These Montana Ski Resorts Are Opening Now, and Fans Are Thrilled
Despite a slow start to the season, winter is finally creeping its way into the Rockies, and a few ski areas in Montana have announced opening dates this week.
A storm that came through in the last week dropped 4-8″ of snow on ski areas all over Montana, and there’s significantly more in the forecast. While at this point, forecasts in the West feel like more of a disappointing tease than anything, the shred of optimism we have left thinks the next bit could be pretty darn good for MT skiers.
Here’s what we’ve seen so far for resort openings and recent storms.Â
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Lookout Pass
Lookout Pass announced today that they’ll open for the season (or at least the weekend!) on Friday, December 5. The ski area will open at 11 am and offer $45 lift tickets. Lookout Pass will also be open for skiing on Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm.Â
Over the last 6-10 days, Lookout Pass saw roughly 16″ of new snow, and the forecast over the next five days is looking promising to say the least. 21″ of snow is forecasted to fall over the next five days, with another 23″ possible over the following 6-10 days.Â
Happy Winter, Lookout Pass!
Discovery Ski Area
One of the ski hills near Missoula, Discovery Ski Area, also announced its opening day this week. Discovery will open for the ski season on Saturday, December 6, 2025.Â
Early-season conditions are still present at Discovery Ski Area, so only Easy Lift and Lums Run will open to start, and opening day will be free. That’s right, lift tickets are free-fifty at Discovery this Saturday!Â
The ski area has 10 more inches of snow in the forecast over the next five days, so they’re hoping to open more terrain as soon as possible and will update folks as soon as possible.
Bridger Bowl
Over in Montana’s Bridger Range, Bridger Bowl has announced its projected opening date of December 12, 2025. Bridger hasn’t gotten much snow recently, but like other parts of Montana, it is expected to pick up a significant chunk of snow over this next storm.
The next five days are forecast to bring 15″ of snow to Bridger Bowl, with a few more possible inches in the days after that. Bridger Bowl reminds folks that until the ski area is open, no ski patrol services are available, and they’re responsible for their own safety and avalanche forecasting.
Red Lodge
Red Lodge’s opening day is planned for Friday, December 5, 2025. The ski area got 8″ of snow overnight on Wednesday, December 3, leaving them a nice cushion for opening day turns. While Red Lodge isn’t quite in the same path as the storm projected to drop 10+ inches on other Montana ski areas, they’ve still got a steady amount of snow in the forecast over the next few weeks.
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