Holiday Valley
Ski 290 acres across five mountain faces in Ellicottville, NY. 60 trails, 39 lit for night skiing and 180 inches of lake-effect snow annually.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
27 Nov 2026
Closes
4 Apr 2027
Days open
128
Annual snow
128in
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Holiday Valley opened on 7 January 1958 with four trails and a single T-bar, funded by shares sold for $100 each from a card table in an Ellicottville car park. The Win-Sum Ski Corporation raised enough to purchase 30 acres for $1,050, and from that modest beginning the resort has grown into the largest ski area in Western New York — now covering 290 acres across five mountain faces, with 60 runs served by 13 lifts.
The terrain profile is notably beginner-friendly at 37% green, 25% intermediate, 36% advanced and 2% expert, but the wide footprint across two valleys creates a ski area that skis considerably larger than its vertical of 750 feet suggests, with the five distinct terrain pods — each with its own character — giving the mountain genuine variety from the tight deciduous woods of the Snowpine area to the manicured pine-lined runs of the Tannenbaum zone. Ski Magazine has ranked Holiday Valley in its top ten Eastern resorts consistently, and two Holiday Valley products — freestyle skiers Jill Vogtli and Travis Mayer — competed in moguls at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.
The resort's night skiing operation is one of the most extensive in the Eastern United States, with 39 of the 60 trails lit for evening sessions — a figure that reflects Holiday Valley's orientation toward the regional day-trip and after-work market between Buffalo, Toronto, Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
The Sky High Mountain Coaster near the Tannenbaum Lodge runs a 2,490-foot track through the woods and operates year-round, adding a non-ski activity that extends the resort's appeal across seasons. The Lounsbury Adaptive Program provides tailored ski and snowboard instruction for visitors with physical and cognitive disabilities, and with approximately 500,000 annual visitors, Holiday Valley is Cattaraugus County's principal tourist attraction.
820ft
Vertical
60
Runs
290 acres
Skiable
128in
Annual snow
The Terrain
60 runs across 290 acres skiable
Holiday Valley is the biggest ski area in western New York, covering 290 acres (117 hectares) over five mountain faces at Ellicottville. A base at 1,500 ft (457 m) rises to 2,320 ft (707 m), a vertical of about 820 ft (250 m). Terrain across the 60 runs is split 37% beginner, 25% intermediate, 36% advanced and 2% expert. Eleven quad chairs and two surface lifts do the work, which is an unusually quad-heavy lineup, so lines stay moving and you can cover a lot of ground in a day.
Each of the five pods has its own personality. Snowpine has the tight woods and The Wall, a double black diamond, while Tannenbaum and Mistletoe run through pines near the main lodge. The original 1957 runs, Yodeler, Champagne, Holiday Run and Edelweiss, are still on the map. Holiday Valley suits families, groups and intermediates most of all, and advanced skiers get a healthy share of steeper trails to work through. Day visitors from Buffalo, Toronto, Pittsburgh and Cleveland make it a busy resort, and many of the trails are open for night skiing.
Terrain split
60
runs
60 runs across 4 grades
Beginner22 runs · 37%
Intermediate15 runs · 25%
Advanced22 runs · 36%
Expert1 run · 2%
Time it right
When to visit Holiday Valley
Holiday Valley operates from early December through to mid-April, with the 2025/26 season running 6 December to 13 April. The resort averages approximately 180 inches of annual snowfall — roughly double the annual totals recorded at competing resorts in Pennsylvania and the Catskills — driven by its position approximately 30 miles from Lake Erie, which delivers lake-effect snow systems reliably from late autumn through early spring.
Lake-effect events at this latitude produce high-frequency, moderate-intensity snowfall that accumulates steadily across the season and supplements the extensive snowmaking system to maintain a consistent base across all 290 acres. The current 2025/26 season has logged a base depth of around 24 inches with a season total approaching 88 inches as of early March, reflecting the reliable mid-winter accumulation the Western New York snowbelt regularly produces.
The combination of 180 inches of natural snowfall and 95% snowmaking coverage gives Holiday Valley one of the more dependable operating records of any Eastern US resort, with conditions remaining skiable well into April most years. The après-ski culture around Holiday Valley is well established, with the village of Ellicottville one mile from the base offering a concentration of restaurants, bars and accommodation that the resort directly benefits from — and which Ski Magazine has ranked among the better après destinations in the Eastern US, not far behind Tremblant and Killington in reader surveys.
