Schweitzer Mountain Resort is counting down to winter. The resort has announced a tentative opening date of Friday, November 27 for the 2026-27 ski season, conditions permitting, and unveiled a lineup of new programs, dining, and experiences for the season ahead.
For first-timers, the headline addition is "Learn to Ski in 3," a package that bundles three group lessons with lift access and rental equipment. Guests who complete all three sessions earn a Grad Pass good for unlimited skiing from March through closing day — a short, affordable path from never-ever to confident on the slopes.
Women skiers and riders get a new six-week Women's Wednesdays instructional program. Two private group experiences also join the lineup: the Crow's Bench Cellar Dinner, a six-course meal paired with wine selections, and the Rowdy Grouse Elopement Package, an on-mountain wedding option for parties of up to 10.
Dining is a theme this winter. The Schwagon, the resort's first food truck, debuted this past summer serving breakfast favorites and coffee, and the Lakeview Lodge gains a new candy and ice cream shop for the season.
The additions follow a five-year stretch of investment topping $75 million at the resort. President and chief operating officer Tom Chasse said the goal is straightforward: make a day at Schweitzer even better — easier to learn to ski, new places to grab breakfast, and more ways to enjoy the mountain.
The Nov. 27 target leaves roughly seven weeks of preparation: lift inspections, snowmaking readiness, and the annual wait on Mother Nature. This winter also brings the return of private night skiing, the resort's after-hours on-mountain experience, which debuted as one of last season's headline additions and proved popular with groups looking for the slopes after the lifts closed to the public.
For now the countdown is measured in announcements, not inches — but winter is officially on the calendar at Schweitzer.