Unseasonably warm temperatures have forced Nordic Valley Resort to close. Ski area operators hope the pause is only temporary.
The Ogden Valley resort announced last week that it would shut down operations through at least Presidents Day weekend — one of the busiest times for Utah ski hills — due to lack of snow. According to its own snow reports, Nordic Valley has a 5-inch base after receiving 22 total inches this season. SNOTEL measurements taken nearby show snowpack is at 39% of average, and webcam footage of its slopes reveals more brown than white.
“From Nordic’s standpoint, we’re staying optimistic,” said general manager Cobalt Stromberg. “We’re not giving up at this point.”
The resort upgraded a large swath of its snowmaking systems over the summer, but temperatures have been too warm to turn on the snow guns, Stromberg said. Nordic Valley has the lowest base elevation of the state’s 16 public resorts at 5,400 feet, and was the last in the state to open this season. It finally did so on Jan. 11.
Since then, much of the snow the resort has made or received has been melted by rains.
“The mountain team’s just trying our best to hold the place together,” Stromberg said. “In that last storm cycle, the snow line was just above us, so we got rain and got washed out a bit.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Nordic Valley Ski Resort on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
But snow is supposed to be on the way, and it’s carrying Stromberg’s hopes for reopening Nordic Valley with it.
OpenSnow.com is forecasting close to two feet will fall on the ski area between Monday and Friday. If that comes to fruition, Stromberg said he plans to restart the lifts as soon as Friday.
Even if snow doesn’t come, he said Nordic Valley would still be able to open this weekend if temperatures stay cold enough. He said his team needs about four days with temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit to make enough snow to reopen. If the resort gets the best of both worlds — snow and cold temperatures — he said snowmakers will stockpile any excess snow and spread it onto runs when necessary later in the season.
Most season passes were blacked out this weekend, and Stromberg said that played into his decision to close. People who bought day tickets or lessons will receive credits that can be used later in the season or at another Mountain Capital Partners resort, such as Brian Head Resort in southern Utah or Lee Canyon near Las Vegas.
Once it resumes operations, Stromberg said he expects Nordic Valley to try to stay open until at least the end of March.
“One decent storm,” he said, “and we’re back in business and ready to go.”
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