West Coast Snow Round-Up: Early Powder Days 2025/26

The air is turning crisp, the leaves have traded green for gold, and that familiar chill means only one thing – ski season is on the horizon. Across the West Coast, the mountains are waking up under fresh blankets of early snow, teasing us with a taste of what’s to come. From Tahoe to the Pacific Northwest, Mother Nature is already setting the stage for an incredible winter. Looks like all that daydreaming about powder days is paying off – are you as excited as we are?! Let’s take a look at which West Coast resorts are getting the first big dumps of the 2025/26 season.

Related Reading: 8 Ski Resorts With Reliable Early-Season Opening Dates

Palisades Tahoe, California

Palisades Tahoe is already getting a head start on winter, picking up 10 inches of fresh snow to kick off the season. Known for its legendary snowfall – an average of 400 inches annually, with blockbuster years topping 500 (including a whopping 723 inches in 2022/23!) – this iconic Lake Tahoe resort is no stranger to deep powder days. Tahoe’s trusted local snow expert, meteorologist Bryan Allegretto, says there’s a good chance for more systems to sweep through before the end of October. Mark your calendars: Palisades Tahoe is set to open on November 26, 2025.

Heavenly, California

As the highest peak in Lake Tahoe, you can bet Heavenly has already received its fair share of flakes. The resort received nearly a foot of snow on October 15, transforming the peaks into a full-blown winter wonderland. With another foot expected by the end of the month (via snowforecast.com), things are looking promising for a sweet start to the season. Set to open November 21, 2025, Heavenly’s high-altitude terrain is shaping up to deliver those classic bluebird powder days Tahoe skiers dream about.

Kirkwood, California

Kirkwood is already reminding us why it’s a South Tahoe favorite for powder hounds. Known for its remote location, laid-back vibes, hidden stashes, and noteworthy snowfall (averaging 354 inches a year), the snow gods delivered a solid foot of snow in mid-October, with nearly 19 more inches expected before the month’s end (per snowforecast.com). Winter’s clearly moving in fast, and Kirkwood’s rugged terrain is getting primed for deep days ahead. Gear up: Opening day is December 5, 2025. 

Snowbird, Utah

Few places can match Snowbird when it comes to snowfall and terrain. Averaging more than 500 inches each winter (we’ll never forget the astounding 838 inches during the 2022/23 season), this Utah icon is already showing off. The same mid-October storm that hit California dropped 8 inches here, dusting the fiery fall colors with a perfect layer of white. With more snow in the forecast, it’s clear winter is settling into Little Cottonwood Canyon early. If Mother Nature keeps up this pace, Snowbird’s November 27, 2025 projected opening day is bound to deliver some serious early-season stoke.

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

Arapahoe Basin boasts some of Colorado’s highest-elevation skiing and one of the longest seasons in the state, thanks to its top-tier snowmaking capabilities. Earlier this week, meteorologist Joel Gratz reported about 6 inches of snow at the highest southern elevations, with early turns already happening at Silverton. While natural snowfall will be light in the coming days, crisp nighttime temperatures are perfect for snowmaking, and a “true” storm could arrive around October 27–29. Opening day is still TBD (and ASAP according to the resort), but if the forecast holds and the machines keep working their magic, those lifts will be spinning before you know it.

Winter Park, Colorado

Winter Park has already seen 5 inches of fresh snow over the past couple of weeks, with another 6 projected by the end of the month, according to OpenSnow. Thanks to cold temps, the resort’s snowmaking crews are working around the clock to lay down a fresh coating of white gold ahead of opening day on November 8 – which is right around the corner! With early snow stacking up and the guns firing nonstop, it’s starting to look like Winter Park is on track for an incredible kickoff to the 2025/26 season.

Breckenridge, Colorado

Breckenridge started off October with a few early-season snow showers, and forecasters are calling for nearly a week of steady snowfall as the next storm moves in at the month’s end. Combined with Breck’s world-class snowmaking operation, the mountain is well on its way to an epic early-season start on November 7, 2025. With the Tenmile Range already dusted in white and colder nights settling in, it’s starting to feel like winter has officially arrived in Breck!

Mt. Bachelor, Oregon

The same mid-October storm that coated California and Colorado dropped about 5 inches of early snow on Mt. Bachelor, and there’s plenty more on the way. A powerful atmospheric river is forecast to sweep across the Pacific Northwest, bringing heavy snowfall to the higher elevations of the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and northern Rockies. Early accumulations are already outpacing typical October totals, jump-starting the 2025-26 winter snowpack. Some forecasters are even calling for over a foot of new snow at Bachelor before November hits. The mountain’s official opening day is set for November 28, 2025, but with storms stacking up like this, we could be in for another early start (just like last season’s record-early opening on November 15, the earliest in 26 years)!

Ready to chase the snow? Start planning your winter escape today and be the first to carve into those fresh early-season turns. Get a free ski vacation quote today and let our Mountain Travel Experts handle every detail.