Ski resorts across the American West are battling the lowest snowfall in decades, exacerbated by a brutal heatwave that has seen temperatures 11-17°C above normal in many areas. In New Mexico, Taos Ski Valley has been forced to bulldoze snow from surrounding terrain onto its runs in a desperate attempt to stay open. At least half of the 120 resorts in the US West have already closed, will close early, or never opened this year, according to a Reuters count.
Park City, Utah, has received only half its normal snowfall this year, with streets usually bustling now quiet. In Colorado, less than 20 per cent of trails remain operational at resorts like Vail. Climate scientist Daniel Swain said the snowpack is on track to be the lowest on record at almost every western ski destination, attributing the trend to long-term climate change. 'It's really just been a tale of astonishing warmth throughout the West,' he said.
The conditions have prompted unusual scenes: at Taos, shirtless skiers 'water skied' over a large puddle at the base, while 19-year-old Maylyn Bubala wore an athletic bikini top in 26.6°C heat. 'The rising temperatures, it's pretty insane,' she said. In Breckenridge, cross-country skiers shovelled snow from forests onto trails to keep them open, but the centre closed three weeks early.
The ski and snowboard industry, worth roughly $20 billion and supporting over 190,000 jobs, faces sustainability questions. Vail Resorts described the winter as the 'worst-case weather scenario' for many of its 37 North American resorts, cutting fiscal 2026 net income guidance by 30 per cent. 'This has been the most challenging winter across the Rockies that we have ever experienced,' said CEO Rob Katz.
The lack of snow has also raised wildfire risks and threatens water supplies to cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas, which rely on snowmelt feeding the Colorado River. Allison Buffum, owner of a restaurant in Silverthorne, Colorado, said business was down 10-15 per cent. 'There is no snow on the mountains. It was a pretty horrific winter, the worst since 1976,' she said, noting that some visitors were sunning on her patio as if it were summer.
