Ski California Member Resorts Share What’s New Ahead of 2026-27 Season

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (Sept. 21, 2026) - As the winter season approaches, Ski California member resorts in California and Nevada are preparing to welcome skiers and riders back with new lifts, facilities and on-mountain experience upgrades, refreshed lesson programs, updated menus, new and returning events that celebrate the spirit of the mountains, and more.

Ski California and its 36 member resorts remain focused on safety education through the amplification of the award-winning digital Mountain Safety Guide and during the ninth annual Ski California Safety Day on Saturday, January 23, 2027. The industry association has partnered with Sierra-based Praxis Skis again this year to give away four pairs of custom, Ski California branded skis this winter. Participants in the Ski California Mountain Safety Guide quiz who score 80% or better will be automatically entered for a chance to win the skis. At the end of the season, a 2026-27 Ski California Gold Pass winner will also be drawn, providing unlimited, unrestricted, transferable access to all 36 Ski California member resorts (a $4,250 value).

The association is also working with its members to create new opportunities — from lessons to access and affordability initiatives — to share winter recreation with a broader audience and amplify the unique ways being in the mountains, skiing and snowboarding, connect people and can help strengthen their physical, mental, and social well-being.

“At a time when we’re ultra-connected to devices, skiing, riding, and just being in the mountains can create a strong sense of connection with the natural world, and with family and friends. We want everyone to feel welcome, feel a sense of belonging, and to share in what makes spending time in the mountains special,” said John Rice, Ski California president. “We’ve also renewed our partnership with OpenSnow as the official source of our snow forecasts. They’ve been accurately predicting snowfall for ski areas in California and Nevada for two decades, and are a great resource for skiers and snowboarders planning to spend time in the mountains.”

With the potential for a record “Super El Niño” this winter, Ski California and its member resorts are also encouraging guests to plan ahead and anticipate winter driving conditions using resources like Caltrans Quickmaps to view real-time roadway updates, and CHP’s winter driving tips.

Ski areas in California and Nevada continue to have an impressive role in the recreation economy and the mountain communities where they operate. A new economic impact report prepared for the California and Nevada ski industry by Triple Point Strategic Consulting and SMG Consulting detailed the industry’s total economic footprint reached $3.2 billion in total output in 2025, supporting over 20,000 jobs and generating more than $523 million in tax revenue at the federal, state, and local levels. In addition to their economic contributions, Ski California member resorts invested more than $22.6 million in community giving programs, supporting education, environmental stewardship, public safety, and other causes in their communities.

Highlights of what’s new, and projected opening dates (weather and conditions permitting) at some of the resorts in California and Nevada for the 2026-27 season include:

Auburn Ski Club Training Center: ASC is heading into the winter season with new programs, facility improvements, expanded athlete opportunities, and a continued commitment to making mountain sports accessible to the community. Expanded terrain with a Nordic Sprint loop under the lights, adds to ASC’s offerings for nighttime operations this season, along with community events including Captain Nordic Day, offering a free day of Nordic skiing and opportunities to connect with the ASC community; a New Year's Eve Community Nordic Race sponsored by Paco's Ski Shop; the Sunset Night Race Series at Boreal; and the annual Spring Fling and Jeff Hamilton Memorial celebrating the history and spirit of mountain sports in the region. Daily trail passes range from $15 for youth to $28 for adults. Opens: Dec. 5

Big Bear Mountain Resort: This season, Snow Summit, Bear Mountain and Snow Valley are offering the Double Play lift ticket 2-Pack for $149. Featuring two days of skiing or riding any day all season long, this unrestricted, non-transferable ticket is on sale now through Dec. 15. Snow Valley is also launching a new First Turns Program starting at $99 for all ages. Intentionally designed to remove barriers that have traditionally prevented people from trying snow sports, the First Turns Program includes a lift ticket, rental equipment, and beginner lesson with no scheduled start time. Guests just need to arrive any time before the daily cutoff (approximately 2:30 p.m.) to participate. Opens: TBD

Boreal / Woodward Tahoe: New, efficient LED lighting will make night skiing and riding brighter, offering better visibility. Opens: TBD

China Peak: The 1st Turn lesson program and dedicated learning area specifically designed for first-timers returns, offering three days of instruction, rental equipment and beginner lift access for $199. Purchase lift tickets 7+ days in advance to save big. Opens: Nov. 28

