Photo: Arizona Snowbowl
Opening Day can never come soon enough, no matter where you live and ride. This weekend, in particular, is going to be a big one across the U.S., with dozens of resorts having their season kickoff planned just in time for the holidays. But Arizona Snowbowl might get this winter’s prize for running out of patience.
Opening Day plans had been set for the southwestern resort to celebrate on Friday, November 21. At least part of that plan remained intact. The actual part where the resort loads up chairs for the first time and people get their first laps of the season, however, couldn’t wait. They received 37 inches of snow between Sunday and Thursday morning, so rather than tough it out until Friday morning to start the season, the resort blasted out the news that everybody was invited to take some laps on Thursday afternoon.
“The mountain is looking too good to wait,” they admitted in their snow report. The impromptu call didn’t scratch Friday’s official celebration plans, they said, with giveaways and live music still planned for their original Opening Day.
“This storm delivered a phenomenal jumpstart to our season, and opening early is an exciting way to welcome riders and skiers back to the mountain,” said Angie Grubb, Arizona Snowbowl marketing manager. “Snowbowl is known for long, reliable seasons, and the amount of snow we’ve received this week gives us incredible momentum heading into winter.”
The four-day, 37-inch dump stands for the bulk of Arizona Snowbowl’s total snowfall so far, which averages a little over 200 inches each year. In fact, earlier this year, Snowbowl saw its personal 24-hour record with 25 inches dropping on March 8, 2025. The resorts record snowfall for a single season came in the 2022-2023 winter when they received 372 inches.
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