There was some history made this past ski season, but mostly for the wrong reasons. The Western U.S. may have had its worst season ever, with regions seeing abysmal snow tallies. A warm spell in March ended many seasons earlier than expected, even at major mountains like Bogus Basin and Park City.
But it wasn’t all bad, as some areas excelled. Ski resorts such as Banff Sunshine Village, Jay Peak, Lake Louise Ski Resort, Mount Bohemia, and Stowe had snowy, busy winters. Japan had a great stretch of powder skiing, while Europe (especially Scotland) had its snowy moments.
With only a few ski areas still open in North America, it seems like a good time to recap the big stories that impacted the global ski industry this season, which could have ramifications down the road.
The West Struggled From Start To Finish
The season started warm for the West, resulting in some very late openings in places like California, Oregon, and Washington. Snow did eventually come, but there were extended periods without snow. Then came the historically warm March, which led ski resorts like Beaver Creek, Bridger Bowl, Deer Valley, and Snowbasin to close early. The ramifications of this dry winter have been playing out over the past few weeks. Wildfires across the region are causing damage, including at one ski resort in Utah.
Vail Resorts Struggles, Could See A Challenge To Leadership
While Vail Resorts has mountains in the Northeast and Midwest that mitigated the financial damage seen out West, this season showed how much the company relies on visitation at its Western resorts. The underwhelming season out West led to reduced financial guidance and disappointing revenue. Concerningly for Vail, pass sales for next winter are down, and billionaire Matthew Prince has been talking with activists about a takeover bid. That billionaire’s goal? Have Vail Resorts sell him Park City Mountain Resort, one of their most valuable properties (if not the most).
Alterra Sees Some Shakeups
With Alterra Mountain Company being a private company, we don’t really know how they did financially. However, we do know that Alterra tried various discounts to bring guests to its mountains. The marquee addition at its destinations, Deer Valley’s expansion, struggled to maintain snow during the warm winter. In March, Alterra surprisingly announced the departure of CEO Jared Smith, with the Executive Committee of the Board taking over until a new CEO is found. In June, Steamboat Resort parted ways with its President for unspecified reasons. Those signs indicate that this was a rough season for Alterra.
Indy Pass Continues To Chart Its Own Path
It was business as usual for Indy Pass this past winter, as their multi-mountain pass has continued to grow. They decided to keep Black Mountain rather than turn it into a co-op, as they plan to use it as a testing ground for independent ski resorts worldwide. Black Mountain had a stellar season, as it was the first to open in New Hampshire and among the last to close on the continent.
They did lose a few big Midwest partners (Granite Peak, Lutsen, and Snowriver) to Ikon, but countered by adding various new ones. Demand for their pass remains high, with the 2026-27 addition sold out in under 40 minutes. Indy Pass has expanded its team in Jackson, and more new pass partners are expected to be announced in the months ahead.
Le Massif Nearly Closes For Season Due To Strike
Up in Quebec, one of its most popular ski resorts made headlines for a tense standoff. Unionized workers at Le Massif went on strike for a variety of reasons. The Quebec ski resort initially closed down entirely, but then reopened a small portion of the mountain. After continued failed negotiations, the ski resort announced it was shutting down for the season. This turned out to be a bluff, as a negotiator brought the two sides together and secured a deal.
Crans-Montana Suffers Tragedy
Europe’s ski season was marked by a tragedy in the early hours of 2026. At a bar in Crans-Montana, a sparkler carried by an employee ignited the acoustic ceiling panels, which were highly flammable. This resulted in a rapidly spreading, difficult-to-escape fire. 41 people died, while 115 were injured. The victims and their families recieved payouts from the Swiss government. The building’s owners now face criminal charges for allegedly failing to implement adequate fire mitigation measures. Switzerland has since implemented new regulations to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again, including a ban on the use of pyrotechnics in public indoor areas.
Deadliest U.S. Avalanche In Decades
Tahoe had a below-average winter, but there were some big storms. The one that came through in February drew many avid skiers, including into the backcountry. Blackbird Mountain Guides, a backcountry ski expedition company, was leading a group of tenured skiers around Donner Pass when an avalanche slid above them. Nine people were tragically killed, while six were injured.
It became the deadliest avalanche in the U.S. since the 1981 Mt. Rainier climbing disaster. It’s unclear what impact this could have had on backcountry skiing companies.
Smugglers Notch Stays Independent
For years, it was rumored that Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont could be sold, with Vail Resorts rumored as a suitor. So it came as a surprise in February when Bear Den Partners, which bought Burke Mountain in May 2025, would become the new owner of Smuggs. Bear Den Partners went on to buy Berkshire East and Catamount. No word yet on what improvements could be coming to Smuggs, but the Northeast has a new ski resort company, albeit an independently minded one.
Telluride Becomes A Full-Blown Dumpster Fire
There were signs before the 2025-26 season that Telluride Ski Resort was a mess. More headlines began to emerge of tension between the owner of the ski resort (Chuck Horning) and local leaders. The situation came to a head around Christmas when ski patrollers went on strike. The strike eventually ended, but the drama didn’t.
In the middle of the strike, local officials traveled to Horning’s house with an offer from wealthy locals to buy the ski resort. He had the officials sign an agreement that would have resolved their sticking points over the years. After these details were leaked, it led to resignations and investigations of local officials. Horning got his victories and is now refusing to sell the mountain.
Audio/Image/Video Credits: Vail Resorts, Indy Pass, Aspect Avy, Smugglers Notch Resort, PeakRankings