Diamond Peak: Celebrating the second half of its 60th Anniversary season, Diamond Peak will offer 60th-themed throwback events and promotions throughout the winter. Two- and 3-day flex passes offer great savings over daily lift tickets and allow direct-to-lift access after the first visit. Skiers can also reload lift tickets online to save money and skip the ticket lines at the resort when they return. Opens: Dec. 3

Dodge Ridge: The 1st Turn lesson program and dedicated learning area specifically designed for first-timers returns, offering three days of instruction, rental equipment and beginner lift access for $199. A new College Pass and multi-day passes are available now. Opens: Nov. 27

Heavenly: Every season, Heavenly turns up the energy with fresh DJ performances, unforgettable events, and new experiences designed to keep the vibe alive all year long. Mountain dining at Heavenly is getting an upgrade this season, with elevated versions of classic ski-day favorites made with higher-quality ingredients and plenty of new dishes bringing more flavor, variety, and choice to the on-mountain experience. Opens: Nov. 20

Homewood Mountain Resort: The modernization of Homewood is underway, with a new 8-passenger gondola that replaced the Madden Chair set to open this winter, along with improved snowmaking, a new beginner Ski School area and Ski School Warming Yurt. Opens: Dec. 11

Kirkwood: Flagship events are returning this winter, including Banked Slalom, Slush Cup, Kirkwood’s New Year’s Eve celebration, Winter Solstice Cinema and Women’s Weekend. The resort is also planning another full slate of IFSA freeride competitions in collaboration with Tahoe Freeride, including a FWT Challenger competition in March. This season, Kirkwood’s Ski & Ride School introduces Mini Rippers Mondays, a new weekly program for kids ages 3-4 to build all-mountain skills with top instructors in a fun, encouraging environment. For skiers and riders ages 7+, Friday JETS is a new season-long, team-driven program focused on developing all-mountain skills and learning the fundamentals of freeride.  Expedition:Kirkwood is also refreshing several of its adult instruction offerings, including its popular 2-Day Women’s Clinic, with updated experiences. The resort’s dining outlet menus are receiving a major overhaul, with multiple new offerings aimed at making the on-mountain dining experience even better, including Detroit-style pizza, coney hotdogs, ramen noodle bowls, and additional après activations. The Cornice will also host Year 2 of its Mug Club, with participating guests getting an exclusive Kirkwood mug to take home, plus Happy Hour pricing and 20 oz. pours all season long. Opens: Dec. 4

Lee Canyon: This year, skiers and riders will find a new four-person fixed grip chairlift in the West Bowl, five new intermediate trails, and a new rope tow for the terrain park. Lee Canyon’s Learn2Turn program returns, as well as the “Snow Experience” – a free 45-minute introductory group lesson for first-time beginners ages 13+ who have purchased a lift ticket. Reserve online to learn the very basics of skiing and snowboarding. Opens: Nov. 20

Mammoth Resorts: Ahead of the 2026-2027 winter season, nearly $13.5 million has been invested in capital improvement projects including Remote Avalanche Control Systems at Mammoth and June, giving Ski Patrol more flexibility to mitigate hazards remotely in severe storms while keeping safety at the center of operations. The current project includes 16 new towers: 15 at Mammoth Mountain and one at June Mountain. The project incorporates multiple technologies selected based on the terrain and conditions where they will operate. One of the most popular family promotions at Mammoth, Kids Ski Free Week returns Dec. 5-11, offering kids 12 and under a free lift ticket each day to use alongside other highly discounted products including lessons and rentals. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of Mammoth’s Unbound Terrain Parks. Boasting 10 terrain parks, two halfpipes, more than 100 jibs and over 40 jumps covering more than 100 acres, Unbound has led the industry in creativity, innovation and quality for the last three decades. Keep an eye out for special merchandise, activations and buildouts throughout the winter season to celebrate this milestone. Opens: Nov. 13

Mountain High Resort: H2O Winter Classic is coming back for its second year, rebooting a surf/snow event that was hosted at Mountain High in the early 2000s and lasted for more than a decade. Expect bigger prizes, a bigger course, and bigger bands. The 1st Turn Lesson Program returns for a second year with new experience enhancements. Offered for just $199, the program includes three days of instruction, rental equipment and beginner lift access. Opens: Nov. 21

Mt. Baldy Resort: Celebrating 75 years, Mt. Baldy Resort is embarking on ongoing lift phased rebuilds and continuing its Mt. Baldy loyalty program, which allows guests to earn free lift tickets. Opens: Nov. 26

