SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — At least 12 ski areas across the western United States have ended their seasons early or announced earlier-than-expected closures after a winter marked by weak snowfall, unusually warm temperatures and a rapid late-season melt that erased hopes for a strong spring.
The damage has been especially visible in California and Colorado, where mountain snowpack deteriorated sharply heading into April. In California, ski operators across the Sierra Nevada have shortened their seasons as warm weather thinned coverage at lower elevations and cut off access to lifts. In Colorado, officials said this year’s snowpack fell to the lowest level since statewide record-keeping began in 1941.
A growing number of ski areas have responded by moving up closing dates, pausing operations or shutting down for the season altogether. Palisades Tahoe, which had targeted a Memorial Day weekend closing, said it now expects to wrap up in late April. Northstar said it would close on April 5, earlier than planned. In Oregon, Mt. Hood Meadows also announced an early end to its season after what it described as an unusually warm and dry winter.
The trend has extended well beyond the largest destination resorts. A running list compiled by Unofficial Networks in March showed dozens of western ski areas that had already closed early, suspended operations or announced shortened seasons across Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Not every shutdown appears to be final. Some smaller mountains have said they could reopen if a late storm delivers meaningful snowfall, underscoring how fragile conditions have become after a season that, in parts of the West, has been described as one of the worst or strangest in recent memory.
For ski areas that rely on a strong March and April to carry momentum into spring, the weak finish has raised fresh questions about the volatility of low-snow winters and the growing difficulty of planning around them. For skiers and riders, it has meant a premature end to the season at mountains that would normally be preparing for their busiest spring weekends.
However, thankfully, no mountains have indeed announced permanent closure.
Happy April Fool’s Day. The Show Goes On!