Los Alamos, New Mexico — I’m going to give a bold prediction here: we’re going to see quite a few Western ski areas/resorts close for the season in the next couple of weeks. Below-average snowpack, along with warmer-than-average temperatures expected over the next week or so, is likely to result in some resort closures across the West. Over the past several days, we’ve seen one Idaho ski resort shut down for the season.
Down in New Mexico, they’re dealing with a well-below-average snowpack. This includes Pajarito Mountain, which just made an unfortunate announcement.
On Sunday, Pajarito Mountain announced that its ski season is over. The already diminishing snowpack will be affected this week by warmer-than-average temperatures, making operations impossible. However, it still plans to host Skiesta on March 21st, which will include live music and food.
Mountain Capital Partners
Pajarito Mountain is part of Mountain Capital Partners, which has faced challenges operating various mountains due to warm weather. Several of their ski resorts had delayed openings. Multiple ski resorts have also had to temporarily close operations this winter, including Nordic Valley, Sandia Peak, and Willamette Pass. Nordic Valley has been shut down for over a week now and may not reopen due to Utah’s warm stretch.
While it’s had some tough breaks, a spokesperson for Mountain Capital Partners told me it’s still reportedly seeing some positive results this season. Also, it still has the South American ski season to look forward to, which will include the most seamless connection between Valle Nevado and La Parva ever (more to come from us on that). In addition, they’re in talks to operate a ski area in Minnesota.
Image Credits: Pajarito Mountain, NWS Climate Prediction Center
