Three weeks. That’s all that stands between us and the first gondola ride of the 2026–27 season. Vail Mountain is targeting Friday, November 13 for Opening Day, and after the winter that wasn’t, the Valley is more than ready.
If last season taught us anything, it’s not to take snow for granted. It was one of the toughest winters in recent memory: Vail Resorts reported skier visits down about 12.5%, and Lodgepole, one of the most popular frontside runs, didn’t open until January 9.
This year the mood is decidedly different. Forecasters are talking about a potential Super El Niño (if you haven’t read our previous article on this winter’s forecast click here) and the snow guns fired up the night of October 15. Vail Resorts has said it’s taking an “aggressive approach to snowmaking” this year regardless of what Mother Nature delivers.
Here’s a slice of what’s happening over opening weekend, whether you’re here full time, coming up for the weekend, or watching the webcams from somewhere far less snowy.
Opening Day: Friday, November 13
The Friday the 13th jokes write themselves, but locals know Opening Day is one of the luckiest days on the calendar.
Vail hasn’t posted its full 2026 Opening Day program yet, but the traditions are well established. In recent years the mountain has welcomed early birds at Gondola One with coffee, cocoa, strudel, swag, and prizes, with DJs spinning at both the Vail Village and Lionshead base areas starting around 8 a.m. ahead of a 9 a.m. lift start. Expect something similar, and expect the diehards to be in line well before sunrise. In past years, the first-chair crowd at Gondola One has started gathering around 6:30 a.m.
A word on expectations: Opening Day terrain is early-season terrain, typically a handful of groomed, snowmaking-supported runs off Gondola One, the Eagle Bahn Gondola, and a few frontside lifts. The Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin come later. Opening Day is less about the skiing than about the ritual: the banner at the top of Gondola One, the first turns, and seeing everyone again.
Opening Night: Stoke Sessions Kicks Off
When the lifts stop, head to Checkpoint Charlie on Gore Creek Drive in Vail Village for the first Stoke Sessions concert of the season, free, from 4 to 7 p.m.
The Opening Day headliner is Float Like a Buffalo, a six-piece, horn-driven Denver band that mixes rock, funk, and soul. Local favorites El Segundo, Yama Sushi, Root & Flower, Two Arrows, and the Sitzmark will be serving food and drinks, and Vail Brewing Company is pouring a limited-release Stoke Sessions IPA available only during the series.
It’s the first of three free Friday shows running through early December, and we’ll have the full lineup in our next issue.
Insider Tips for Opening Weekend
Have your pass ready. If you haven’t bought yet, Epic Passes are still on sale. New this season, skiers and riders ages 13 to 30 save 20% on the Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass, and pass purchases come with five Epic Friend Tickets for 50% off adult lift tickets, a nice perk if you’re hosting friends this winter.
Dress for early season. Mid-November mornings at the base are cold, and the 9 a.m. start means standing still in line for a while beforehand. Layer up and bring hand warmers.
Check before you go. All dates are weather-dependent. Confirm the latest on opening terrain and events at vail.com and discovervail.com before you head up.
See you in line at Gondola One!
