Winter ended early in Yosemite this year.
“Due to the lack of freezing temperatures at night, much higher than average daytime temperatures, and fast melting snow, Badger Pass operations will close for the season,” the ski area said in a recorded message.
The closure caps a shortened and uneven season.
Badger Pass, which dates to the 1930s, typically opens in mid-December and operates into late March or April. This year, lifts did not begin running until Jan. 16 because of limited early snowfall, and the season ended just two months later.
The shutdown comes as a broader wave of early closures hits ski areas across Northern California.
A record-breaking March heat wave has driven temperatures 20 to 25 degrees above average in parts of the state, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters say daily and monthly temperature records are being challenged, with dry conditions expected to continue in the near term.
The heat has accelerated snowmelt across the Sierra, cutting into the heart of the winter recreation season.
Several ski areas have already closed or announced early shutdowns, including Homewood Mountain Resort, which closed March 17, and Dodge Ridge, which ended its season March 15. Sierra-at-Tahoe is scheduled to close March 22.
Visitors who still have equipment stored at Badger Pass will have limited access later this month to retrieve their gear, with scheduled pickup dates coordinated by staff.