After Weather Delay, Sun Valley Ski Resort Confirms New Opening Day
The ski season at Sun Valley, Idaho, is set to kick off this week on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
The Upper College, Lower College, Sunset Strip, and Lower River Run trails will be open, with top-to-bottom skiing served by the Lookout Express and River Run Express chairlifts.
The opening will mark the beginning of Sun Valley’s 90th season. This Wednesday, the resort is offering commemorative 90th anniversary mugs on a first-come, first-served basis. A DJ will play tunes at the River Run Base, too.
Sun Valley said it plans to open more terrain as quickly and safely as possible, which will eventually include a series of new-for-this-season gladed runs beneath the Roundhouse Express Gondola.
“We’re thrilled to welcome guests back to the mountain this Wednesday,” said Pete Sonntag, COO at Sun Valley Resort, in a news release. “Our teams have worked around the clock to open the mountain, and we’re grateful for everyone’s patience as we begin an incredible 90th season.”
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Sun Valley pushed back its original opening day from November 27, 2025, because of persistently warm temperatures. That prevented the mountain from making enough snow to open safely.
The resort credited the rescheduled opening this week to the “return of colder temperatures” and “the tireless work of Sun Valley’s mountain operations team.”
It isn’t the only Western ski resort to face warm, challenging early-season conditions.
From Washington to Utah, major mountains like Deer Valley, Utah, and Palisades Tahoe, California, have readjusted their opening dates. Some haven’t confirmed a new opening date yet.
According to our friends at Powderchasers, however, the start of December could deliver snowy weather, though.
California, however, remains out of the running for now, with forecasters spying no significant snow totals in the coming days around Lake Tahoe or Mammoth Mountain.
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