release in which he talked about much pent-up demand after historically low snowfall in the 2025-2026 season brought the number of ski days down by 26.5% compared to the year before.
Current meteorological trends predict that as the El Niño climate patterns of above-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean reach “super” status and shifts jet streams, Utah could see strong bouts of snow in some regions and a slow start to November in others.
“If we had an average year this year, I’d be thrilled, and we’d all be thrilled at 500 inches of snow,” Rafferty said at the season-opening news conference on Nov. 11. “I don’t know that I’ve felt as much pent-up demand for skiing as we have this season.”
When do Park City, Deer Valley and Sundance open for the 2027 ski season: A guide
While awaiting to see what kind of snowfall the early season brings, resorts have set different start dates to the skiing season. Alta Ski Area, Park City Mountain, and Solitude Mountain Resort have set Nov. 20 as their target opening date while Brighton Resort and Sundance Mountain Resort are hoping to start accommodating skiiers on Dec. 4.
Deer Valley, meanwhile, has put down Dec. 5. Nordic Valley Resort and Beaver Mountain have the latest opening dates out of any resort in the state, with a respective Dec. 18 and 26. For any of the resorts, the opening date is a target that is contingent on there being enough snow.
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Sitting at the base of Canyons Village in Park City Mountain, the ski-in, ski-out four-star resort Westgate Park City Resort & Spa is currently targeting those who are betting on lots of snow and an early start to the season with a 50% off Black Friday sale on rooms, ski packages and equipment rentals.
During that peak November-April season, rooms in one of the suites and villas start at $400 per night.
Deer Valley Resort
“Mark your calendars, wax your gear”: Both resorts and skiers watch for snow and hope for early start to ski season
All major ski resorts are selling ski passes ahead of the official opening date while teasing the anticipation that many skiers are feeling about the start of the season.
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“This is not a drill,” Solitude Mountain Resort, which is located in Big Cottonwood Canyon just outside of Salt Lake City, wrote in a social media post at the start of the month. “Mark your calendars, wax your gear and clear your schedule. We’ll see you on the chairlift in 18 days.”
Once open, the season typically lasts until the start of April although uncharacteristically warm weather can also cut the time that skiers can spend on the slopes short in a given year.
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