TL;DR
A below-average snowpack and abnormally high temperatures have forced Colorado ski resorts to shut early this season. Twelve resorts have already closed, with several more pulling the pin weeks ahead of their usual closing dates.
Early closures sweep Colorado as poor season forces resorts to cut losses
Colorado's ski season is limping to an early finish, with resorts across the state shutting their lifts weeks ahead of schedule after a winter marked by below-average snowfall and unseasonably warm temperatures. Twelve resorts have already closed, and several major operators have announced early finish dates as deteriorating snow conditions make continued operations unviable.
The wave of closures highlights the precarious economics of running a ski resort when nature doesn't cooperate. While Australian skiers are used to the occasional shortened season, the scale of early closures across Colorado - typically one of North America's most reliable winter destinations - is worth noting for anyone planning future northern hemisphere trips.
Steamboat Closing Week Plans
The damage sheet
The casualty list includes a mix of smaller independent operations and terrain operated by major resort groups. Aspen Highlands, Beaver Creek, and Buttermilk have already pulled the pin, along with smaller operators like Cuchara Mountain Park, Granby Ranch, and Howelsen Hill. Monarch, Powderhorn, Purgatory, Ski Cooper, and Sunlight have also shut for the season.Winter Park's Mary Jane terrain has closed separately from the main resort - a telling sign when operators start shutting specific areas to concentrate operations and snow maintenance resources elsewhere.#### The stragglers
