Industry News
The 2025–26 winter season is officially winding down, with just a few ski areas still operating across North America. Much of the western United States experienced a challenging season marked by warm temperatures, inconsistent snowfall, and reduced snowmaking windows, with several major operators across the region reporting notable declines in visitation.
Against that backdrop, Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana recorded an 8% decrease in visitation compared to the 2024–25 season. In a May 19 town hall meeting, resort representatives pointed to a combination of low early-season snowfall and unusually warm conditions as key factors behind the decline.
After a drier-than-normal December, January, and February, the region was impacted by a late-season heat dome that contributed to what meteorologists described as the warmest March on record for the area. Despite these conditions, Whitefish saw some economic offset through lodging, which increased 5% in revenue compared to last season.
- Related: March 2026 State of the Western U.S. Snowpack: Showing Slight Improvement But Still Below Average
Whitefish Mountain Resort is located in northwestern Montana near Glacier National Park and is about 30 minutes from Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell. The resort offers 110 named trails across approximately 3,000 skiable acres, with a 2,353-foot vertical drop, a summit elevation of 6,817 feet, and a base elevation of 4,464 feet.
Across the broader western ski industry, the season was shaped by above-average temperatures and below-average snowfall, which limited both natural snow accumulation and snowmaking opportunities. Whitefish Mountain reported that suitable snowmaking conditions were limited at the base for much of the season, reducing operational flexibility during key periods.
Temperatures averaged 30.7°F this winter, around 5.7°F above normal for the region, while snowfall reached roughly 70% of average at the summit and significantly less at lower elevations. The resort did benefit from strong short-term visitation during a December holiday storm that delivered around 14 inches of snow.
Whitefish is typically known for its cold winter conditions, with summit temperatures often dropping to -20°F or lower with wind chill. This season stood out as significantly warmer than normal, reflecting broader variability across western North American ski regions.
While the 8% decline reflects a softer season, it remains comparatively moderate in the context of wider industry challenges across the West, where several operators reported steeper drops in visitation amid similar weather conditions.
