Winter in Maine and New Hampshire is supposed to be about powder days, après ski vibes, and avoiding face plants on icy moguls. But sometimes, the mountains decide to close shop—and here are seven reasons your skiing dreams might be put on hold: 

  1. Not Enough Snow
    Sometimes Mother Nature forgets we’re in New England, and the "white gold" just doesn’t show up. Snow guns can only do so much when it’s 45 degrees in January.
  2. Too Windy
    When wind gusts hit gale force and you’re in danger of being blown off the chairlift like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, resorts usually hit the brakes. Nobody wants to be kite-skiing without consent.
  3. Too Icy
    It’s all fun and games until the trails turn into a luge track. Ski resorts don’t want to deal with a pile-up of people skidding down the mountain on their butts, which I would guess most skiers and riders wouldn’t want to deal with either. 
  4. Rain
    Soggy trails equal ruined snowpacks. Resorts will sometimes close to save the trails from looking like a muddy, post-apocalyptic wasteland.
  5. Power Outages
    New England weather is unpredictable, and sometimes the grid just gives up. Without electricity, those chairlifts aren’t moving, and no, your buddy with the pickup truck cannot tow you uphill.
  6. Avalanche Risk
    I get it, this isn’t the Rockies, but heavy snowfalls followed by sudden warming can create some dicey situations. If there’s potential risk, most resorts won’t risk it.
  7. Staff Shortages
    It’s hard to run a ski resort when your staff is stuck at home because their car is buried under six feet of snow.
white winter landscape with red traffic sign in the snow
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So next time your resort pulls a “closed” sign midseason, just remember, it’s not personal - it’s New England, and winter loves to keep us guessing.

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