Ladies and gentlemen, skiers and snowboarders! The winter 26/27 ski season is unofficially underway.

Ski Ward, a humble but beloved ski area about 40 miles outside of Boston, used its high-tech Latitude 90 all-weather snowmaking machine to kick things off on Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25.

The Latitude 90 system can produce snow at temperatures upwards of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and with the first snowmaking test launched in September, Ski Ward was able to maintain its recent tradition of opening in October. The ski area was famously the first resort to open in the Fall of ’23 and has competed with the big resorts in Colorado ever since.

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Check out the video below explaining how the system works. Keep reading for more about the opening this past weekend.

The 2026/27 print issue of POWDER Magazine is here. Click here to have a copy shipped to your front door. Copies can also be found on newsstands at major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and more.

“This is our favorite weekend of the season,” Ski Ward’s Mikey Lacroix told Kevin’s Rope Tow in a short video on Facebook. “The vibes are so good; everybody is so excited, even though it’s a small patch of snow. People are just happy to get turns in.”

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Tap or click to watch the full video below. Keep reading for more.

Lacroix revealed that the current snowmaking pile is intended for a three-week beginner’s lesson program that starts on November 1st, but keep your eyes peeled for announcements on social media. He says Ski Ward will open it to the public, “as much as possible.”

In previous years, Ski Ward has carved out small park features on its October snowmaking pile, which should be enough for diehard skiers to scratch the itch before the season really gets underway.

While the small descent from Ski Ward’s magic carpet pales in comparison to Colorado’s typical early-season offerings, skiers rode a lift and skied down, which is enough in our book to say that Ski Ward has officially won the race to open.

With that said, Ski Ward is closed until at least November 1, and Colorado ski areas like Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Loveland, and Copper are aiming to open as early as this week and remain open for the rest of the season.

On that note, Colorado picked up a little natural snowfall over the weekend, and more is forecast later this week. Temperatures are expected to regularly drop below freezing as well, which should allow snowmakers to accomplish their final push in the race to open.

The season is underway, and more opening date announcements are expected in the coming days. Stick with us here at POWDER, we’ve got you covered.

The 2026/27 print issue of POWDER Magazine is here. Click here to have a copy shipped to your front door. Copies can also be found on newsstands at major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and more.

Related: The Story Behind POWDER Magazine’s 2026/27 Cover