LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah — After a winter full of record-breaking snowfall, Snowbird is finally shutting down its lifts for the season.
It was an emotional day for skiers on closing day.
“Until you turn the lifts off, we’re going to keep showing up,” said Nicholas Gardiner.
“Today was [day] 222 for the season,” said Alex Opdyke. “I skied just about every day since October 23.”
Slope access wrapped up around 1 p.m., but skiers and snowboarders continued to celebrate while listening to live bands and reminiscing the memories made this year.
“A nice tall, tall, tall giraffe. You’re talking one, two, three, and three-quarter giraffes worth of snow, all in a pile,” said Gardiner.
Despite all the snow, Snowbird’s season is wrapping up a couple of weeks earlier than it has in years past. In 2011 and 2019, the season lasted all the way up to the Fourth of July.
WATCH: Fourth of July skiing at Snowbird (2019)
The reason that’s not the case this year is because temperatures aren’t dropping low enough at night to make the snow last, a Snowbird spokesperson explained.
“It’s not the best skiing. Coverage is meh, but we’re still skiing and skiing is pretty good for being June 18,” said Opdyke.
All the melted snow unveils over two dozen activities for summertime visitors.
“We just opened our brand-new tram rooftop balconies. We’re really excited about that,” said Riley Whitney with Snowbird. “It’s a neat way for guests to enjoy the beauty of Little Cottonwood Canyon, the Salt Lake Valley, and Snowbird.”
It’s hard for skiers and snowboarders to fathom summertime when all they’re hoping for is a repeat of winter next year.
“Everyone that skied this winter, they’re going to remember this for the rest of their lives,” said Opdyke. “Nothing gets better than this.”
