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Sunlight ski resort
Indy PassBuy pass
Tier B — Favored

📷 Sunlight

North America

Sunlight

Closed for the season

Season ended April 5, 2026

Conditions data updated Sat, Aug 29, 01:02 PM UTC · informational only

Closed for the season — closed April 5

Weather data is still collected for informational purposes.

Last Snowfall

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Past 24 Hours

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Past 48 Hours

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Past 10 Days

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14-Day Forecast

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Snow Depth

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🎿

Powder Days

5

2026–27 season

Updated: Aug 29, 1:02 PM•Weather at base: 2403m

Overview

Sunlight is a ski resort in North America, United States, currently closed for the season (Season ended April 5, 2026). Conditions last updated 2026-08-29 13:02 UTC.

Resort Guide

Sunlight Mountain Resort is located near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, offering over 700 acres of skiable terrain with a mix of beginner, intermediate, and advanced runs. The resort is known for its relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, affordable lift tickets, and uncrowded slopes. Signature experiences include wide-open cruisers, tree skiing, and the unique Ute trail, one of the longest runs in Colorado. Key amenities feature a base lodge with dining, equipment rentals, ski school, and convenient access to nearby hot springs.

Resort Info

Summit3016m
Base2403m
Vertical613m
Lifts3
Runs77
Skiable Area740 acres
Average snowfall227 inches / 577 cm
CountryUnited States
Visit Resort Website →Follow on Instagram →View Trail Map →

Season dates

Season endedApril 5, 2026
Projected openingDecember 12, 2026

Future dates are operator estimates and may change.

Ski passes

Indy Pass

Buy pass →

Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.

Top Après Ski

The Last Turn Lounge – Known for its welcoming atmosphere and rustic charm, this classic après-ski bar at Sunlight Mountain Resort is a favorite for skiers to unwind with local brews, hearty food, and live music, making it a central hub for post-slope relaxation and socializing.

Snow Summary

3016mECMWF Model

Updated Aug 29, 2026 at 1:02 PM

0cm
24h
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Past 10d
14-Day Forecast
0
Prev10d
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Now29
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S30
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M31
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T1
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W2
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T3
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F4
Past
Today
Forecast

Snowfall Forecast Maps

Rockies & Southwest region

Current Conditions

Reported Sat, Aug 29, 01:02 PM UTC

Depth by source

every reading we have
  • SNOTELSummit 0cm

The headline depth uses the most trusted available source. We show every reading so you can judge for yourself.

Base

2403m

Temp

14.4°C

Wind

1.6km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

0cm

Mid-Mountain

2710m

Temp

12.4°C

Wind

1.6km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

0cm

Summit

3016m

Temp

10.4°C

Wind

1.6km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

0cm

El Niño Outlook · Winter 2026-27

Sunlight El Niño rank & forecast

Sunlight ranks #131 of 488 SnowSure resorts — Tier B, +6% in strong El Niño winters.

Tier B — Favored: Modest El Niño upside (+3% to +8% vs normal). Often a solid pick, without the biggest Andes-style swings.

#131 of 488Tier B — Favored

Strong-event signal: +6% vs this resort's 30-yr avg

In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Sunlight averaged +6% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically leaned mildly in this resort's favor for winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 +0%, '15-16 +1%, '23-24 +18%. A pattern, not a promise.

'97-98 0%'15-16 +1%'23-24 +18%

Signal = average snowfall in the three strongest El Niño winters since 1996 ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24) vs this resort's own 30-year ERA5 baseline. n=3 — a lean, not a law. Updated monthly against measured snowfall Dec–Mar.

Full El Niño report →

Live Conditions

Sunlight Webcams

All Webcams

Sunlight Mountain Resort

Sunlight Mountain Resort

2 webcams • Click to expand

Snow Stake Cam

All Snow Stake Cams

Sunlight Mountain Resort

1 snow stake cam • Click to expand

Local Reports

0 reports
SnowSure™ Forecast Range

Daily Snowfall Forecast by Model

Black line = verified SnowSure™ blend (not a simple average). Weights update weekly from measured snowfall at SNOTEL stations and resort reports.

SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting

The black line is not a simple average. For Sunlight (rockies), we combine seven global weather models using weights learned from daily forecast verification — comparing each model's prediction to measured snowfall (SNOTEL, resort reports, ERA5).

