Final Lifts Shut at Timberline, Copper Hosts Summer Park, and Forecasts Hint at a Snowier Winter Ahead
Updated August 27, 2025: U.S. ski season ends after nine months, Copper Mountain's terrain park stays open, and hopes rise for a snowier 2025–26 with La Niña brewing. Read the full report here.
- Timberline Closure Marks End of 2024–25 U.S. Ski Season
- Palmer Snowfield Down to a Mile of Terrain Before Final Day
- Copper Mountain Terrain Park Now Only Outdoor Snowsports Option
- Resorts Announce November Openings as Weak La Niña Hopes Grow
- Wildfire Threats Linger Near Ski Regions, Including Idaho’s Tamarack
USA REPORT
The 2024–25 lift-served ski season in the U.S. finally ended last weekend when Timberline Lodge on Oregon’s Mt. Hood, the nation’s last open area after a nine-month season, closed. Its Palmer Snowfield was reduced to about a foot of snow and roughly a mile of skiable slope. Ironically, cooler weather and rain showers arrived just as the season closed, with even a few snowflakes rumored at higher elevations. For now, the only organized outdoor snowsports in North America are at Copper Mountain, Colorado, where a hike-to terrain park remains open. The park is available to the public Fridays–Sundays and reserved for Woodward camp programs Mondays–Thursdays. Meanwhile, attention is shifting to the 2025–26 season. Resorts such as Arizona Snowbowl — which stayed open into June for the first time this year — and Utah’s highest slopes have already announced November opening dates, just three months away. Ski media are also revising their winter outlooks: while many expected neutral El Niño/La Niña conditions, hope is now growing for a weak La Niña, which could bring snowier conditions. The Farmer’s Almanac is also predicting colder-than-average weather and snowier conditions in central and eastern North America, with warmer-than-average conditions in the west — forecasts that have excited many northeastern resorts. Elsewhere, wildfire season continues to threaten ski regions, with Idaho’s Tamarack Resort currently near an active blaze.
USA FORECAST
Warm and mostly dry weather continues across Colorado’s high country, with daytime highs of 77–86°F and lows of 35–43°F. No significant snowfall is expected, though isolated mountain showers are possible.
