New Zealand's Rainbow Ski Area is scaling back to weekend operations with volunteer support after receiving just 29 cm of natural snow in 2025. The club field recorded a total season loss following unprecedented low snowfall in Nelson Lakes National Park.
Europe's 2025-26 ski season ended with 146 avalanche fatalities across the Alps and other mountain ranges - more than double last year's toll. A persistent weak base layer formed early in the season and never stabilised, creating months of elevated danger that caught even experienced backcountry users off guard.
Powder Haven, the private membership side of Powder Mountain in Utah, has announced a $157 million expansion including two new chairlifts, a 73,000-square-foot clubhouse, and additional real estate development. The additions will give members access to six lifts and over 3,000 skiable acres.
Charlotte Pass's long-awaited Guthries Double Chair is now in motion, with chairs circulating the line for the first time following construction completion in late April. Testing and commissioning is underway - the final stage before it can carry passengers. The lift is expected to improve access to Guthries terrain and ease congestion ahead of the resort's June 20 opening.
A-Basin wraps up a 194-day season on 3 May, maintaining its position as Colorado's longest-running resort despite historically thin snowpack. The resort has announced $39 lift tickets for the final weekend along with live music and end-of-season events.
Breckenridge is spinning lifts for one more day after its official closing date. Peak 8 reopens on 25 April for the resort's Peaks and Beats event, complete with limited terrain, live music, and the sort of spring skiing attire that says 'we know this is ridiculous.'
Vail Resorts has disclosed a 25% decline in skier visits across its Rocky Mountain properties through April 2026, attributing the drop to historically poor snow conditions. The company's North American portfolio saw visits fall 15% overall, with several resorts closing weeks ahead of schedule.
New Zealand's 2026 ski season has kicked off weeks ahead of schedule, with Hanmer Springs Ski Area confirming it will open its lifts on Friday 24 April following an unusually heavy autumn snowfall. The announcement came via a characteristically low-key social media post from the volunteer-run club field, which has a quiet habit of beating the rest of the country to opening day.
The 2024-25 ski season set a new global record with 399 million skier visits worldwide - more people on snow than ever before. Nine countries account for nearly 80% of that total, with the US, France, and Austria holding the top three spots. Japan posted the biggest jump of any major market, driven largely by Australian and North American visitors chasing powder.
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