Powderhorn resort near Grand Junction cuts days for conditions

A Colorado ski resort is cutting back its schedule because of a lack of snow.

Powderhorn Mountain Resort on the Grand Mesa near Grand Junction announced Sunday that it will only be open from Thursday to Sunday each week to make the best use of its less-than-average snowpack. It will have also limited lift service on Thursday and Friday.

So far the resort on the northern edge of the Grand Mesa says it has received 45 inches (114 centimeters) of snow, almost 9 feet (2.7 meters) less than last season. Powderhorn’s current base is 16 inches; it is usually more than 60 inches this time of the season.

“Reducing our operating schedule has been an incredibly difficult decision but based on the minimal amount of natural snowfall this season, it has become necessary to preserve the current snowpack for higher traffic days of the week,” resort general manager Sam Williams said in a news release.

The resort will be open the Monday of Presidents’ Day (Feb. 19). To offset the lackluster winter season, resort officials said they will offer winter season pass holders a free summer pass.