
Maverick Mountain's summit reaches 8,520 feet, dropping 2,021 vertical feet to a base at 6,499 feet across 22 runs spread over 450 acres near Polaris, Montana. Average annual snowfall runs to roughly 250 inches across the resort's compact but genuinely varied terrain. The resort carries no major multi-resort pass affiliation. Two double chairs serve the mountain alongside one surface lift.
Maverick Mountain sits within the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest along the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway, roughly 40 miles from Dillon, in a genuinely remote corner of southwestern Montana. Its origins as a community-built facility for the Grasshopper Valley area give the resort a distinctly grassroots character that persists in its modest, uncrowded operation today. The mountain's proximity to Bannack State Park, site of Montana's first territorial capital and an 1862 gold rush boomtown, adds historic interest to the surrounding region.
The ski area opened in 1946 to serve the small Grasshopper Valley community, beginning with nothing more than a single rope tow. In a detail that speaks to the resort's resourceful, do-it-yourself origins, the lift's early support posts were reportedly dragged into place by draft horses given the lack of mechanised equipment available in the area at the time.
Randy Shilling ran Maverick Mountain for roughly 25 years, guiding the resort through decades of steady, unglamorous community operation. In 2015, Erik and Kristi Borge purchased the ski area, continuing its tradition as a small, independently run mountain. Specific current adult daily ticket pricing is not confirmed in available resort information.
Maverick Mountain spreads 22 runs across 450 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 40%, with 7 beginner runs to find your feet and 7 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
The 2025-26 season at Maverick Mountain ran through the winter months, supported by average annual snowfall of around 250 inches across the resort's compact terrain. Specific opening and closing dates for the 2025-26 season are not confirmed in available resort information, though the mountain typically operates through the core winter period given its elevation and snowfall totals.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to the resort's varied 450-acre terrain. Given Maverick's remote location roughly 40 miles from Dillon along the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway, the resort draws a genuinely small, dedicated skier base from the surrounding Beaverhead Valley region rather than national destination traffic.
As an independently operated resort without major pass affiliation, Maverick's visitor base skews heavily toward locals and regional skiers specifically seeking out its uncrowded, community-focused character. Weekend visitation draws primarily from Dillon and the broader southwestern Montana region, with the mountain's remote setting naturally limiting crowds throughout the season.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Erik and Kristi Borge's 2015 purchase, following Randy Shilling's roughly 25-year tenure, the resort has continued its tradition as a modest, independently run community mountain. Maverick's proximity to Bannack State Park's gold rush history remains a distinctive point of regional interest for visitors throughout the winter.
Maverick Mountain sits near Polaris, Montana, within the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest along the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway, with a base elevation of 6,499 feet and a summit at 8,520 feet across a 2,021-foot vertical drop over 450 acres. This remote southwestern Montana setting places the resort roughly 40 miles from the nearest larger town.
Dillon, the nearest town of any size, provides lodging, dining and services within a considerable drive of the resort. The historic Bannack State Park, site of Montana's first territorial capital and an 1862 gold rush boomtown, lies within the same broader region, adding a notable historic attraction for visitors to the area.
The Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway provides access to the resort, a route valued for its scenery but requiring careful winter driving given the remote, mountainous terrain it traverses. Snow and ice are common on this route during winter months, and traction tyres or chains are often advisable during storms. There is no direct public transport service to the resort.
Bert Mooney Airport in Butte is the nearest airport with commercial service, a considerable drive from the resort. This distance reinforces Maverick Mountain's identity as a genuinely remote destination reached deliberately by regional skiers rather than a convenient fly-in resort.
Hotels and lodges near Maverick Mountain, powered by Stay22.

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.

Mammoth got its first snow of 2026-27 on Monday 28 September - and promptly lost it by Tuesday morning. Barely an inch fell at McCoy Station, but with opening day pencilled in for Friday 13 November, it's the first sign the Sierra is waking up. Last year's date slipped from 14 November to 20 November, so nobody's booking flights on a dusting just yet. Here's where California's early openers stand.
Maverick Mountain's 2026 - 2027 season typically runs from December 19 through March 28. That window is roughly 99 calendar days, though daily operations depend on snow cover, weather, and lift maintenance.
Resorts in Montana, Usa often announce firm dates closer to winter; check the live snow report before you travel if you are planning around opening weekend or spring closure.
Maverick Mountain lists about 450 acres skiable of marked terrain spread across 22 named runs (182 hectares alongside 450 acres skiable). That footprint is what most riders experience on a lift-served day. Side-country or hike-to terrain may sit outside these published numbers.
Use the trail map to see how the mountain is laid out and where the longest fall-line runs connect back to base.
Trail grading at Maverick Mountain breaks down roughly as 30% beginner, 40% intermediate, 30% advanced. The mix is balanced enough for mixed-ability groups, so learners can stay on marked green/blue (Green/Blue) terrain while stronger skiers peel off to steeper pitches.
Percentages describe the resort's published piste mix, not vertical feet. A mountain with modest "expert" stats can still feel demanding if the steep terrain is long or exposed. Read the trail map alongside these numbers when planning your route.
Maverick Mountain operates 2 lifts across 2 lift types. The fleet includes 1 double chair and 1 surface lift.
Lift mix affects how quickly you can lap your favourite zones. Gondolas and trams move big crowds to mid-mountain, while shorter chairs and surface lifts often serve learning areas or local pods. Check the live snow report on ski days for real-time open/closed status.
Base elevation at Maverick Mountain is about 6,499 ft (1,981 m), with the summit around 8,520 ft (2,597 m), giving roughly 2,021 ft (616 m) of vertical from base to top.
Higher start heights usually mean colder, drier snow holding longer into spring, but also thinner air and faster weather changes. Pack layers if you are riding from village level to summit lifts in one day.
Maverick Mountain averages about 154 inches (391 cm) of natural snowfall per season. That is a long-term climate figure. Any single winter can run well above or below it depending on storm track and temperature.
For trip planning, pair this baseline with the live snow report and webcams: fresh cycles show up in overnight totals and summit cameras long before season averages tell you much about today's surface.
Published single-day adult pricing on SnowStash currently spans US$20 to US$45, depending on date band and whether you are buying peak or regular windows. Tickets can be bought online through the resort's official checkout (linked from our lift tickets page) or at on-mountain ticket windows, subject to availability.
Buying ahead of peak holidays and weekends generally saves money and guarantees access on sold-out days. Before you commit, scan the snow report and webcams so you are paying for conditions that match your expectations.
SnowStash pulls together 1 live mountain webcam, a downloadable piste map, and the daily snow report for Maverick Mountain so you can plan from home. Webcams refresh on a short interval and are the fastest way to judge visibility, wind exposure, and whether storm snow is still falling.
The snow report adds structured totals, base depth where available, and lift/trail status when the resort publishes it. Use both together: cameras show what it looks like right now, and the report summarises numbers your group can compare day to day.
Yes. The downloadable PDF/image map is better for offline planning, marking meeting points, and understanding the full mountain layout at a glance.
Both versions are on the trail map page for Maverick Mountain. If you are navigating with kids or meeting friends across separate lifts, screenshot or print the static map and keep the live map open on your phone for operational updates.
Maverick Mountain sits in Montana, Usa. That regional context matters for travel planning: airport transfers, snow tyres, and typical storm patterns all follow geography as much as resort marketing.
Browse nearby accommodation from the resort page if you are comparing village-base vs valley-base stays; where you sleep changes your first lift of the day more than most trail stats do.