Sleeping Giant closed five years ago, and was hoping for a celebratory opening Thanksgiving weekend.

Sleeping Giant ski resort in Wyoming has decided to postpone its opening day by at least a week as a result of multiple challenges it’s currently facing.

SkiRebel.com has learned that a lack of snow and delays in construction of a new chair lift has pushed back the opening of the Sleeping Giant Ski Area one week, from November 27th to December 4th.

Crews have been hard at work for more than a year in hopes of re-opening the historic ski area for Thanksgiving weekend. Sleeping Giant had closed five years ago.

North Fork ski area Executive Director Ham Bryan told the Powell Tribune the area is in a “holding pattern” on a couple of construction items. The new west chair lift still needs the final sign-off from inspectors, and that the mountain is waiting for the snow-making machine’s manufacturer to come and make some final calibrations.

“We just need a little help from the snow gods up there,” Bryan told the Tribune. “That would help a lot.”

The ski area has also had trouble procuring a liquor license from local commissioners, further adding to its challenges.

The ski area is located a few kilometers from the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

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