With the first major snowstorm of the season in the books, most Vermont ski resorts are looking forward to opening day.  I say “most” since some are already open! Killington, with the reputation of offering the longest ski season in the East, has been open for a couple weeks. They’ve been making snow and getting the slopes ready, not just for the public, but also for the Killington Cup when 100 of the fastest female ski racers in the world will compete in Slalom and Giant Slalom over Thanksgiving weekend. (Join the 30,000 spectators to cheer them on.)

Mount Snow in W. Dover, Vermont, is also open, at least for weekends before the general opening Thanksgiving weekend. Located in the southwest part of the state, Mt. Snow is one of the easiest mountains to reach from Massachusetts and New York. They’re ready for your visit now, so why wait.

Thanksgiving weekend is the unofficial opening of ski season in Vermont, but it looks like a number of resorts broke with tradition and opened the weekend before. They include Okemo, Stowe, and Sugarbush. Jay Peak plans to open Thanksgiving weekend, Stratton the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Smugglers’ Notch and Bromley on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

A few have openings in December including Burke Mountain and Magic Mountain on December 1, Bolton Valley on December 8, and Mad River Glen on December 15. Of course, those dates are just best guess. A lot depends upon how much natural snow falls between now and then. Check with resort directly before making plans.

And that brings us back to where we started. With the first big snowstorm of the year and pleasant thoughts of a long, white winter of skiing and boarding in Vermont, plan your trip now. For suggestions on where to stay, consult Vermont.com’s lodging pages for solutions for every budget.

For more information:

Killington Resort
Mount Snow
Okemo
Stowe Mountain Resort
Sugarbush
Jay Peak
Stratton Mountain Resort
Smugglers’ Notch Resort
Bromley
Burke Mountain
Magic Mountain
Bolton Valley
Mad River Glen