DCSki Newsroom

North Carolina’s Sugar Mountain Resort and Cataloochee Ski Area open for the 2026–2027 season on November 15, 2026, following natural snowfall and several days of snowmaking. The two resorts are among the first in the eastern United States to open this winter.

Timberline Mountain has begun snowmaking in West Virginia’s Canaan Valley, with temperatures in the upper 20s supporting operations on November 14, 2026. The resort has not announced an opening date for the 2026-2027 season, but additional cold weather could allow it to build on its modern snowmaking system and prepare substantial terrain coverage.

Snowshoe Mountain Resort has begun snowmaking ahead of its planned November 25 opening for the 2026-2027 season, following 1-2 inches of natural snow at the summit. The West Virginia resort also expects to open its new Shavers Center and has introduced new lift-ticket and pass options, including a $99 Silver Creek ticket and $259 Flex 3 Pass.

Irv Naylor, one of the most influential figures in the history of Mid-Atlantic skiing, died October 20, 2026, at age 91. As founder of Snow Time, he spent more than five decades developing and expanding ski resorts, including Roundtop Mountain Resort, Liberty Mountain Resort, and Whitetail Resort. His continuous investments in snowmaking, infrastructure, and resort operations helped build a thriving regional ski industry despite the challenges of unpredictable Mid-Atlantic winters. DCSki looks back at the life and accomplishments of this pioneering entrepreneur.

DCSki’s new Long Run series begins with the Baltimore-area origins of Howard Head’s composite ski. Drawing on his aircraft-engineering experience, Head overcame repeated failures to develop a commercially successful wood-and-metal design that helped move skiing toward modern composite construction.

Tussey Mountain’s plans for an expanded lodge, restaurant, event facilities, and other improvements have taken a major step forward. Regional officials unanimously approved adding 41.4 acres around the Pennsylvania ski area’s base to the regional growth and sewer-service boundaries, while leaving the ski slopes outside the expanded development area. Additional local approvals are still required before construction can begin.

DCSki surveys the early-season snowmaking and opening activity at ski areas across the United States, from Mt. Rose and Colorado to Killington and Sunday River. While resorts such as Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, and Wolf Creek have already welcomed skiers and snowboarders, Mid-Atlantic ski areas are still waiting for a stretch of sustained cold weather.

Colorado’s Snowmass ski resort has replaced the diesel generator serving its Elk Camp chairlift with a 900-kilowatt battery system, which provides backup power during outages and can also help the local utility manage peak demand. Aspen Snowmass says the installation is the world’s first battery-backed chairlift and will eliminate about 144 tons of annual carbon emissions from the former generator.

DCSki’s Resort Profiles have been updated for the 2026–2027 winter season, with refreshed information on 30 ski areas across five Mid-Atlantic states. A longstanding feature of DCSki, the Resort Guide brings together mountain statistics, trail maps, interactive resort mapping, weather forecasts, driving directions, and links to related news and Forum discussions. Recent enhancements include improved navigation, expanded filtering and comparison tools, and the new Resort Matcher, which helps skiers and snowboarders discover mountains based on their location, preferences, and desired amenities.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, halfpipes were prominent features at Mid-Atlantic ski resorts, with Whitetail, Liberty, Roundtop, Snowshoe, and others investing in specialized facilities for snowboarders. Over time, the snowmaking demands, maintenance requirements, and growing popularity of other terrain park features contributed to their decline. DCSki looks back at the region’s halfpipe history, including Whitetail’s once-impressive 475-foot facility, and examines Seven Springs’ decision to bring back a smaller, more accessible halfpipe in February 2026.