THE CORPORATE SKI RESORTS ARE FOLDING. THE INDEPENDENTS ARE STILL OPEN.
Spring 2026 is making it obvious who actually cares about skiing. It’s early April in New England. The snow is still deep. The days are long. The corn is perfect. And the biggest ski resorts in the region are shutting down. Meanwhile, the little guys? Still spinning lifts. This isn’t a weather story. It’s a business model story. And if you ski in New England, you need to pay attention. THE SCOREBOARD Killington, Vermont, independent, privately owned, markets itself as the East’s longest season, and it’s earning that title again this spring, with no announced closing date and passes sold through the end of the season. Black Mountain in Jackson, New Hampshire, claims it will keep at least one run open until June 1. June. In New Hampshire. That’s not a typo. Now look at the corporate side. Sunday River, owned by Boyne Resorts closes April 19, 2026. Not a snow shortage. Not a force majeure. A scheduled corporate shutdown, weekend-only operations in the final stretch, with terrain shri...