Cool Off With These 4th of July Skiing Photos of Yesteryear

The POWDER staff is bummed.
It’s hot as heck, and there are only two places open in North America for lift-served skiing this 4th of July, Timberline Lodge and Banff Sunshine Village. Big SNOW American Dream, the indoor ski resort in New Jersey, is open, too, but you know what we mean.
With that said, the sweet memories of deeper snowpacks, bright sunshine, and slushy laps in the middle of summer led us down a path of reminiscing, rather, drooling, over these photos of yesteryear.
So, without further ado, here are some of the best photos we could find of skiers enjoying the 4th of July on snow. Warning: this article may cause intense FOMO and is not a complete list of every ski resort’s 4th of July history.

Snowbird, Utah, 2005

It’s been quite a few seasons since Snowbird has remained open through July 4th, but the accomplishment was once somewhat common. Just take a look at this day in 2005. Look how happy these skiers are. COVID hasn’t happened yet, today’s orange-faced President was still just a reality TV star and shady businessman, and I was still playing with Pokémon cards. Good times.

Mammoth Mountain, California, 2019

No stranger to summer skiing, Mammoth kept the lifts running through July 4th back in 2019. The resort followed up on the feat in 2023 by staying open through the first week of August. Mammoth closed after Memorial Day this year, but don’t be surprised if they log more Independence Day skiing in the future. If there’s snow, Mammoth will be open.

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, 2019

You already know Arapahoe Basin has the longest season in Colorado and one of the longest on average across the country. The resort is regularly open from October through June, but if enough snow falls, you can bet they’ll be open for the 4th of July. It seems even the recent acquisition by Alterra Mountain Company hasn’t changed that goal, either. That’s a good thing.

Palisades Tahoe, California, 2017, 2019

There’s a reason nearly every pro skier you know makes an annual pilgrimage to Palisades Tahoe, and it’s not for the Lake, believe it or not. Rather, Palisades’ terrain holds snow well throughout the spring, and if the stars align, the 4th of July is never out of the question. The photos below are from Palisades’ Independence Day openings in 2017 and 2019. The Alpine side of the resort was open for skiing in 2023, as well. Enjoy.

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