USA — The last few weeks have been pretty brutal for the Western U.S. ski industry.
Last week saw a heat wave across the region, leading to record-breaking temperatures. This week has also seen some warm temperatures. Unfortunately, this means that many ski resorts are calling it a season earlier than expected. Ironically, major snowfall is expected next week at some resorts, but it will likely be too little to salvage except for the remaining open mountains.
Here’s a list of ski resorts in the Western U.S. that are closed earlier than expected. This includes currently open mountains that have announced earlier-than-anticipated closing dates, as well as those that never opened. This list will be updated as more closings are (likely) announced in the days ahead.
Arizona
- Mount Lemmon Ski Valley: Slopes presumably never opened this winter.
- Sunrise Park: Closed earlier this month.
California
- Badger Pass: Closed on March 18th.
- Bear Valley: Closing March 29th.
- Big Bear: Closed on March 25th.
- China Peak: Closed on March 22nd.
- Dodge Ridge: Closed on March 15th.
- Donner Ski Ranch: Closed on March 21st, but could reopen if new snow arrives.
- Granlinbakken Tahoe: March 24th.
- Tahoe Donner: March 22nd.
- Homewood: Closed on March 17th.
- Mountain High Resorts: Closed March 15th.
- Mt. Baldy: May reopen, but needs natural snow.
- Mt. Shasta Ski Park: Closed on March 2nd.
- Northstar: Closing on April 5th, one week ahead of schedule.
- Palisades Tahoe: Originally planning to close on Memorial Day, it’s now expected to close the Palisades side in late April, and Alpine Meadows after the first week of April.
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: Closed on March 22nd.
- Soda Springs: Closed on March 22nd.
- Sugar Bowl: Closing on April 5th.
Colorado
- Aspen Highlands: Closing on March 29th. Original closing date was April 12th.
- Beaver Creek: Closing on March 29th, two weeks ahead of schedule.
- Buttermilk: Closed on March 25th. Original planned closing date was April 5th.
- Chapman Ski Hill: Closed earlier this month.
- Ski Cooper: Closed on March 22nd.
- Cranor Hill: Didn’t operate this winter.
- Cuchara: Announced on March 19th that it’s closed for the season.
- Granby Ranch: Closing on March 29th, which is a week earlier than originally planned.
- Hoedown Hill: Closed on March 8th.
- Howelsen Hill: Closed March 22nd.
- Kendall Mountain: Last operated February 28th.
- Lake City: Hasn’t operated this winter.
- Monarch Mountain: Closing March 29th.
- Powderhorn: Closed March 22nd.
- Purgatory: Closing March 29th.
- Sunlight Mountain Resort: Closed on March 22nd.
Idaho
- Bald Mountain: Didn’t operate this winter.
- Blizzard Mountain: Likely won’t open this winter.
- Bogus Basin: Closed on March 22nd.
- Cottonwood Butte: Didn’t open.
- Kelly Canyon: Closed earlier this month.
- Little Ski Hill: Closed on March 14th.
- Lost Trail: Closing April 5th
- Magic Mountain: Never opened.
- Pebble Creek: Closure announced on March 12th.
- Pomerelle: Closed on March 22nd.
- Rotarun: Closed March 15th.
- Schweitzer: Closing April 5th, one week earlier than expected.
- Soldier Mountain: Closure announced on March 6th.
- Tamarack: Most lifts closed earlier this week, with the last chair officially closing on March 28th. Originally planned to close on April 13th.
Montana
- Bear Paw Ski Bowl: Hasn’t operated this winter.
- Blacktail: Closing on March 28th
- Bridger Bowl: Closed on March 22nd.
Nevada
- Diamond Peak: Closing March 29th.
- Elko Snowbowl: Never opened this winter.
- Lee Canyon: Closed on April 22nd.
New Mexico
- Angel Fire: Closed on March 22nd.
- Ski Apache: Closed earlier this month.
- Ski Cloudcroft: Closed since February
- Pajarito: Closed earlier this month.
- Red River: Closed on March 22nd.
- Sandia Peak: Closed since February.
- Sipapu: Closing March 29th.
- Ski Santa Fe: Closed on March 22nd.
- Taos: Closing March 29th, which is one week earlier than anticipated.
Oregon
- Cooper Spur: Didn’t open this winter.
- Ferguson Ridge: Closed since February.
- Hoodoo Ski Area: Wants to reopen, but it needs new snow.
- Mt. Ashland: Closed on February 28th.
- Mt. Hood Meadows: Closing on April 12th. This will be weeks earlier than usual.
- Mt. Hood Skibowl: Ski operations have been closed since February, and the rope tow park recently closed.
- Warner Canyon: Didn’t open this winter.
- Willamette Pass: Wants to reopen, but needs new snow.
Utah
- Beaver Mountain: Closed March 27th. Originally planned to close on March 29th, but the snowpack melted quicker than anticipated.
- Cherry Peak: Closed earlier this month.
- Deer Valley: Closing March 29th, which is three weeks earlier than anticipated.
- Eagle Point: Closed on Sunday, March 15th.
- Nordic Valley: Closed in early March.
- Powder Mountain: Closing March 29th. Typically closes in April.
- Snowbasin: Closed on March 22nd. Snowbasin typically closes in mid to late April.
- Snowland: Technically not an early closing, but Snowland ended its comeback season on March 7th.
- Sundance: Closing on March 28th. Originally planned to close in April.
Washington
- 49 Degrees North: Closing March 29th.
- Badger Mountain: Didn’t open this winter.
- Bluewood: Closure announced on March 26th. Last operated on March 22nd.
- Echo Valley: Closed since January.
- Leavenworth: Closed earlier this month.
- Loup Loup Ski Bowl: Reportedly hasn’t operated this winter.
- Mt. Spokane: Closed on March 15th.
Wyoming
- Hogadon Basin: Closed on March 22nd, three weeks earlier than expected.
- Pine Creek: Closed on March 21st, one week earlier than expected.
- Snow King: Closed on March 22nd. In addition, the annual snowmobile hill climb event was cancelled.
- White Pine: Closed on March 22nd, one week ahead of schedule.
Image/Video Credits: Palisades Tahoe, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Mt. Hood Meadows
