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 →Stays map loads when you scroll here
Hotels and lodges near Holiday Valley, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Mammoth Mountain Opens Early on November 5 With Up to 33 Inches of Snow in the Forecast
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.
3 Nov 2026
Utah Snow Storm Builds Early-Season Base Ahead of November Openings
Rain down low, snow up high, and a snow report full of zeros that mostly means ‘not updated yet’. Utah’s first proper storm of 2026-27 is rolling through the Wasatch, Snowbird’s snow stake is closing in on 10 inches, and Brian Head is five days from opening day. Early November snow rarely looks like much, but it is the layer every November opening date is built on. Here is where it stands.
1 Nov 2026
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Holiday Valley Webcams
6 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
About Holiday Valley's live webcams
Check live conditions across Holiday Valley with 6 real-time webcams showing snow, weather, and lift operations, updated every 10 minutes. Check high-elevation cams for powder visibility and base-area cams for crowd levels before you head up.
Camera guide
- Holiday Cindy's Summit2,037ft
- Holiday valley webcam at Cindy's Summit at 621 meters gives advanced skiers a real-time look at the central terrain zone above the Cindy chair — one of the five distinct mountain faces that together give this 290-acre Ellicottville resort a footprint that skis considerably larger than its 750-foot vertical suggests. This live cam reveals current snow quality and trail coverage on the upper mountain runs that connect to the Snowpine area, where lake-effect systems arriving from Lake Erie 30 miles away deposit the 180 inches of annual snowfall that distinguishes Holiday Valley from its Pennsylvania and Catskills competitors. A practical morning check before hitting the more demanding terrain in the Snowpine sector below.
- Main Lodge1,499ft
- All holiday valley webcams together give a full picture of the mountain, and the Main Lodge feed at 457 meters is where most days begin — the base hub where the Mardi Gras Express departs and the bulk of daily visitor traffic flows through. This live cam captures lift loading, base snow conditions and arrival crowd levels, essential viewing for Buffalo-based skiers 60 miles north who want a real-time read before making the drive down Route 219 on a weekend morning. Combine it with the Mardi Gras Summit camera above for a complete base-to-upper-mountain view of Western New York's largest ski area.
- Mardi Gras Summit2,257ft
- Conditions on Holiday Valley's primary intermediate terrain are visible through this holiday valley webcam at the Mardi Gras Express summit at 688 meters — the top of the main artery connecting the central base lodge to the upper mountain and the starting point for the resort's best-groomed cruising runs. This live cam surveys the broad sweep of intermediate trails below, where 95% snowmaking coverage across 611 automated snow guns maintains consistent base depths through the variable Western New York shoulder season and well into April. The view here also gives night skiers a useful advance look at illumination and conditions across the 39 trails that Holiday Valley lights for evening sessions — one of the most extensive night skiing operations in the Eastern US.
- Morning Star Summit2,264ft
- The webcam holiday valley regulars use least on busy weekends is often the most rewarding — Morning Star Summit at 690 meters surveys the eastern face terrain that offers genuine separation from main-lodge crowds when the Mardi Gras corridor is at peak flow. This live cam reveals current snow coverage and visibility across the runs below, fed by the same lake-effect systems off Lake Erie that deliver roughly double the annual snowfall of comparable resorts in Pennsylvania and the Catskills. A useful secondary check for intermediate skiers from Toronto and Southern Ontario before the three-hour drive to Ellicottville.
- Tannenbaum2,320ft
- From the highest point in the Holiday Valley ski resort webcam network at 707 meters, the Tannenbaum camera surveys the pine-lined terrain zone that gives this area its distinct character — manicured runs through denser tree cover that feels noticeably different from the open intermediate faces elsewhere across the resort's five-pod layout. This live cam covers the Tannenbaum Lodge zone and slopes below, with the Sky High Mountain Coaster's 2,490-foot track through the surrounding woods nearby for families tracking non-ski activity options alongside conditions. The Tannenbaum quad's efficient uphill flow contributes to the lift-to-acreage ratio that gives Holiday Valley its reputation for skiing like a larger mountain.
- The Wall1,539ft
- The holiday valley live webcam at the Snowpine area at 469 meters is the essential pre-session check before dropping into The Wall — the resort's only double-black trail and most technically demanding run, tucked into the tight deciduous woodland of the Snowpine zone that feels unlike anywhere else on the mountain. This live cam provides a direct look at current conditions on terrain that two Holiday Valley alumni — moguls competitors Jill Vogtli and Travis Mayer — trained on before the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, and which remains the benchmark challenge for expert skiers visiting Ellicottville. The Snowpine base is accessible only via a short lift ride from the main area, keeping this sector cleanly separated from family traffic elsewhere on the resort.
Holiday Valley snow cams FAQ
How often do Holiday Valley snow cams update?
All Holiday Valley snow cams and webcams update every 10 minutes with fresh images showing current mountain conditions. This frequent update schedule ensures you have access to near real-time conditions for planning your ski day at Holiday Valley.
Which Holiday Valley webcam shows the best powder conditions?
The high-elevation Tannenbaum webcam at 707m provides the clearest view of powder conditions and snowfall. These Holiday Valley webcams capture fresh snow accumulation and visibility better than base area cameras.
Can I see Holiday Valley lift queues on the webcams?
Yes. Multiple Holiday Valley snow cams specifically show lift queue areas and chairlift operations, helping you time your arrival and avoid peak queue periods.
When is the best time to check Holiday Valley snow cams?
Check Holiday Valley webcams early morning (7-8am) for overnight snowfall assessment, and mid-afternoon for current crowd levels and weather. The live cams are most useful after storm events to assess fresh powder.
How can I check current conditions before buying Holiday Valley lift tickets?
Use our Holiday Valley webcams alongside the live snow report to assess conditions before purchasing lift tickets. The webcams show real-time visibility, snow quality, and operational status.
Do Holiday Valley webcams work on mobile devices?
Yes. All Holiday Valley snow cams and webcams are optimized for mobile viewing, so you can check live conditions from anywhere using your phone or tablet.
More Holiday Valley intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.