The lifts have stopped spinning, but emotions are still running high at Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Local Swiss skiers and business owners are angry that the Swiss resort owned and operated by U.S. conglomerate Vail Resorts ended its 2025–26 ski season on Easter Monday, despite excellent snow conditions.A Change.org petition launched roughly two weeks before the shutdown gathered more than 1,200 signatures, calling on operator Vail Resorts to extend the season through the Easter holidays. However, the American company could not be swayed and stuck to the scheduled closing day.
While the decision to close on April 6 had been announced in advance, it has continued to draw criticism from locals, visitors, and businesses who feel the season was cut short at one of the most important times of year. Easter typically coincides with a one- or two-week holiday for many states and surrounding countries, leaving tourists to look elsewhere in the canton for their Easter holidays. Extending the season by just six days until Sunday, April 12, would have covered most areas’ school holidays.
For many critics, the issue is simple: conditions did not justify the shutdown, and the early closure could hurt the resort’s reputation long-term. Crans-Montana, with terrain reaching up to the Plaine Morte glacier at nearly 3,000 meters (9,842 feet), is well known for its spring skiing. This year, coverage has been exceptional due to significant late-season snowfall. To add insult to injury, other resorts in the region have moved in the opposite direction. Belalp, also situated in the canton of Valais/Wallis, however, on the German-speaking side of the canton, is among those extending operations, capitalizing on the same late-season snowpack that Crans-Montana left behind. Nearby Adelboden and Leukerbad are staying open until April 12, while Verbier’s season will go all the way until April 26.
The stark contrast within the same canton has only amplified criticism, particularly from local businesses that rely on Easter tourism. The 2025-26 season had been off to a slow start, as much of the European Alps saw very little snowfall in December. The Christmas break, Easter holidays, and February school holidays are the three key holiday periods for European ski resorts. Many ski schools, hotels, rental shops, and restaurants were hoping for a strong couple of final weeks of the season to provide crucial income before wrapping up the ski season.
The Change.org petition argues that ending operations early — especially during a holiday window — undermines that ecosystem and risks damaging the resort’s reputation as a reliable late-season destination. It also points to broader concerns since Vail Resorts took ownership in 2024, stating the following criticism:
“Since the arrival of Vail Resorts, many in the community, skiers, instructors, local businesses, and visitors, feel that the quality and commitment have declined significantly:
- Slopes this season have often been poorly prepared
- The snowpark opened only a few weeks before closure
- Several key installations and beginner areas have been closed or unreliable
- Overall service quality has dropped, making it harder for professionals to deliver a proper experience to their clients.”
While those issues are separate from the closure decision, they have contributed to a sense of dissatisfaction among the local community. The petition urged Vail Resorts to work closely with local stakeholders and expressed disappointment in the management by the American owner after the resort’s acquisition in 2024. “Expectations were high. Many believed this new chapter would elevate Crans-Montana, not weaken its standards,” the petition stresses.
Resort management, however, has emphasized that the closure was not a last-minute decision, nor solely based on short-term conditions. Crans-Montana’s General Manager, Pete Petrovski, stated in an interview with Swiss TV station SRF/RTS that the closing date had been decided as far back as June 25, 2025. “We’ve been very clear about our operation dates since last summer. We plan them a year or two in advance.” Petrovski acknowledged that conditions were great, but emphasized that the resort had scheduled large-scale lift maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, and event preparation ahead of the resort hosting the 2027 FIS Alpine World Championships. “We have work that starts tomorrow,” he stressed.
Petrovski does not see the Easter holidays as a critical income window. ”From our experience, we have observed that visitation drops significantly after today [Easter Monday],” which is a public holiday in most European countries. “Not a lot of people are coming to ski after Easter,” he insisted.
Vail Resorts purchased an 84% majority stake in Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA in May 2024. The U.S. company also acquired 100% of SportLife AG — a local ski school at the resort — as well as 11 restaurants located on and around the mountain. Petrovski has been General Manager since the acquisition was completed. He was previously director of skier services at Keystone Resort, Colorado.
For now, the 2025–26 season at Crans-Montana is over, and grumbling over the fact will not reopen lifts. However, the rift between local businesses and the American resort operator will hopefully close, as Vail Resorts has vowed to invest $30 million into the Swiss resort in the next few years. Scheduled to open ahead of the 2026-27 season is a new 8-person gondola, which replaces the 4-person Aminona gondola. The 2027 FIS Alpine World Championships should bring a welcome boost to the economy in March next year. In the meantime, one can hope that communication between the American owner and the local stakeholders improves.
