7 Shocking Colorado Snow Totals That Saved The 2025 Thanksgiving Ski Season

The Thanksgiving 2025 holiday delivered a dramatic and much-needed shift in Colorado’s winter narrative, transforming a slow start into a promising early season. This recap, based on data from the end of November 2025 and early December, details how a powerful storm system dumped significant snowfall across the high country, providing a critical boost to the state's snowpack and ensuring prime conditions for travelers and skiers during the crucial holiday weekend. The sudden accumulation was a welcome sight for ski resorts and winter enthusiasts alike, though it presented challenging mountain travel conditions.

The snowfall event was particularly notable because it immediately followed a period of below-average snowpack, proving that even a single, well-timed storm can drastically impact the outlook for the entire 2025-2026 ski season. While the Denver metro area experienced relatively mild, dry weather on Thanksgiving Day itself, the mountains were buried under impressive totals, setting the stage for a strong December.

Thanksgiving 2025 Storm Recap: The Critical Snowfall Totals

The days surrounding Thanksgiving 2025 saw Colorado's high country receive a powerful winter storm, with many areas picking up accumulations of between a foot and two feet of fresh powder. This event was a major turning point, as the state's median average snowpack was sitting at a concerning 41% of average just before the holiday, according to data from November 24, 2025.

• The Facts Of Life Cast Where Are Eastlands Girls Now 2024 Updates 2tx8p

The storm's intensity was concentrated in the northern and central mountains, providing a crucial early-season base. For travelers and residents, these snow totals were a clear indication that winter had finally arrived, requiring immediate adjustments to mountain travel conditions and holiday plans. The following are the most significant snow totals measured from the Thanksgiving 2025 storm, highlighting the areas where the snowpack saw the biggest gains:

• Cameron Pass: A staggering 10.8 inches of new snow.
• Rabbit Ears Pass: Also reported 10.8 inches, solidifying the base for Steamboat.
• Mount Zirkel: Measured 9.3 inches, contributing significantly to the northern mountains.
• Loveland Pass: Saw a healthy accumulation, vital for the I-70 corridor ski areas.
• Northern Mountains: Many locations in this region saw accumulations exceeding one foot.
• Central Mountains: Experienced a significant refresh, with some areas approaching two feet of snow.
• CoCoRaHS Observers: Two observers reported totals of 16.5 and 15.8 inches, demonstrating the localized intensity of the storm.

This powerful burst of snow was the "high country hope" that skiers and resort operators had been waiting for, effectively rebounding the early season snowpack after a warm meteorological fall 2025.

Early Season Ski Resort Opening Dates and Conditions (2025-2026)

The timing of the Thanksgiving snow was perfect for many Colorado ski resorts, which rely on the holiday weekend to kickstart their operational season. While some resorts, like Keystone Resort and Arapahoe Basin, managed to open in late October 2025, the late November storm provided the necessary base for more terrain expansion.

• Shania Twains Bold Statement Why The Star Chose Nude Photoshoots At 57 Qf9cg

The early season conditions for the 2025-2026 ski season were directly influenced by this snowfall. Resorts that were already open saw a massive influx of fresh powder, while others were able to meet their projected opening dates with confidence. The ability to open more lifts and runs dramatically improved the overall Colorado ski conditions for the holiday crowds.

Key resort opening dates for the 2025 season included:

• Keystone Resort: Opened on October 25, 2025.
• Arapahoe Basin: Opened on October 26, 2025.
• Vail: Opened on November 14, 2025.
• Breckenridge Ski Resort: Opened on November 7, 2025.
• Beaver Creek: Projected opening on November 26, 2025 (just before Thanksgiving).
• Steamboat: Projected opening on November 22, 2025.
• Aspen Mountain: Projected opening on November 27, 2025 (Thanksgiving Day).

The significant snow totals meant that resorts like Monarch Mountain, Purgatory, and Powderhorn, which were scheduled to open in mid-to-late November, had a solid foundation to welcome guests. The storm ensured that the early season snowpack was sufficient to support the initial wave of skiers and snowboarders.

• 7 Shocking Things Jessica Capshaw Revealed About Growing Up With Steven Spielberg As Her Stepfather 892ho

The Long-Range 2026 Outlook and Winter Predictions

Looking beyond the successful Thanksgiving storm, the long-range winter forecast for the remainder of the 2025-2026 season in Colorado remains a topic of intense interest. Forecasters, including those who contribute to the Old Farmer's Almanac and long-range specialists like Chris Tomer, have provided mixed but generally optimistic predictions.

The overall national outlook from some sources suggests a "mild" domination, but this is tempered by predictions of "deep snowfall and strong winds" specifically hitting certain high-elevation regions, which is excellent news for the Colorado High Country.

The Role of Freezing Levels

A key factor in the 2025-2026 snowfall predictions is the freezing level. Forecasts suggest winter temperatures will be above normal, with the coldest periods not expected until mid-December. This means the snowiness of the season may heavily "hinge on the freezing level." If temperatures remain cold enough in the mountains, the slightly above-normal precipitation could translate directly into substantial snowfall.

Denver’s Post-Holiday Chill

While the mountains were getting buried, Denver's Thanksgiving Day was mild, with a high of 56°F and no precipitation. However, the weather shifted dramatically *after* the holiday, with the metro area bracing for the season's coldest temperatures and a potential first snow event in early December, confirming the arrival of winter to the plains as well.

Preparing for Mountain Travel

For those planning mountain travel conditions for the upcoming winter, the Thanksgiving 2025 storm serves as a strong reminder of the volatility and intensity of Colorado weather. Travelers should always check the most current road conditions, especially over major passes like Loveland Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass, as heavy snowfall and strong winds can lead to rapid closures and chain laws. The success of the early season snowpack is a positive sign for the ski season, but it necessitates careful planning for all road trips into the mountains.