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe: The resort has invested nearly $2 million in advance of the winter season in infrastructure and facilities improvements, including a Main Line replacement of the resort’s extensive snowmaking system, and a new PistenBully snow grooming machine. The popular Wildslide Snow Tubing Park will offer a new enclosure over the tubing lift, and the Wildslide Lodge will provide all snowtubing guests with expanded services that include food and beverage, indoor seating, ticket sales, and retail options, while a new LED sign at the tubing lift will communicate updates. Additionally, all of the resort’s lifts are now equipped with restraint bars following The Chuter lift’s retrofit over the summer, and two new utility ATVs will add to the efficiency of the resort’s operations team. A redesign of the Main Lodge Lobby relocates Guest Services and Season Pass sales to improve flow through the space, a new e-commerce site with improved transaction processing has been launched, and new rental equipment options offer access to the latest technology for skiers and riders who would rather rent than bring their own gear. Over the summer, preliminary site work also got underway in preparation for a new $11 million Mountain Operations facility that will be constructed next year. Opens: TBD

Mt. Shasta Nordic Center: This season brings a brand new guest services center "lodge," a second PistenBully100 groomer, and “Dog Dash,” a designated dog trail to Mt. Shasta Nordic Center. Ski with a Scientist and the popular $5 School Program return, with the school program offering kids a trail pass and rental equipment for just $5 each. The snowshoe trail system has also been expanded with the new "Solar Way" trail, suitable for beginner snowshoers, snow explorers and dog parents visiting Mt. Shasta. Nordic season passes are $50 off through Dec. 6; daily trail passes priced at $20-30. Opens: Dec. 16

Mt. Shasta Ski Park: Bringing back one of the best lift ticket deals around, this season Mt. Shasta will offer $40 Wednesdays starting Jan. 6, 2027 until the end of the season (excluding Feb. 17), and a $25 twilight ticket on Fridays and Saturdays from 3 p.m. until close (7 p.m. on Fridays, 6 p.m. on Saturdays). At lunchtime, find the Mt. Shasta Beercat on the mountain, now featuring new gazebo seating. Opens: Dec. 9

Northstar California: New at Northstar this season—Snow Start, a welcoming mountain experience for Mandarin-speaking guests. On three Saturdays this winter, January 23, February 27, and March 20, 2027, Northstar Ski School will host all-day group lessons for guests 15+ to learn from native Mandarin-speaking instructors. It is designed for guests who are new to skiing and snowboarding or looking to build confidence on beginner terrain. Participating guests will have the option to add discounted lift tickets and rental equipment. Opens: Nov. 20

Palisades Tahoe: Exciting upgrades on and off the mountain this year include an investment in avalanche mitigation technology, snowmaking enhancements on Mountain Run at Palisades, and three new PistenBully 600E+ snowcats, the world’s only diesel-electric snowcat equipped with SnowSat LiDAR, have been added to the fleet. Kids Ski Free returns January 25-31, 2027, and an all new Beginner Progression Pass launches this season offering three group lessons that can be taken at any time during the season, lift tickets and rental equipment for the three lesson dates as well as a complimentary pair of goggles for just $799. Once guests graduate from the program by completing their three lessons, they receive additional discounts on rentals and lessons as well as a complimentary season pass to Palisades Tahoe, valid for the remainder of the season. Apex Club returns for 2026/27 with a refined premium mountain experience that elevates elements members valued most, including personalized hospitality, premium mountain access, the private Apex Lounge, food and beverage, and exclusive member experiences throughout the season. Tahoe Live returns Dec. 11-13 with its biggest line-up yet, and the Coca Cola KT Bass Bar levels up with enhanced sound and lighting to complement 52 days of live DJ’s in the base area. Opens: Nov. 25

Rim Nordic: Rim Nordic will welcome guests back with $32 adult day passes, $22 youth, discounted passes for seniors and military, with kids ages 10 and under skiing free. Learn to ski packages are also available. Opens: TBD

Royal Gorge: New trail and technology improvements, expanded Nordic programming, a full calendar of races and community events, and the 2028 U.S. Cross Country Skiing Junior National Championships are all taking place at Royal Gorge Cross Country Resort this season. The 2026/27 season will also bring a new Nordic 3-Pack, enhanced real-time trail mapping, continued trail and forest work, the second season of the Royal Gorge Nordic Team, and the return of popular events including Friday Night Lights and the Gold Rush. Opens: Nov. 27

