Sunday River opens Monday for free Halloween-costume skiing, Killington for passholders

Sunday River is planning to open for skiing this Monday, November 3 on T2. The news gets better, wear a costume and you can ski or ride for free. Lift ticket are $29 if you are not in costume, so consider that a late Halloween skiing and snowboarding Treat. The only Trick would be if they managed to open earlier with the natural snow predicted.

In the perennial battle of snow guns as to who in the East claims first chair, Killington has beaten The River to the punch the last few ski seasons. Well, the Beast of the East is opening Monday November 3 for skiing too, but exclusively to Killington passholders, no lift tickets will be sold. The next day, Killington is open to all. Stowe Mountain Resort has also commenced snow making. The winner is the skier in this rush to drop ropes on early skiing.

Last season, Killington opened first on October 24, 2013, Sunday River followed October 26, 2013. In 2012 Killington was first on October 14 with Sunday River following on Election Day November 6. In 2011, it was a tie for Killington and Sunday River both opening October 29 in time for Halloween skiing.

Stay tuned and check in with each ski resort’s snow reports to get the first word on first chair.

Sunday River snow report

Killington snow conditions

Here’s to post-Halloween pre-Election Day skiing. Out west, Arapahoe Basin opened October 17, and Loveland nearby in Colorado opens tomorrow Nov 1. So it’s New England and Colorado for skiing, and football. Go Pats, then go skiing.

By Ski Guru Heather Burke, Sunday River photo by Greg Burke