Antelope Butte opens this weekend

Antelope Butte opens its “four-day extend-o-weekend” Friday, Dec. 19 through Monday, Dec. 22. The nonprofit ski area in the Big Horn Mountains will again provide free season passes for kids aged 17 and under, reporting a 60% increase in both visitation and revenue after last year’s launch of the program. 

“When we did it the first year, everybody thought we were crazy,” General Manager John DeVivo said. Now, people are thrilled for their kids to have access to a notoriously expensive sport. DeVivo predicted there would be another 10-15% climb this year as more people participate in the program. 

DeVivo reported 44 inches of snow have settled on the Butte since Halloween. Depth and coverage vary across the mountain. 

“We always wish we had more,” DeVivo said, though the snowfall meets or beats last year’s at the same time.  DeVivo expected the main mountain and west side to be up and running on Friday, with the east side as second priority. Terrain parks are expected to be up by Dec. 26. A new trail map has been posted online and is available in print to fully display Antelope Butte’s runs. 

“We’ll be working on the east side safety measures on Friday with a goal of having that ‘Final Exam’ area opened up sometime that day, and at the latest, we expect to have it open for the three-day weekend,” Antelope Butte said in a release. Grooming will be limited with the dry snow conditions, with hopes that skiers will help pack it down. Skiers are reminded to pay attention to ropes and signage. 

There will be more room to explore the woods this season following cleaning and clearing projects. Antelope Butte has gained a new two-year lease on two groomers, a fully rebuilt electric motor for the summit lift and an auxiliary gas-powered backup motor for the lift this winter. 

 Pass prices for adults will remain the same this season, with a $54 online/$69 in person day pass and $499 season pass available. An outdoor ticket-only booth will again be implemented to ease congestion. Antelope Butte has a brand-new web address, skiantelopebutte.com, with the hopes that it will appear in more searches. The website has also been updated for navigability. 

Inside, a third pizza oven has been added to the pub, expected to boost capacity by 50%. Enough seating has been added to meet the lodge and pub’s legal capacity. DeVivo noted that the retail selection offered has also been beefed up for the 2025-26 season. 

Antelope Butte offers a variety of lessons for ages 4+. This year, they are adding a Good in the Woods group session for adults, designed for intermediate and higher-level skiers and snowboarders. Participants will get to explore the nooks and crannies of the mountain with a pro and learn about side-country safety. There will be individualized coaching available with trained instructors. 

On top of all the added perks for skiers, Antelope Butte hopes to promote the mountain more this winter, with adult tickets available at ski and snowboard shops in Cody, Billings, Sheridan, Buffalo, Gillette and Casper. Their marketing campaign will also be extended to those geographic areas. 

Returning management team of DeVivo, Mountain Ops Director Ryan Morris, Retail-Rental-Repair and Ticketing Ops Manager Tim Brown II and Food and Beverage Director Gary Neilsen will be joined by new position-holders Patrol Director Marcus Dufort, Snowsports School Director Hannah Martinelli, Lead Groomer Chase Walden and Lift Ops Supervisor Braenn Smith. 

Lifts will be open 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Friday through Monday, closed Dec. 23 through Dec. 25, then open again daily Dec. 26 through Jan. 4. After that, it’s Wednesday through Sunday, Jan. 7 through April 12.