Yosemite ski resort shuts down early as heat wave hits

Yosemite’s iconic Badger Pass ski area shocked winter lovers by shutting down for the season on March 18, weeks earlier than usual.

The lifts that usually hum well into spring were silent as a record-breaking heat wave baked the Sierra Nevada and melted the snow.

Skiers who had been counting on mid-March powder were left with slushy slopes and a much shorter season than expected.

The resort only managed about two months of skiing after a delayed January 16 start because early snowfall was limited.

Warm daytime temperatures and mild nights prevented snow from staying solid, leaving the mountain too dangerous for lifts to operate.

Resort officials confirmed the early closure was unavoidable. Visitors are allowed limited access later in March to retrieve stored gear, but regular skiing is over for the season.

Badger Pass is not the only Sierra ski area affected. Other resorts including Homewood Mountain and Dodge Ridge have also closed early as snowpacks vanished under the heat wave.

Winter enthusiasts planning trips to Yosemite and surrounding areas were left with a rude reminder that California weather this year has been anything but predictable.

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