Warming temperatures bring early close to area ski hills

By TOM STANKARD

tstankard@yourdailyglobe.com

As warm temperatures continue, melting snow is causing an early end to the season for skiers and snowboarders.

The forecast calls for continued warm weather.

Near Bessemer, Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort declared it will close Saturday for the season. Bruce Noren, general manager, said the earliest the mountain closed was in February, 1999.

"It's been a strange snow year. With these warm nights, we've taken a hit," Noren said on Wednesday afternoon.

On Wednesday, the mountain had a 22- to 40-inch base of snow and 28 trails open.

Whitecap Mountains, near Upson, Wis., announced its ski season will come to a close on Sunday, March 13. On Wednesday, the resort had all 43 runs open across the three mountains.

Barry Bolich, Indianhead Mountain Resort general manager, said Indianhead and Blackjack Ski Resort will remain open until April 3. He said the conditions at both ski resorts were "great."

On Wednesday, Indianhead, near Wakefield, had 20 trails open with a 22- to 40-inch base of snow, according to its website.

At Blackjack, there was a 24- to 50-inch base of snow.

"We're making a lot of snow and there's still people skiing," Bolich said.