At least two Californian ski resorts have closed early for the season as a heat wave that’s already brought record-breaking daily temperatures hits the state.
Mt. Shasta Ski Park, a small mountain in northern California, broke the news that it would close last week without plans to reopen until next winter. The ski area had already temporarily closed and reopened in February as it dealt with uncooperative weather.
“Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us this year, we hope you got some good skiing in,” the resort wrote in a recent social media post. “Here’s to next year and the epic snowfall we’re going to get!”
The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.
Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort
Mt. Shasta only made it 55 days this season, coming five days short of its 60-day guarantee for passholders. To make up for the lost time, the ski area said it would send a credit to current passholders via email.
Despite the earlier-than-expected closure, Mt. Shasta sent off winter on a positive note, hosting a St. Patrick’s Day-themed party on Saturday, March 14, featuring green beers, holiday cocktails, and a scavenger hunt.
Further south, Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort confirmed that it would suspend operations on Sunday, March 15, due to “unseasonably warm conditions.”
“We are hopeful that this will not be the end of our season, and aim to resume operations should we receive significant snowfall at a later time,” the ski area wrote in an update, leaving the door open for another storm. Last season, Dodge Ridge closed on April 13, 2025.
Both closures come amid a warm and frustrating season for skiers across the West.
By Monday, California’s statewide snowpack sat below 50% of normal following a multi-week downhill snowpack slide that started in late February.
While a massive storm around a month ago did temporarily transform the state’s mountains and create stellar skiing conditions, rain followed soon afterward, melting much of the snow almost as soon as it arrived.
And this week, California forecasters expect spiking temperatures that resemble summer rather than winter. The National Weather Service’s San Francisco office has issued heat advisories throughout the Bay Area and beyond through Friday. San Rafael and Redwood City have already seen record-high daily temperatures.
“This is our first major heatwave of the year and it is going to be a marathon,” the NWS said.
Up high, on the slopes of Palisades Tahoe, temperatures in the 50s, 60s, or even near 70s are possible, depending on the elevation.
“We need big storms, which are not showing up in the forecasts still as we look out 2+ weeks,” the ski resort said in a weather report. “Hopefully, that changes.”
While March can be one of the snowiest and stormiest months of the year for California, right now, choosing sunblock and a T-shirt makes more sense than waterproof Gore-Tex if you’re planning to ski.
Many California resorts haven’t shared how the heat wave may or may not impact their closing dates. Outside of Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain previously announced that it plans to stay open until at least Memorial Day.