College students access the mountain at a reduced rate on Sunday through Thursday evenings, and the Locals Sunday programme provides discounted access for residents within a one-hour radius including Buffalo, Erie and the Southern Ontario communities that make up a significant share of the resort's repeat visitor base.
Season 2026 - 2027
27 Nov 2026
Opens
4 Apr 2027
Closes
128
Days open
128 in
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Holiday Valley
Daily snow reports at Holiday Valley go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
9 in
Snowiest day
24 Jan 2026
0 in
This winter · 2026-27
so far
50 in
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
in
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Holiday Valley, and where to stay
Holiday Valley sits in Ellicottville in Cattaraugus County in the Southern Tier of New York State, on the edge of the Allegheny Plateau at the intersection of US Route 219 and the Western New York ski country belt. The resort is approximately 60 miles south of Buffalo, 90 miles from Rochester and around three hours from Toronto, placing it within a catchment area of some 10 million people in the Buffalo–Toronto–Pittsburgh–Cleveland corridor.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is the primary air gateway, around 65 miles north via Route 219, with a drive of under 90 minutes from the terminal to the resort base lodge under normal conditions. The Southern Ontario market is substantial enough that the resort operates dedicated information for Canadian visitors, and the strengthened cross-border ski traffic in this corridor reflects Holiday Valley's proximity to Hamilton, Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
The village of Ellicottville, a one-mile walk or short drive from the ski area, functions as a genuine mountain town rather than a purpose-built resort development — restaurants, bars, rental shops, accommodation and galleries occupy a compact main street that predates the resort and retains its own character independent of it.
Holimont, the other ski area in Ellicottville and one of the largest private ski clubs in North America, occupies the opposite side of town from Holiday Valley and is open to the public on weekdays, giving visitors to the area access to a second distinct mountain without driving. The Inn at Holiday Valley, which opened in 1995 and sits directly at the ski area base, provides ski-in accommodation for guests who prefer immediate slope access, and the resort's year-round calendar — golf, mountain biking, Sky High Adventure Park and the mountain coaster through spring and summer — gives Ellicottville material to draw visitors beyond the ski season.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Holiday Valley, powered by Stay22.
Good to know
Frequently asked
When is Holiday Valley's ski season?
Holiday Valley's 2026 - 2027 season typically runs from November 27 through April 4. That window is roughly 128 calendar days, though daily operations depend on snow cover, weather, and lift maintenance.
Resorts in New York, 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.
How much skiable terrain does Holiday Valley have?
Holiday Valley lists about 290 acres skiable of marked terrain spread across 60 named runs (117 hectares alongside 290 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.
What is the terrain like at Holiday Valley?
Trail grading at Holiday Valley breaks down roughly as 37% beginner, 25% intermediate, 36% advanced, 2% expert. The advanced and expert share is substantial, so confident skiers and riders will find plenty of steeper fall-line options once they leave the nursery slopes.
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.
How many lifts does Holiday Valley have?
Holiday Valley operates 13 lifts across 2 lift types. The fleet includes 11 quad chairs and 2 surface lifts.
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.
What is the elevation and vertical drop at Holiday Valley?
Base elevation at Holiday Valley is about 1,499 ft (457 m), with the summit around 2,320 ft (707 m), giving roughly 820 ft (250 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.
How much snow does Holiday Valley get each season?
Holiday Valley averages about 128 inches (325 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.
Where can I buy Holiday Valley lift tickets and how much do they cost?
Published single-day adult pricing on SnowStash currently spans US$35 to US$99, depending on date band and whether you are buying peak or regular windows. Multi-day products (season passes) usually lower the per-day cost if you are staying several days. 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.
How can I check snow and mountain conditions at Holiday Valley before I go?
SnowStash pulls together 6 live mountain webcams, a downloadable piste map, and the daily snow report for Holiday Valley 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.
Does Holiday Valley have a trail map?
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 Holiday Valley. 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.
Where is Holiday Valley located?
Holiday Valley sits in New York, 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.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
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30 Oct 2026
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30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
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29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
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Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season
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28 Oct 2026