Ready to hit the slopes? NH ski resorts set opening dates for the season

Although there’s a nice chill in the air, it’s not time to hit the slopes in New Hampshire – yet.

If you’re hoping to ski or snowboard at Gunstock Mountain Resort or Pats Peak, you’ll most likely be able to start sometime in late November or early December.

It’s hard to predict a ski resort’s opening date too far ahead of time, since it depends largely on snow and weather conditions, which can shake things up last minute.

However, some Granite State ski areas have announced tentative opening dates for the 2025 to 2026 season. Here’s what we know.

When are New Hampshire ski resorts set to open for the 2025-2026 season?

Ski resorts typically set their opening dates based on local weather and snowfall, which can be difficult to predict far in advance.

However, Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury, Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, and Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford have announced tentative opening dates for the 2025 to 2026 winter season.

Mount Sunapee said it plans to open for the season on Nov. 26, while Cranmore hopes to open on Nov. 28. Gunstock is aiming for Dec. 5.

In recent years, other popular New Hampshire resorts like Bretton Woods and Loon Mountain have announced their opening dates the week of.

New Hampshire just saw some early-season snow

Bretton Woods, which prides itself as New Hampshire‘s largest ski area, announced on Facebook that it got a “light dusting” of snow on Saturday, Nov. 1, meaning the “countdown to opening day is officially on.”

Although an exact day was not given, the Carroll-area resort hinted that both skiers and snowboarders will soon be able to hit some snow-covered slopes.

“It means the season’s coming soon. It means the mountain will be open soon, and we’ll be back on our favorite trails with all our friends, bringing the whole community together again on the mountain. It’s going to be awesome,” Carina Savukinas, who works in mountain operations at the resort, said in a social media video.

When did NH ski resorts open last year?

Here’s when several New Hampshire ski resorts opened for the season last year, according to their websites and social media announcements:

• Attitash Mountain Resort in Bartlett, NH – Dec. 6, 2024
• Bretton Woods in Carroll, NH – Nov. 16, 2024
• Cannon Mountain Resort in Franconia Notch, NH – Nov. 29, 2024
• Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, NH – Dec. 6, 2024
• Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, NH – Dec. 6, 2024
• Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH – Dec. 3, 2024
• Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury, NH – Nov. 27, 2024
• Pats Peak in Henniker, NH – Dec. 5, 2024
• Waterville Valley Resort in Waterville Valley, NH – Nov. 30, 2024
• Wildcat Mountain Ski Area in Pinkham Notch, NH – Dec. 4, 2024

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald. Reporting by Bailey Allen.