- Snowbasin Resorts announced that it will close for the season March 22.
- The Rockies have had an unusually warm winter and record low snowfall.
- Most Utah resorts are still open but there's no snow in the immediate forecast.
If the Mamas & the Papas were singing about Utah or Colorado ski resorts, “California Dreamin’” might go something like this:
All the hills are brown. And the sky is blue. I’ve taken a run. On a winter’s day. I’d be a lot less warm. If there was snow today.
The snow gods haven’t smiled much on Utah or other western states this year. Outside of a couple of big storms that came months apart, there hasn’t been much to cheer about on the slopes in the Beehive State.
Snowstorms in late March and April have produced some great powder days in the past, and this has a month to go. But the outlook for spring isn’t good.
“A monstrous heatwave is bringing record-shattering temperatures to the West, including Utah. This early heatwave will accelerate an early melt-off of the snowpack and could spell an early demise to some of the mid-elevation skiing. At this time, no obvious signs of snow in the forecast,” according to OpenSnow forecaster Evan Thayer.
Major Utah resort closing early
In fact, Snowbasin, one of the state’s highly acclaimed ski areas, is shutting down its lifts Sunday.
“We’ve had a bit of an interesting season this year. It’s crazy to think that just three years ago we had the most snow we’ve had and three years later, we’ve had maybe one of the most challenging seasons in history,” Snowbasin general manager Davy Ratchford said in a post on X.
Ratchford credited his team for creating a good experience for skiers and snowboarders despite the dearth of snow. Along with little snow falling from the sky, it was often too warm for resorts to make snow.
“But sadly, it’s gotta come to an end,” he said. “This is not ideal. This is not what we wanted, but Mother Nature had a little bit of a different plan for us this year. ... This is not our doing. This is Mother Nature flexing her muscles on us, and we’ve learned a lot through this process.”
Looking for whiter mountains
Longtime Snowbasin skier Tom Hart saw the forecast for this week so he headed to Sun Valley, Idaho.
“The conditions up here are surprisingly good primarily because it was colder this winter and they made a lot of snow,” he said via text message from the mountain. “It was getting thin at Snowbasin but was skiing quite well. They did a great job of working with the smaller amount of snow this season.”
Hart, who’s known as “Racer Tom” and holds the Guinness world record for most vertical feet skied in a year, hits the slopes every day, rain (this year) or shine. He belongs to a Facebook group for Ikon Pass holders with 79,000 members.
“The general sentiment there is that all the resorts in the West — especially in Colorado and Utah — are hurting except Alta, Targhee, Jackson and Mammoth,” he said, adding he’s traveling to California’s Mammoth Mountain in late April. Grand Targhee Resort and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort are in Wyoming.
Alta — as it typically does — leads Utah with the most snowfall with 260 inches to date, but only about half of its annual average. The state’s 14 other resorts face similar or worse shortfalls.
Nordic Valley, a small resort in Northern Utah, has received a paltry 37 inches and reports a current base of 0 inches. “OPERATIONS REMAIN PAUSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. CHECK OUR SNOW REPORT FOR MORE INFO!” read a message on its website.
Two other small resorts, Cherry Peak and Eagle Point, closed this month.
Beaver Mountain cancelled its annual Directive Derby due to the rising temperatures this week and lack of snow to build its banked slalom course. “We really wanted to host the Derby this season ... but the weather had other plans. Sorry Beaver Fam. We’ll get back to it next season.”
Still skiing/snowboarding to be had
Despite the “unusual” winter, Ski Utah communications director Alison Palmintere said the season isn’t over, noting most resorts in the state remain open.
“There’s still a lot of skiing to be had, especially at the higher-elevation resorts,” she said.
Palmintere said ski resorts are experts at what they do and know how to manage their snowpack.
She said lift tickets might be less expensive and it’s a great time to learn how to ski or snowboard with the warmer weather and ease of driving to the resorts on dry roads. In addition, many resorts have live outdoor music and après activities.
“Overall, it’s been a great groomer season,” Palmintere said.
Skier visits down at Vail Resorts
It’s too early to assess the overall economic impact the unusually warm winter and historically low snowfall in the Rockies had on the year.
But Vail Resorts, which operates Park City Mountain in Utah and five ski areas in Colorado, among others, reported lower profit for its second fiscal quarter. Resorts in those two states generate the largest share of the company’s revenue.
Vail reported a net income of about $210 million for the quarter, down from $244.4 million during the same period last year.
“This has been the most challenging winter across the Rockies that we have ever experienced with the lowest snowfall levels in more than 30 years for our Colorado and Utah resorts, combined with warmer temperatures, resulting in reduced terrain throughout the quarter and into February,” CEO Rob Katz said in the March 9 report.
Season-to-date total skier visits were down 11.9% at Vail’s North American ski areas compared to the prior year. A skier visit is counted each time a person uses a lift ticket or pass at a resort.
Also, total lift revenue, including season pass revenue, was down 3.6%. Fewer skiers also led to a decline in ski school, dining and rental/retail revenue.
In the report, Vail reduced its expectations for the rest of the fiscal year because of the weather conditions this season.
Park City’s projected closing date is April 20, while Deer Valley is set for April 19, as listed at Ski Utah. Brian Head has targeted May 10. Brighton, Powder Mountain, Snowbird, Solitude, Sundance and Woodward Park City, have not announced closing dates.