Sierra-at-Tahoe: In celebration of its 80th anniversary, expect events, installations, and throwback parties all winter long highlighting the mountain's history from its early days post-WWII, to moving to its present location, expanding to 2,000 skiable acres and becoming an early champion of snowboarding and terrain parks. A new mobile app will enhance the guest experience with an interactive trail map, leaderboards, and the ability to earn badges and rewards for your on-mountain activity. A parking reservation system will be used to encourage carpooling for a healthier environment and ease the guest experience by ensuring guaranteed parking on weekends and holiday periods. Parking reservations will be free for Sierra-at-Tahoe passholders and cars arriving with 4+ people in them. And, the mountain’s multi-year post-2021 Caldor Fire reforestation project has been completed in partnership with the US Forest Service and El Dorado RCD. To-date, over 60,000 tree saplings have been planted—40,000 of which were planted this summer in clusters specifically designed to promote world-class tree skiing. Opens: late November or early December

Soda Springs: Play Forever Fridays return to Soda Springs this season with $35 lift tickets, and first-time lesson takers can now buy into the Boreal Take 3 Ride free program for their second and third lessons. A new event for this year is the Sierra Pow Surf Classic, the first pow surfing competition. Opens: Nov. 27

Sugar Bowl: The resort’s multi-year, $100 million resort development project continues with major improvements debuting this winter, including a new Village Gondola, reimagined Main Lodge and beginner experience, expanded terrain parks and snowmaking on the mountain, enhanced snowmaking at Sugar Rush Tubing, and major strides toward the resort’s sustainability goals. New Multi-Day Ticket Packs offer discounted lift access starting at just $99 per day. Select Packs are designed for non-peak skiing, while Anytime Packs can be used any day of the season, giving guests a flexible option between single-day tickets and a season pass. A $99 First-Timer Package for ages 13+ bundles everything a new skier or rider needs to get started, including a lesson, rentals and lift ticket, with morning and afternoon sessions available. Weekend and holiday rates are higher, and advance reservations are strongly recommended. Opens: Nov. 27

Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort: This year, the downhill ski area will build on the elevated experience offered, following last year’s unveiling of its brand-new ski lodge. Guests can enjoy enhancements like level access to the lifts, an expansive and well-appointed sun deck – perfect for après ski – a spacious indoor bar and dining area with panoramic views of the mountain, Pick-Up Box kiosks to print pre-purchased tickets quickly and conveniently, a dedicated kids’ ski school and lesson indoor learning center with its own bathrooms, cubbies, lunch service and much more. From the Downhill Kitchen + Grill, guests can choose from a wide variety of grill items, fresh pizzas, international flavors from the specialty menu or grab-and-go salads, sandwiches and more, made fresh daily, plus apres ski with big screen TVs, an enhanced bar area, an all-new cocktail menu and panoramic mountain views. Full-day lesson programs are also offered in the brand-new dedicated Kids’ Ski School + Indoor Learning Center.. Opens: Dec. 11

Tahoe Donner Cross Country: One of North America’s most celebrated Nordic ski destinations, Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center (TDXC) offers over 100 km of ski and snowshoe trails with terrain varying from beginner to expert. The only cross country ski resort in the region to have early-season snowmaking allows TDXC to typically open right around Thanksgiving time with the season running into mid-April. A popular destination for world-class athletes to train, it is also an ideal place to begin your cross country journey. With private and group lessons, four-week or season-long learning programs and a fully equipped rental and tech shop, TDXC is the place to dial in your cross country technique in classic or skate, or develop a new, lifelong winter passion. Opens: Nov. 27

Tahoe XC: A new snowcat, the Prinoth Bison X, is ready to lay down pristine tracks following some summer trail maintenance to clear the way for snow. Tahoe XC’s Lodge Project improvements are underway, with the new trailhead on schedule to be completed by Spring 2027. Intermediate and advanced XC skiers have access to the new Uni-Silver trail this season, and Early Bird season passes are on sale until Oct. 1. Tahoe XC also offers a robust entry to snowsports for beginners, with kids programming including Strider Gliders (Kindergarten - 5th Grade), Strider Gliders Ambassadors (Elementary aged students, bilingual cross country ski program), Strider Glider Biathlon (4th - 5th Grade), Las Chicas (Middle School Age, bilingual year-round program), and Nordic Naturalists (TK-Kindergarten). Don’t miss Crepe Breakfast days when fresh crepes are served trailside at Tahoe XC’s warming huts. Opens: TBD

Learn more about Ski California and its member resorts at skicalifornia.org, and view the award-winning Ski California Mountain Safety Guide at safety.skicalifornia.org.

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