Aspen Snowmass announced Friday that Aspen Highlands will close for the 2025-2026 season on Sunday.
The closure comes two weeks ahead of the mountain’s originally scheduled closing date of April 12. According to a press release from the skiing company, it made the decision because of “current snow conditions,” which are historically low.
Several back-to-back days of warm temperatures in the 60s and 70s caused what little snowpack was left to melt quickly. Experts have attributed that heat wave to human-caused climate change.
“It's only mid-March. I think I lost track after even two or three days into the heat wave of just the number of records being broken,” said Climate Central scientist Dr. Zach Labe, in conversation with Aspen Public Radio’s Michael Fanelli on Wednesday.
“We're seeing not just one day and one location that's shattering its all-time highest in March,” he added. “We're seeing many locations shattering their all-time warmest March temperature multiple days in a row, in some cases, breaking April temperature records.”
There will also be an end-of-season closing party at the Merry-Go-Round restaurant on Sunday until 3:30 p.m.
Highlands’ closure comes the day after Buttermilk Mountain closed for the season. Buttermilk was originally scheduled to close on April 5, with Highlands closing on April 12.
Buttermilk’s Bacon Day closing celebration was cancelled as a result. It’s unclear if closing day celebrations at the Highlands Alehouse will continue on April 12.
Snowmass Ski Area is still scheduled to close April 12, with Aspen Mountain following on April 19.
“As of now, Aspen Mountain and Snowmass remain open for spring skiing and riding, and we will keep them open as long as we can,” Aspen Snowmass said in a press release.
