Low snow and rain forecast put a halt to brief opening
By Lee Juillerat for the Ashland.news
The likelihood of rain and the already low snowpack have resulted in the Mt. Ashland Ski Area pausing ski operations indefinitely as of Thursday, New Year’s Day.
In a press release Wednesday afternoon, ski area officials said the New Year’s Day forecast calls for rain with a high near 38 degrees and south-southeast winds around 18 mph with gusts as high as 28 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90% with most of that being rain.
Updates
Check the Mt. Ashland Ski Area Mountain Report page for updates. To go to the page, click here.
“We will share updates in a few days after this next storm,” officials said in a press release. “Thank you to our mountain community for the stoke and support these past few days — it truly makes a difference. We’re grateful for the patience, the passion, and the willingness to celebrate whatever winter brings.”
Lift tickets, rentals and lessons purchased for the upcoming days will be refunded. People who purchased any of those items are asked to check their inboxes for updates. If parents have a child or children involved in the School & Youth Group Learn-to-Ski Program, the program’s coordinator will be contacting volunteer coordinators if dates need to be adjusted.
Portions of the ski area, including the Lithia, Sonnet, Comer chairlifts and the First Act Learning Carpet, operated Wednesday. The Windsor and Ariel chairlifts and all terrain coming off of those lifts will be closed until there is sufficient snowfall to open up the remaining terrain.
Despite the closure, on Wednesday afternoon, skiers, snowboarders and friends celebrated the imminent New Year on the bar deck, dressed in their boots, bibs, and black ties for an impromptu “Noon Year’s Eve” celebration.
“Despite sitting at 70% below the average season’s snowfall, the Mt. Ashland team is getting creative with getting terrain open and our skiers and riders on the slopes!” area officials said in a news release, adding, “We’ll see you on the mountain!”
Email freelance writer Lee Juillerat at [email protected].
Dec. 31: Story updated to correct misinformation that some lodge amenities and ski lessons would still be available.
Related stories:
Updated: Mt. Ashland opens on a limited basis Monday (Dec. 28, 2025)
Mt. Ashland Ski Area opening delayed indefinitely (Dec. 14, 2025)
Mt. Ashland Ski Area lowers weekday prices to boost off-peak visits (Nov. 25, 2025)
