Big Sky's Lone Mountain Stuns After First Snow of Season Dusts Slopes
Snow blanketed Big Sky Resort’s high point, Lone Mountain, in a wintry tease this week that got local skiers and fans from afar buzzing about the season to come.
The flakes turned up on Tuesday, September 14, arriving during a chilly September system that also brought snow to other mountains and ski resorts across the West. At Big Sky, the freezing level stayed high, hovering around 8,000 feet, but the noticeable accumulation was enough to get those ski gears turning.
Courtesy Big Sky
Courtesy Big Sky
The first snow arrives more or less on time for Big Sky, which, last year, saw accumulation as early as September 15.
While the prospect of seeing flakes up high is worth getting excited about, there’s still over a month before Big Sky plans to open for skiing and snowboarding on November 25, 2026.
It may also be the last snow for a little while at Big Sky. The National Weather Service calls for warm temperatures and rain in the area over the next week, although freezing levels could dip into the low 40s overnight.
Elsewhere in Montana, snow arrived at Bridger Bowl Ski Area and Glacier National Park, but the biggest winner this time around may have been Crystal Mountain, Washington, which, at higher elevations, saw half a foot of snow, making for scenes that looked more like winter than late summer.
Banff Sunshine Village, Alberta, also saw a solid storm, with consistent—but not monstrous—coverage at the top of some of its lifts.
The early round of flakes, which likely has no bearing on how good or bad this coming season goes for skiers, arrives amid a pre-season period overshadowed by an El Niño that could reach historic strengths.
We’ll only know in hindsight what exactly that means for the 2026-27 season, but meteorologists are relying on that climate phenomenon—alongside other factors—to predict what this winter might look like.
As a jumping-off point, you can give Chris Tomer and OpenSnow’s 2026-27 seasonal outlooks a look. And, while you’re at it, throw in a snow dance for good measure. Much of the West, as you probably know, could use a turnaround.
Related: Early Morning Ski Commutes Aren’t Painful, They’re Glorious
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