The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Snowy Range's summit reaches 9,633 feet, dropping 837 vertical feet to a base at 8,796 feet across 33 runs spread over 75 acres in the Medicine Bow National Forest. Terrain splits 40 per cent intermediate, 30 per cent advanced and 30 per cent beginner, with no expert-rated runs. The 8,796-foot base is among the highest of any Wyoming ski area. Average annual snowfall reaches roughly 230 inches, and the resort carries no major multi-resort pass affiliation.
At 75 acres, Snowy Range is one of the smallest ski areas in Wyoming, with 33 runs packed into a compact footprint relative to its run count. The 837-foot vertical drop is modest, suiting the resort's intermediate-leaning terrain split. Three lifts serve the full mountain, keeping travel between runs short. The absence of expert-rated terrain makes this a more approachable mountain than nearby higher-vertical resorts.
Snowy Range sits within the Medicine Bow National Forest, an area used historically by the Northern Arapaho, Oglala Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, Eastern Shoshone and White River Ute peoples. The Snowy Range itself was named in 1871 for the high peaks that hold snow through summer. Nearby Snowy Range Lodge, built in 1919 and completed in 1924, predates the ski area and now sits on the National Register of Historic Places. The ski area's high-elevation forest setting gives it a more rugged, undeveloped character than Wyoming's larger destination resorts.
With no major pass affiliation, Snowy Range operates independently of the Ikon, Epic, Indy and Mountain Collective networks used by larger Wyoming resorts. Adult day tickets range from 54 to 74 US dollars depending on date and peak status, with a season pass priced at 399 dollars. A senior ticket for skiers 70 and over is free. The resort suits University of Wyoming students and Laramie-area locals seeking an accessible, affordable mountain over a destination resort experience.
837ft
Vertical
33
Runs
75 acres
Skiable
19ft
Annual snow
The Terrain
33 runs across 75 acres skiable
Snowy Range spreads 33 runs across 75 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 40%, with 10 beginner runs to find your feet and 10 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
33
runs
33 runs across 4 grades
Beginner10 runs · 30%
Intermediate13 runs · 40%
Advanced10 runs · 30%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Snowy Range
The 2025-26 season at Snowy Range ran from 7 December 2025 to 29 March 2026, a roughly sixteen-week window. The resort's high base elevation of 8,796 feet supports a reasonably long season despite its small size and modest 837-foot vertical drop. Season dates shift year to year based on snowpack in the Medicine Bow National Forest. The late March close is typical for a mountain at this elevation without a major snowmaking investment.
Average annual snowfall of roughly 230 inches supports Snowy Range's season length, drawing on the Medicine Bow range's position to catch weather systems crossing southeastern Wyoming. The mountain's 8,796-foot base helps retain snow better than lower-elevation areas nearby. Specific snowmaking coverage is not confirmed in available resort information, suggesting a heavier reliance on natural snowfall than at larger, investment-backed resorts. Base depth and season totals vary year to year with Medicine Bow snowpack.
January and February typically offer the most reliable conditions once the season's snowpack has built up across the compact 75-acre terrain. The resort's proximity to Laramie, 32 miles away, makes it a practical option for University of Wyoming students and staff throughout the winter. Weekday visits are likely quieter than weekends, given the resort's role serving a local rather than destination market. Late-season conditions in March can vary with Medicine Bow's spring snowpack pattern.
Snowy Range does not appear to operate night skiing or a documented events calendar based on available resort information. The area's role as an accessible, affordable mountain for the Laramie region shapes its operating priorities more than event programming. The historic Snowy Range Lodge nearby, dating to 1924, offers a separate lodging and dining draw beyond the ski area itself. As one of Wyoming's smaller ski areas, the calendar centres on straightforward, reliable weekend and holiday operation.
Season 2025 - 2026
7 Dec 2025
Opens
29 Mar 2026
Closes
112
Days open
19 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Snowy Range, and where to stay
Snowy Range sits within the Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern Wyoming, roughly five miles from the small town of Centennial. Base elevation is 8,796 feet, with the summit reaching 9,633 feet across an 837-foot vertical drop. The Snowy Range peaks themselves, visible from the ski area, hold snow through much of the summer, the source of the range's 1871 name. The surrounding forest is high-elevation and undeveloped rather than a built-up resort corridor.
Laramie, home to the University of Wyoming, lies 32 miles away, making Snowy Range the closest ski area to the university town. Centennial, the nearer of the two, offers a smaller service town directly on the approach route. The Medicine Bow National Forest carries deep historical significance, having been used by the Northern Arapaho, Oglala Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, Eastern Shoshone and White River Ute peoples. The historic Snowy Range Lodge, built in the 1920s, sits nearby as a separate lodging landmark.
Wyoming Highway 130, the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, provides the main access route from Laramie through Centennial to the ski area. The drive from Laramie takes under an hour under normal winter conditions, climbing steadily into the Medicine Bow range. Winter driving on the byway can include snowpack and closures during heavy storms, given the route's high-elevation forest crossing. No public transport service runs to the resort, making a car the only practical way to arrive.
Laramie Regional Airport offers limited commercial service and is the nearest airport, roughly 32 miles from the resort. Denver International Airport, around three hours south by road, offers substantially more flight options for visitors from further afield. Cheyenne Regional Airport provides a closer but more limited alternative to Denver. Most visitors drive to Snowy Range from Laramie or Denver rather than flying directly into a nearby regional airport.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Snowy Range, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Snowy Range Webcams
4 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
About Snowy Range's live webcams
Check live conditions across Snowy Range with 4 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
- Base8,835ft
- This Snowy Range web cam overlooks the base area operations from the heart of Medicine Bow National Forest. Perfect for checking morning conditions and activity at the resort's main hub.
- Sundance Lift9,350ft
- Looking out over one of the resort's primary lifts, this Snowy Range web cam monitors the Sundance area and surrounding terrain. Essential for checking conditions on the mountain's intermediate runs.
- Chute Lift12,008ft
- Located at the Chute lift area, this Snowy Range web cam provides views of the resort's more challenging terrain. Ideal for advanced riders checking conditions before heading to the steeper sections of the mountain.
- Colt Carpet8,835ft
- This Snowy Range web cam surveys the beginner learning area and magic carpet lift. Perfect for families and newcomers monitoring conditions in the resort's dedicated learning zone.
Snowy Range snow cams FAQ
How often do Snowy Range snow cams update?
All Snowy Range 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 Snowy Range.
Which Snowy Range webcam shows the best powder conditions?
The high-elevation Chute Lift webcam at 3,660m provides the clearest view of powder conditions and snowfall. These Snowy Range webcams capture fresh snow accumulation and visibility better than base area cameras.
Can I see Snowy Range lift queues on the webcams?
Yes. Multiple Snowy Range 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 Snowy Range snow cams?
Check Snowy Range 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 Snowy Range lift tickets?
Use our Snowy Range 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 Snowy Range webcams work on mobile devices?
Yes. All Snowy Range snow cams and webcams are optimized for mobile viewing, so you can check live conditions from anywhere using your phone or tablet.
More Snowy Range intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.