  • 1.Horizon buckets: days 1–3, 4–7, and 8–14 each get separate weights — short-range skill differs from long-range.
  • 2.Regional calibration: weights come from verified error in this geography (Rockies, Alps, Japan, etc.), recalculated weekly.
  • 3.Ground truth only: we never grade a forecast against another model — only against measured snow.

Building verification history for this resort.

How we verify forecasts →

Hourly Forecast Detail

AM / PM / Night breakdown with wind and freezing level

NWP models refresh up to 4× daily · Last synced Aug 29, 1:02 PM

Hourly Forecast Detail
 
Today
22 / 96.3mm
Sun, Aug 30
14 / 719.2mm
Mon, Aug 31
16 / 61.9mm
Tue, Sep 1
17 / 62mm
Wed, Sep 2
18 / 52.4mm
Thu, Sep 3
19 / 50.3mm
PeriodAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Snow (cm)000000000000000000
Precip (mm)0.251.110.85.62.80.30.610.60.80.61.10.90.40.20.10
Temp (°C)1419108128916891698169101911
Wind (km/h)3112361153282271351
Gusts (km/h)184415233012132214183020212920152918

14-Day Snow Forecast by Model

Summit elevation (3016m)

ECMWF
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GFS
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GEM
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JMA
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ICON
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Météo-Fr
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SnowSure™
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10-Day Forecast

Today

29

🌧️

21.6°

8.7°

14 km/h

Sun

30

🌧️

14.1°

6.8°

11 km/h

Mon

31

🌧️

16.4°

5.9°

7 km/h

Tue

1

🌧️

16.8°

5.9°

9 km/h

Wed

2

🌧️

17.5°

5.2°

8 km/h

Thu

3

🌧️

19.1°

5°

7 km/h

Fri

4

🌧️

18.7°

6.4°

6 km/h

Sat

5

🌧️

19°

7.1°

4 km/h

Sun

6

🌧️

20.9°

7.1°

3 km/h

Mon

7

🌧️

20.2°

8.2°

10 km/h

Summit elevation (3016m) • ECMWF model

Avalanche

Off-season — no rating published

Colorado Avalanche Information Center

Watch for signs of unstable snow such as recent avalanches, cracking in the snow, and audible collapsing. Avoid traveling on or under similar slopes.

Read the official bulletin ↗

SnowSure relays the official avalanche bulletin and does not issue avalanche forecasts. Read the full bulletin at the issuer’s link and make your own terrain decisions. Not a substitute for avalanche education, equipment, or local knowledge.

Getting There

Drive times & access

Last updated 12:54 PM

6 cameras · 3 sensors nearby

Official map ↗

Drive conditions

Quiet — No winter restrictions — typical off-season pavement

No chain controls or closures on the highways SnowSure watches near Sunlight. Nearest roadside sensor (I-70 117.65 Westbound at West No Name Tunnel, 18.1 km): Above freezing, air 16°C. Late-season / summer readings are not a winter forecast. The resort road status and the official DOT map are authoritative — re-check before you drive.

SnowSure take from the live sensors. Not the resort's road status.

