Vail Mountain closes for 2025-26 season

Low-snow years show the resilience of Vail Resorts' business model, CEO says

Apr. 9, 2026 at 7:20pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a fragmented, geometric scene of a ski resort, with sharp planes of blue, white, and grey hues representing the slopes, lifts, and buildings.Vail Resorts' shift to a pass-based business model helps the company weather low-snow seasons, but raises concerns about the future accessibility of skiing.Vail Today

Vail Mountain has closed the books on the 2025-26 ski season, which saw the worst snowpack on record for the resort. However, Vail Resorts reported only modest declines in lift revenue, thanks to strong pre-sold pass sales that offset the drop in walk-up visitors. The company's CEO says low-snow years demonstrate the resilience of their shift toward a pass-based business model.

Why it matters

Vail's struggles with low snowpack highlight the challenges facing Colorado ski resorts as climate change brings more unpredictable winter weather. The resort's ability to maintain revenues despite the poor conditions shows how the industry is adapting by relying more on pre-sold passes and less on day-of ticket sales.

The details

Vail Mountain's official SNOTEL snowpack measuring site shows this past season had the lowest snowpack on record, surpassing the previous low set in 2011-12. Despite the lack of powder days, Vail Resorts reported only a 2.9% decline in total lift revenue, as pre-sold 2025-26 passes reached a sales revenue 3% higher than the previous season. The company's CEO told investors this demonstrates the 'resilience of the business model' as Vail shifts away from walk-up window tickets.

  • Vail Mountain closed for the 2025-26 season on April 9, 2026.
  • The previous lowest snowpack record was set during the 2011-12 season.

The players

Vail Resorts

The company that owns and operates Vail Mountain and other major ski resorts in Colorado and across North America.

Rob Katz

The CEO of Vail Resorts, who spoke to investors about the company's resilient business model during low-snow years.

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What they’re saying

“Low-snow years like this one show how the company's shift toward pre-sold passes and away from walk-up window tickets demonstrates 'the resilience of the business model'”

— Rob Katz, CEO, Vail Resorts

The takeaway

Vail's ability to maintain revenues despite record-low snowpack underscores how the ski industry is adapting to climate change by relying more on pre-sold passes. This shift helps insulate resorts from the unpredictability of winter weather, but also raises questions about the long-term affordability and accessibility of skiing.