For skiers, snowboarders, and mountain towns across the West, spring arrived in the middle of winter this year, but the response is already taking shape. As resorts opened late, struggled through the holidays, and now close early after a rapid warm-up erased what little snow remained, Protect Our Winters (POW) Alliance athletes, scientists, and communities are mobilizing to protect the seasons they depend on.
From Palisades Tahoe and Sierra-at-Tahoe to Badger Pass, Colorado’s high-elevation resorts, and Utah’s Park City area, the 2025–2026 season was defined by heat waves, inconsistent snow, and unprecedented early closures. Events were postponed or cancelled, athletes were forced to pivot training, and local economies lost critical early- and late-season revenue.
“This season was anomalous not just for low totals, but for timing,” said Dr. Jenny Kay of the University of Colorado Boulder and Protect Our Winters Science Alliance. “We had May-like conditions in March, and the snowpack disappeared faster than anyone could plan for.”
Dr. Keith Musselman, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Boulder and POW Science Alliance member, adds, “This is one of the lowest snow years in nearly 100 years of records in the Upper Colorado River Basin. March brought record dryness and temperatures about 10°F above normal, devastating the snowpack right when it typically peaks. There’s simply not much snow left—and what’s most concerning is that years like this may become far more frequent as greenhouse gas emissions rise. This is not just a bad year, but a glimpse of the future.”
The snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin provides water for 40 million people and agriculture across seven U.S. states and Mexico, so it is closely monitored. The 2026 snow year was anomalously low compared to observations that date back to 1930. The 2026 snowpack peaked early (March 8th) at only 55% of the long-term average maximum. By April 1st, snowpack had depleted rapidly in response to abnormally warm and dry conditions: only 12% of long-term average April 1st snowpack remained.
Athletes felt the shift firsthand. Snowboarder Jeremy Jones and skier Caroline Gleich described navigating unstable snow and compressed training windows, while Olympians Jessie Diggins and Bea Kim pointed to a growing challenge: shorter, less predictable seasons that disrupt both preparation and competition.
In Tahoe, Palisades Tahoe delayed its opening and is closing at least a month early. Sierra-at-Tahoe and Homewood Mountain Resort shut down after less than three months of operations, while Badger Pass operated for roughly two months, the shortest season in its history. Across Colorado and Utah, warm early-season conditions and cancelled events forced resorts to compress operations and scrap spring programming.
This season was not only short, it was unpredictable. A persistent ridge of high pressure over the western U.S. diverted storms, reinforcing warm, dry conditions and leaving shallow snowpacks vulnerable to rapid meltout.
Across the West, local economies are feeling the impact. Resorts rely on both holiday and spring periods to sustain employment and revenue, and early closures mean fewer visitors, lost jobs, and reduced income for restaurants, shops, and hotels. Dr. Elizabeth Burakowski notes that small and mid-size resorts are particularly vulnerable: “Low snow years hit these operations hardest—they simply can’t survive the revenue shortfalls without support and long-term climate action.”
Solutions: How We Protect the Future of Winter…and Spring in the Mountains
The science is clear, and so are the pathways forward. Through Protect Our Winters, athletes and the outdoor community are mobilizing to ensure that policy, industry, and individuals align with the scale of the climate challenge. In mid-June, POW athletes will travel to Capitol Hill to advocate directly for measures that protect winter, mountain communities, and the outdoor economy.
Key actions include:
- Defending and restoring federal climate protections, including the Endangerment Finding
- Ensuring strong EPA leadership that will act on climate science
- Accelerating clean energy deployment, fully implementing the Inflation Reduction Act
- Cutting greenhouse gas emissions at the scale needed to stabilize mountain climates
- Protecting public lands and mountain ecosystems critical to winter recreation
Athletes, brands, and outdoor organizations are also aligning programs and platforms to support these solutions. From grassroots advocacy to corporate partnerships, the goal is clear: secure winters that are safe, reliable, and economically viable for communities and recreationists alike.
The message from this season is clear: winter isn’t just changing; it’s becoming less reliable. But the same community that depends on snow is increasingly leading the push to protect it.