
Saddleback's summit reaches 4,123 feet, dropping 1,662 vertical feet to a base at 2,461 feet across 68 runs spread over 440 acres in the Rangeley Lakes region of western Maine. Terrain splits 33 per cent intermediate, 32 per cent beginner, 25 per cent advanced and 10 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 225 inches. The resort carries Indy Pass affiliation. Six lifts, including three quad chairs, serve the mountain alongside one surface lift and two t-bars.
Saddleback's remote Rangeley Lakes setting keeps crowds notably lighter than Maine's larger, more accessible resorts, a character that has become central to its identity since reopening after a lengthy closure. The mountain's classic New England layout and terrain variety have earned it strong reader recognition in recent years, an unusual result for a resort still rebuilding its full destination infrastructure. Its comparatively high snowfall total supports reliable natural conditions.
Saddleback opened in 1960 and built a loyal following through the 1970s under owner-manager John Christie, with the Berry family later investing more than 40 million US dollars in lifts, trails and lodging starting in 2003. The resort closed after the 2014-15 season when its owners put it up for sale without finding a buyer, leaving Saddleback shuttered for five consecutive seasons. On 31 January 2020, Arctaris Impact Fund purchased the resort for 6.5 million US dollars.
Saddleback reopened on 15 December 2020 after five years of closure, with Arctaris committing to invest a total of 38 million US dollars over the following seven years. The turnaround has been striking: Down East Magazine named it Best in Maine for 2022, 2023 and 2024, and SKI Magazine's reader survey ranked it the number one resort in the East for 2025, just five years after its dramatic reopening. Adult daily tickets run from 89 to 139 US dollars, with multi-day packages from 200 dollars.
Saddleback rises above the Rangeley Lakes in western Maine, with 68 runs over 440 acres (178 hectares). The vertical is 1,660 ft (506 m), from a 2,460 ft (750 m) base to a 4,120 ft (1,256 m) summit. The split is 32% beginner, 33% intermediate, 25% advanced and 10% expert. Snowfall averages around 225 inches a year, heavy by New England standards, and the high base helps it last. Three quad chairs carry most skiers, with t-bars and a surface lift serving further terrain across a mountain that feels spacious and quiet.
Every trail takes its name from a fishing fly invented in Rangeley, and the lifts are named after local rivers. The Kennebago Quad serves the upper mountain, including Warden's Worry, Nightmare Glades and the scenic America trail. Tree skiers have Dark Wizard, Intimidator, Casablanca and Woolly Bugger glades, and Tight Line is another named run. A Cupsuptic T-bar reaches more terrain. Saddleback suits intermediates and advanced skiers chasing snow and space, and its remote setting in the Rangeley Lakes region keeps lift lines light and crowds well below those at Maine's larger resorts.
The 2025-26 season at Saddleback ran from 12 December 2025 to 19 April 2026, a roughly eighteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 225 inches, a relatively high total for a Maine resort. This snowfall level has been part of the mountain's appeal since its 2020 reopening, supporting reliable natural conditions across its 440 acres. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather.
Midwinter, from January through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Saddleback's varied terrain. The resort's remote Rangeley Lakes location keeps crowds meaningfully lighter than Maine's larger resorts, even during peak periods, a quality frequently cited in its recent reader-survey recognition. Weekday visits in particular remain notably quiet.
Since reopening in December 2020, Arctaris Impact Fund's ongoing seven-year, 38 million US dollar investment plan has continued to shape the resort's seasonal offerings and infrastructure. The recognition from Down East Magazine as Best in Maine for three consecutive years and SKI Magazine's number one Eastern resort ranking for 2025 has brought increased visitor interest during the current rebuilding phase. School holiday periods bring the heaviest family visitation.
Specific event programming beyond standard lift operations is not confirmed in available resort information. The five-year closure between 2015 and 2020 remains a significant part of Saddleback's recent history, with the resort's current trajectory framed explicitly around its comeback under Arctaris ownership. Its Indy Pass affiliation continues to draw visiting skiers from beyond its traditional Rangeley Lakes catchment.
Saddleback sits in the Rangeley Lakes region of western Maine, with a base elevation of 2,461 feet and a summit at 4,123 feet across a 1,662-foot vertical drop over 440 acres. This is one of the more remote parts of Maine's ski country, set among lakes and forested mountains well north of the state's coastal population centres.
Rangeley is the nearest town, a small lakeside community offering lodging and dining that has grown alongside the resort's fortunes through its closure and subsequent reopening. The broader Rangeley Lakes region draws visitors for fishing, hiking and lake recreation beyond winter sports, giving the area a four-season identity distinct from Maine's coast. Portland and the state's more populous south lie several hours south by road.
Maine State Route 4 and Route 16 provide the main routes into the Rangeley area from the south and west, with the drive from Portland typically taking around two and a half hours. Winter driving conditions on these rural Maine roads can include snow and ice, and the remoteness of the Rangeley Lakes region means travellers should plan accordingly. There is no direct public transport service to the resort.
Portland International Jetport is the nearest airport with substantial commercial service, roughly two and a half hours south of Rangeley. This distance from the nearest major airport reinforces Saddleback's remote character relative to Maine's more accessible resorts, with most visitors making the drive from Portland or elsewhere in New England rather than flying closer to the mountain itself.
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Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Winter Park are all chasing an October start, though none has a firm date yet. The first dated openers are Breckenridge and Copper on Friday 6 November, then Vail on 13 November, with most of the rest bunched around US Thanksgiving. Hesperus did not open at all last season. A super El Niño offers hope but no guarantee, and forecasters say the southern mountains have the better odds.