Roadside weather sensors

I-70 117.65 Westbound at West No Name Tunnel

18.1 km · CDOT

Above freezing

Road surface
20°C
Air
16°C
Wind
4 km/h
Precip
no precipitation

Updated 12:54 PM

I-70 120.85 Westbound : 0.2 mile West of Grizzly Creek Rest Area

19.4 km · CDOT

Above freezing

Road surface
19°C
Air
17°C
Wind
1 km/h
Precip
no precipitation

Updated 12:54 PM

I-70 108.95 Westbound at Canyon Creek Road

21.7 km · CDOT

Above freezing

Air
18°C
Wind
10 km/h
Precip
other

Updated 12:54 PM

Highway cameras near Sunlight

CO 82 MP 012.30 WB : 0.6 miles E of CO 133 — Looking East road camera
CO 82 MP 012.30 WB : 0.6 miles E of CO 133 — Looking East11.1 km · CDOT
CO 82 MP 012.30 WB : 0.6 miles E of CO 133 — Looking at Road Surface road camera
CO 82 MP 012.30 WB : 0.6 miles E of CO 133 — Looking at Road Surface11.1 km · CDOT
CO 82 MP 012.30 WB : 0.6 miles E of CO 133 — Looking West road camera
CO 82 MP 012.30 WB : 0.6 miles E of CO 133 — Looking West11.1 km · CDOT
I-70 MP 116.60 EB at Grand Ave in Glenwood Springs road camera
I-70 MP 116.60 EB at Grand Ave in Glenwood Springs16.5 km · CDOT
I-70 MP 116.20 EB : 0.4 miles W of CO 82 in Glenwood Springs road camera
I-70 MP 116.20 EB : 0.4 miles W of CO 82 in Glenwood Springs16.8 km · CDOT
I-70 MP 116.85 EB : 0.4 miles E of Grand Ave in Glenwood Springs road camera
I-70 MP 116.85 EB : 0.4 miles E of Grand Ave in Glenwood Springs16.8 km · CDOT

Live highway sensors & cameras within ~30–40 km, via CDOT. Conditions on the drive, not the mountain — the resort's own road status is authoritative. Always re-check before a winter drive.

Season vs Historic

Updated Sat, Aug 29, 01:02 PM UTC

0cm

Season Total

This Season to Date

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vs 5-Year Avg

Off-season · 260cm full-season avg

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vs 30-Year Avg

Off-season · 243cm full-season avg

260cm

5-Yr Avg by Now

The last completed season totaled ~218.4 cm. That's 16% below the 5-year average (260 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 10% below the 30-year average (243 cm).

Sunlight Snow History

Average annual snowfall is 268cm with an average of 105 snowfall days per season. The table below shows monthly averages across 30 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).

Average monthly snowfall history
MonthAvg SnowfallSnowfall DaysAvg Base DepthMax Base DepthBiggest Snowfall
November33.4cm12 days15cm29cm9.3cm
December43.1cm16 days42cm61cm9.2cm
January42cm16 days66cm83cm9.1cm
February39.8cm17 days82cm98cm8cm
March38.8cm15 days89cm104cm8.4cm
April34.3cm14 days80cm96cm8.7cm
May14.3cm6 days42cm71cm5.8cm

Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.

Season at a Glance

Next season(2026-27)

Opens Dec 12, 2026

Multi-season averages will appear once SnowSure has tracked more than one full season.

ENSO seasonal analog

History · not a forecast

In 10 past El Niño winters at Sunlight, ERA5 season snowfall median was 263 cm (104 in), about 2% below this resort’s long-term median. This is a historical analog from reanalysis — not a prediction of this winter’s storm track.

Prevailing ONI

El Niño

MJJ 2026 · ANOM +1.39°C

Analog season median

263 cm

10 El Niño winters · 2% below median

All-season median

267 cm

Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026-27)

PhaseSeasonsMedianp25–p75Recent analogs
El Niñocurrent10263 cm244 cm – 285 cm2023, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2014, 2009
La Niña12275 cm216 cm – 307 cm2022, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2011, 2010
ENSO-neutral8244 cm226 cm – 288 cm2025, 2024, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2003

Season snowfall from Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (~9 km). ENSO phase from NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index. Relative phase differences are more trustworthy than absolute cm totals. Source: NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index + Open-Meteo ERA5 via SnowSure season archive.

Best Months to Visit

February

Peak Season

January

Peak Season

March

Good

December

Good

Note: Based on typical ski season patterns for this region.

Back to All Destinations

Frequently asked questions about Sunlight

Where is Sunlight?
Sunlight is a ski resort in the United States.
How high is Sunlight?
Sunlight runs from a base elevation of 2,403 m (7,884 ft) to a summit of 3,016 m (9,895 ft), giving a vertical drop of 613 m (2,011 ft).
How big is Sunlight?
Sunlight has 740 acres (299 hectares) of skiable terrain, 77 marked runs and 3 lifts.
Which ski pass covers Sunlight?
Sunlight is on the Indy Pass. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
When is ski season at Sunlight?
Sunlight typically operates from December to April. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
How much snow does Sunlight get in a typical season?
Sunlight averages 227 inches / 577 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
How will El Niño affect Sunlight in winter 2026-27?
El Niño Signal Rank: #131 of 488 SnowSure resorts · Tier B · strong-event signal +6% vs its own 30-yr average. In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Sunlight averaged +6% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically leaned mildly in this resort's favor for winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 +0%, '15-16 +1%, '23-24 +18%. A pattern, not a promise.