54.5 % of the terrain: Wolf Creek reopens on 14 November after the floods
Snow on the spruce forest at Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado, in December 2014. Photo: Corey Leopold via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Wolf Creek Ski Area in southern Colorado reopens on Saturday 14 November 2026 with five lifts and about 54.5 % of its terrain. The ski area had been closed since floods damaged U.S. Highway 160 over Wolf Creek Pass on 1 November. The road opens for one weekend only: it closes again on Monday 16 November at 6:00 so that the repairs can continue.
In short
- Wolf Creek opens on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November 2026, from 9:00 to 16:00 local time.
- Five lifts run: Treasure Stoke, Bonanza, Tumbler, Lynx and Nova, for roughly 54.5 % of the terrain.
- Lift tickets cost $73 for adults, $55 for seniors and $36 for children.
- The pass road closes again on Monday 16 November at 6:00; it should reopen for good at Thanksgiving.
- The snow report of 12 November gave 21 inches (53 cm) at midway and 39 inches (99 cm) of snowfall so far.
Two weeks closed after a record start
Wolf Creek opened its 2026-27 season on Saturday 31 October. More than 600 skiers came on that first day, and the ski area was on its way to a record start, the Durango Herald reports. One day later, floods swept through Archuleta County and damaged the pass. The ski area closed at the request of local and state authorities.
On 12 November Pick-a-Ski reported that the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) aimed to open the pass that weekend, but that the ski area had no date. That date is now set. The Wolf Creek website announces the reopening and says that it works together with CDOT.
What opens on 14 and 15 November
The ski area lists these facts for the reopening weekend:
| Item | Reopening weekend |
|---|---|
| Days | Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November 2026 |
| Lifts | Treasure Stoke, Bonanza, Tumbler, Lynx, Nova |
| Hours | 9:00 to 16:00 |
| Terrain | roughly 54.5 % |
| Adult / senior / child ticket | $73 / $55 / $36 |
| Snow depth at midway (12 November) | 21 in (53 cm) |
| Snowfall this season (12 November) | 39 in (99 cm) |
More lifts will open when the ski area has enough staff, it says. The ski and snowboard school, the rental shop and the main lodge are open. The Magic Carpet runs only for children in the Wolf Pup and Rider programmes.
The snow report calls the surface "excellent early-season conditions with variable conditions". It also warns of unmarked obstacles, rocks and possible open water on any trail. Owner Roseanne Pitcher told the Durango Herald: "Some places will have powder. Some places will be windswept and we still have open water in some areas."
The drive: one lane and long delays
The pass road opens on Saturday 14 November at 7:00, from both Pagosa Springs and South Fork. It remains a construction zone. CDOT warns of up to 40 minutes of extra travel time, says KOB 4, which lists the work zones:
| Section of U.S. 160 | Traffic |
|---|---|
| South Fork to the summit (The Narrows, mile points 183 and 176) | one lane with traffic lights, up to 20 minutes of delay at each zone |
| Pagosa Springs to the summit | one lane in each direction on about 10 miles |
| Piedra River Bridge | closed; skiers from Durango drive a three-hour detour |
Drivers may not stop or park on the shoulders. A winter storm can also bring more closures, SnowBrains adds.
What comes after the weekend
The pass closes again on Monday 16 November at 6:00. In the words of the ski area, contractors then complete "week-long operations in anticipation of permanently opening the pass to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday". Thanksgiving is on Thursday 26 November 2026.
Whether Wolf Creek can open on 20 and 21 November is not clear. According to Pitcher, it depends on whether CDOT can pave 200 feet of the highway in time. The owners hope to run every day after Thanksgiving, the Durango Herald writes. As of 14 November 2026 the ski area gives no date for daily operations.
What this means for your skis
Wolf Creek is known for snow: Wikipedia gives an average of 430 inches (about 10.9 m) a year. In mid-November the base is still thin, and the ski area itself warns of rocks and open water. A soft-snow ski of 98–100 mm floats in the powder that Pitcher expects in some places and still turns on wind-packed snow.
| Ski | Waist | Radius (length) |
|---|---|---|
| K2 Mindbender 99Ti | 99 mm | 18.1 m (178 cm) |
| Faction Prodigy 2 | 98 mm | 18 m (177 cm) |
| Atomic Bent 100 | 100 mm | 19 m (179 cm) |
The figures are the makers' own; we compare them, we do not ski the products. To find a ski that fits your level and your home snow, use the Pick-a-Ski ski finder.