Dolomiti Superski is spending around €100 million across its 12 areas before winter. Kronplatz gets a new 10-passenger gondola with a middle station, 3 Zinnen gets Helmissimo, and Val di Fassa swaps a chairlift for a gondola above Col Valvacin. New water-storage basins and upgraded snowmaking follow, and construction has started on the San Martino to Passo Rolle link. A peak adult day pass is €89.

Brian Head is targeting 6 November, though last year it aimed for 7 November and did not open until the 25th. Park City, Alta and Solitude are pencilled in for 20 November, Snowbird and Snowbasin for 27 November, and Deer Valley for 5 December. Eagle Point will stay closed after the Cottonwood Fire. A super El Niño is forecast, but the big snow is not expected until January.

Hintertux became Austria's second glacier to open for 2026-27 on Friday 2 October, after the Pitztal Glacier. Twelve kilometres of piste are running around the Olperer and Gefrorene Wand, served by one gondola and two drag lifts, with the Betterpark also open. Lifts officially run 8:15 am to 4:30 pm, but skiing stops at 2 pm for now.

A historically poor western winter cut Vail Resorts' annual net income from $280 million to $147.5 million and skier visits by 13.4 per cent. Now 2026-27 pass units are down 12 per cent as of 18 September, worse than the 10 per cent flagged in spring. Vail blames the weather and thinks some buyers are simply waiting, and it forecasts a rebound if the snow behaves.

Arizona Snowbowl advertised eight $1 lift ticket days this winter. Go looking and only three are showing - 10 March, 1 April and 10 April - so the rest may already have gone. The consolation is a calendar full of $9 days, including all but one day in April. Opening day is 20 November, weather permitting, and opening weekend is $19.

For years, Whitewater's Short Side was where you ducked a rope and hoped for the best: unmapped, ungroomed and unpatrolled. This winter it's inbounds. Six new runs of glades and fall-line skiing add 190 acres (about 77 hectares), taking the resort past 1,400 acres in total. F2 Logging spent a month in the trees to make it happen, and opening day is pencilled in for 4 December. Bonanza now needs less snow to groom, too.
Live open status isn’t available right now.
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
Days 1–7
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Days 8–14
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Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Our snow reports measure snowfall in centimeters over multiple time windows — last 24 hours, last 7 days, and the season total. Base depth reflects accumulation at the 750m base area, while summit depth captures conditions 506m higher at 1256m, where snow typically stays colder and lingers longer. Imperial conversions are shown alongside for convenience.
Wind and temperature swings matter as much as fresh snowfall. Cold, calm conditions hold snow quality well, while wind-loading or a warm-up can change things quickly — especially given the elevation spread between Saddleback's base and summit.
Snowfall and depth figures for Saddleback come from official mountain sources; weather and outlook data comes from independent forecasting services. The mountain is served by 6 lifts, including 3 quad chairlifts.
Conditions can change overnight, so mornings and late afternoons are the best times to check back on Saddleback.