DENVER – October 6, 2026 – Skiing has been part of life in Colorado for generations. Arapahoe Basin and Aspen are marking 80 years this season, Powderhorn turns 60, and Colorado Ski Country USA’s Ski Passport celebrates its 30th anniversary.
And the Colorado ski tradition is still evolving. New lifts are going in at Aspen Mountain, Powderhorn, and Purgatory, resorts are continuing to invest in mountain infrastructure, world-class competition and events are returning to Colorado, and programs across the state are focused on giving more folks a chance to spend time on snow.
“There’s something really special about seeing ski areas celebrate 80 years while still looking ahead, and watching kids step into ski boots for the first time to begin their own relationship with our mountains,” said Melanie Mills, president and CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA. “Colorado has a remarkable ski heritage, and each season gives us a chance to carry the legacy forward and shape what comes next.”
Milestones Across the Mountains
Several Colorado Ski Country USA resorts are celebrating major anniversaries this winter.
Arapahoe Basin enters its 80th season with “80 Years of the Legend,” including $80 lift tickets on Wednesdays, an anniversary weekend in December, and a season-long look back at the people, terrain, and moments that have helped define the mountain. Aspen Snowmass also turns 80, with throwback pricing, anniversary events, and special programming tied to its 1946 opening.
Powderhorn is 60 this season and pairs the milestone with one of its biggest on-mountain changes in years: the new Wild West Express, a refurbished high-speed quad that previously served Snowmass as the Elk Camp chairlift, replaces the West End double lift. Echo Mountain also reaches its 10th season this winter.
New Lifts, Terrain, and Mountain Improvements
Across the state, new lifts, expanded terrain, and infrastructure projects are taking shape for the season ahead.
At Aspen Mountain, the new Nell Bell high-speed quad replaces the historic Bell Mountain and Little Nell lifts, creating a single route from Gondola Plaza to the top of Bell Mountain. At Powderhorn, the new Wild West Express will cut the ride to the West End from more than 13 minutes to about six.
Purgatory is adding new expert terrain with the Colorado Couloir chairlift, opening roughly 40 acres and five new trails on the front side of the mountain. The resort is also expanding snowmaking on Divinity Trail to improve early-season access to beginner terrain.
Winter Park continues its multi-year snowmaking rebuild with more automated and mobile equipment, including upgrades expected to double snowmaking capacity on Lower Hughes and improve water-use efficiency. Steamboat is reshaping Maverick’s Halfpipe using excavated dirt from nearby construction, a change expected to reduce the amount of snow needed to build the pipe by 60 percent and allow it to open earlier in the season.
Loveland looks forward to welcoming guests back to its recently updated Lift 7 and reshaped beginner terrain.
More Ways to Get on Snow
Making it easier for more people to ski and ride remains a priority this season.
Monarch is launching its first Salida School Days, bringing approximately 1,300 students from the Salida School District to the mountain for a free day of skiing or snowboarding. The resort is also introducing $49 beginner lessons for the 2026–27 season.
At Granby Ranch, Free Ski Fridays will offer free skiing and snowboarding every Friday this winter to Grand County School District students and employees. Free rentals will also be available beginning at 10 am, with free beginner lessons offered from 1–3:30 pm, giving first-timers a chance to try the sport without needing their own equipment or prior experience.
Powderhorn’s Bob Beverly Free Learn to Ski/Ride Program offers first-time skiers and riders up to three free days that include group lessons, lift tickets, and equipment rentals. Ski Cooper is holding ticket and season pass pricing at last year’s rates, with daily adult lift tickets remaining under $99.
Howelsen Hill, the longest operating ski area in the United States, continues its Ski Free Sundays, and Sunlight’s daily adult lift tickets start at $74.
The Colorado Ski Country USA Kids’ Ski Passport enters its 30th season with four days at each of 19 participating resorts, continuing a program that has helped families get their kids on Colorado’s slopes since 1996.
A Big Winter for Events
World Cup racing returns to Copper Mountain this winter, while Buttermilk hosts the first winter season of the new X Games League.
The Stifel Copper Cup takes over Copper’s East Village Nov. 28–29, returning men’s FIS Alpine Ski World Cup super-G and giant slalom to the mountain. The timing also carries a bit of history: 2026 marks 50 years since Copper first hosted World Cup racing in 1976.
In January, Buttermilk becomes the inaugural winter host of the new X Games League, a team-based, co-ed competition format launching under a three-year agreement that keeps X Games in Aspen through 2028–29.
Eldora will also find itself especially close to the action this winter as the Sundance Film Festival makes its Boulder debut Jan 21–31, 2027, giving festivalgoers an easy opportunity to pair screenings with a ski day.
2026–27 Colorado Ski Resort Projected Opening Dates
Opening dates are always weather- and conditions-dependent, and a few resorts are still waiting to set their first day of the season. Here are the dates currently announced by Colorado Ski Country USA member resorts:
Arapahoe Basin, Loveland Ski Area, Monarch Mountain, and Winter Park have not yet announced firm opening dates. Arapahoe Basin and Winter Park both plan to open as soon as conditions allow, while Loveland is currently estimating a mid-October to early-November opening window.
About Colorado Ski Country USA
Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) is the not-for-profit trade association representing 20 ski and snowboard resorts across Colorado. CSCUSA serves as the global voice of the Colorado ski industry, with work focused on marketing, public policy, and public relations. Learn more about CSCUSA and its member resorts at coloradoski.com and on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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