Abnormally warm weather and low snowpack are bringing an early end to the ski season at Mt. Hood Meadows – it’s the latest blow to a winter sport industry that’s been hit hard this season.
A view of the terrain under the Mt. Hood Express chairlift at Mt. Hood Meadows on March 28, 2026. Ski runs like this one are already unavailable due to a lack of snow.
Julie Sabatier / OPB
Mt. Hood Meadows will close for the season on April 12, weeks earlier than usual, resort staff announced late last week.
It’s just the latest ski area across Oregon – and across the U.S. – to announce a short or non-existent season.
“There were a lot of factors that went into this decision, and we want everyone to know it was not a decision we took lightly,” the Mount Hood ski area’s staff wrote online. “But the fact is, it is requiring A LOT of work to get the mountain back in shape every day, which we love to do, but we are just running out of snow to work with.”
Across Oregon, skiers and snowboarders have faced an abnormally short season.
Opening day was postponed well into December at Timberline on Mount Hood, Mt. Bachelor outside Bend and Mt. Ashland in Southern Oregon – there was not enough cold air or enough snow to blanket the slopes.
While atmospheric rivers brought several surges of heavy precipitation to the region, it was not enough for most ski areas.
As of late March, Oregon was on track to see its second-worst snowpack on record.
Live web cams tell the story.
At Mt. Hood Skibowl, which closed most operations in February, green grass coats slopes beneath stopped lifts. At Hoodoo Ski Area outside Sisters, which says it is closed until more snow falls, small patches of snow dot bald slopes.
These signs at the top of the Mt. Hood Express chairlift at Mt. Hood Meadows warn skiers of the hazards presented by low snow conditions on March 28, 2026.
Julie Sabatier / OPB
But some ski areas have held on.
Timberline still has snow at high elevations, despite grassy fields at low elevation and limited snow at the lodge.
Mt. Bachelor is preparing to start sales of its spring season passes on Wednesday.
And Chris Tomer, a meteorologist with On The Snow, says both of those resorts, and other high elevation ski areas, could see heavy snow accumulation later this week.
