TL;DR
Mammoth just moved opening day forward to Thursday, November 5, eight days ahead of schedule. A snowy weekend and cold snowmaking nights did the work, and our forecast shows up to 33 inches more landing on November 13 and 14. Here is what opens, what the weather looks like and where Mammoth sits among the early Ikon Pass openers.
Mammoth has pulled its opening day forward by eight days, and the snow is not finished yet.
Mammoth Mountain in California will open for the 2026-27 season on Thursday, November 5, instead of the November 13 date originally planned. A storm cycle over the weekend left 9 to 15 inches (23 to 38 cm) of fresh snow, and colder nights gave snowmaking crews the window they needed.
Resort communications director Emily van Greuning said Mother Nature had been kind and that the snowmaking team made full use of the cold temperatures. Season snowfall so far sits between 12 and 20 inches (30 to 51 cm).
What is open on opening day
Lifts start turning at 8:30 a.m. with the Lower Panorama Gondola and the Broadway Express chairlift (Chair 1) running. Those two lifts give access to three runs: Broadway, Silver Tip and Rusty’s. Celebrations continue until 4 p.m., including Woolly’s traditional first-chair ceremony and banner breakthrough, followed by a toast to the new season at the bottom of Broadway Express. Mammoth says it will add terrain as conditions allow, so check the resort website on the morning rather than assuming what is open.
Opening day weather
Thursday is forecast to reach a high of 39°F (4°C) with a low of 13°F (-11°C). That low means the first ride up will be a cold one, and anyone planning to be at the banner breakthrough should dress for it. A high just above freezing is a long way from spring conditions, but it is worth having a layer to shed if the sun comes out on a short run list.
More snow forecast for next weekend
Our forecast shows up to 33 inches (83 cm) falling at Mammoth between Thursday, November 12 and Saturday, November 14. Nothing is expected on the 12th, then roughly 11 inches (27 cm) on Friday the 13th, followed by about 22 inches (56 cm) on Saturday the 14th. We build our forecasts to run on the cautious side, and totals this far out can shift, so check back closer to the day. If it lands anywhere near that figure, the three-run opening list should not stay that short for long.
West Coast and Ikon Pass openings
Mammoth is expected to be the first West Coast resort to open this season, with Mt Rose near Lake Tahoe targeting Friday, November 6. Mammoth is part of the Ikon Pass, and pass holders already have Arapahoe Basin open since October 28, along with Lake Louise since November 1. Zermatt has been running glacier skiing since October 14.
About Mammoth Mountain
Mammoth Mountain is in the Eastern Sierra near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. It is on the Ikon Pass and is known for a long operating season.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
