Skiing in September in Colorado

Can you ski in Colorado in September?

No, you cannot ski in Colorado in September. Not a single resort runs winter lifts this month, and the high country is still in its summer and autumn season rather than its ski season. The famously long lived snowfields of the past have gone, and even Arapahoe Basin, the resort that opens earliest and closes latest in the state, does not turn its lifts for skiing in September.

What does happen in September is the quiet build up to winter. Arapahoe Basin typically wraps its summer operations of hiking and scenic rides around the third week of the month, then begins making snow on its lower runs once nighttime temperatures drop far enough, usually in the last days of September. That snowmaking is the first visible sign of the coming season, but it is preparation, not skiing. The lifts stay still until the resort has enough cover to open, which historically falls in mid to late October.

When does the Colorado ski season actually start?

The Colorado ski season starts in mid to late October, when Arapahoe Basin races to be the first resort open in the state. Its earliest opening dates on record sit in the second week of October, around October 9 to October 11 in the strongest early seasons, with a more typical opening in the third or fourth week of the month once snowmaking and the first natural storms combine.

The marquee destination resorts come later. Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail and the rest of the big names generally open from mid November into early December, building terrain as the snowpack deepens. So if you want a full mountain with most lifts running, you are planning for late November onward, not October and certainly not September. September is the month to lock in your dates while everything is still cheap and available.

Where can you ski in September instead of Colorado?

If you want to actually ski in September, you look south of the equator or to a glacier, not to Colorado. The Southern Hemisphere is finishing its winter this month, so New Zealand still has lifts turning at its higher fields before they wind down through the month, and the South American resorts in Chile and Argentina are in their late season. A handful of European glaciers also run autumn skiing.

For most travelers, though, September in Colorado is best spent preparing rather than chasing turns abroad. The single most valuable thing you can do is treat the month as your booking window: lodging, flights and lift access are all at their cheapest and most available before the winter rush, and the early bird pricing you secure now is the cheapest your trip will ever be.

What should you do in September to plan a Colorado ski trip?

Use September to lock the expensive, fast moving parts of a Colorado ski trip while prices are low and availability is wide open. Book your lodging first, because the best places in Vail, Breckenridge and Aspen sell out earliest for the peak holiday and powder weeks. Sort your multi resort season pass or lift access next, since the early season pass deadlines often fall in the autumn and the window prices later are far higher. Then book flights into Denver or Eagle County while fares are still soft.

This is also the month to decide your dates around the trade off between snow certainty and crowds. If snow reliability matters most, you are aiming for January and February. If value and quiet matter more, late March is the sweet spot. Either way, the planning you do in September is what determines both the cost and the quality of the trip you take months later.

What is the weather like in the Colorado high country in September?

September in the Colorado mountains is crisp and changeable, the hinge between summer and winter. Days are mild and often bright, the aspens turn brilliant gold through the second half of the month, and the high peaks above roughly 12,000 feet can catch their first dustings of snow on cold nights. Nighttime temperatures drop below freezing at altitude, which is exactly what lets the early resorts begin making snow.

It is a beautiful time to scout a resort town in person if you are choosing between bases, with golden aspen drives and quiet villages, but it is not a ski trip. Treat any snow you see on the summits as a promising sign for the season ahead rather than an invitation to bring your skis.

September in Colorado: the case for and against

Where to ski in Colorado in September

For September we would point you first at these, each with our full review:

• Arapahoe Basin. The first Colorado resort to open most years, in mid to late October, so it is the one to watch and book if you want the earliest possible turns.
• Keystone. An early opener with strong snowmaking and a family friendly layout, a smart pick to plan around for late November.
• Breckenridge. High, snowy and lively, one of the surest bets for a deep midwinter trip once you have booked early.
• Vail. The marquee Colorado mountain with vast terrain, best locked in now for the peak January and February weeks before prices climb.

Common questions