Northern California Ski Resorts Close Early Due to Snowmelt

Several Northern California ski resorts are closing their doors ahead of schedule this spring, undone by a combination of warm temperatures and snow that’s melting faster than operators can manage. Homewood Mountain Resort and Sierra-at-Tahoe both announced early closures this week, joining Mount Shasta Ski Park and Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort, which pulled the plug on their seasons last week.

The premature shutdowns land as a gut punch to skiers and snowboarders who had been hoping to squeeze out a few more weekends on the mountain. Lake Tahoe and the broader Sierra Nevada snowpack have always been vulnerable to March warm spells, but the speed of this year’s melt accelerated the decision for multiple resorts in a short window. For resort operators already threading the needle between seasonal labor costs and unpredictable precipitation, an early closure is rarely a choice made lightly.

The closures arrive with spring just beginning, which means the window for any meaningful recovery is essentially shut. If you had a spring break trip to Tahoe penciled in, it’s time to update the itinerary.

On the labor front, San Francisco reached a tentative agreement with the San Francisco Police Officers Association that would give SFPD officers a 14 percent pay increase spread over the next four years. The deal reflects ongoing pressure the city faces to retain officers in a department that has battled staffing shortages. Whether the raises translate into measurable changes in response times or public safety outcomes will take longer to assess.

Across the Bay, a coalition of community organizers and labor leaders is pushing a new ballot initiative that would ask Alameda County voters to raise the minimum wage to $30 per hour. The effort reflects the sustained organizing energy around wage floors that has been building in the Bay Area for several years. At $30 per hour, Alameda County would clear a threshold no major California county has formally adopted, making this a significant test of how far voters are willing to push on wage policy.

In state politics, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s gubernatorial campaign is attracting a curious coalition of at least 30 billionaires who have thrown financial support behind a candidate who, by most political analysts’ assessments, has a steep path to the governor’s office. The money continues to flow in despite those long odds. California’s governor’s race has historically attracted well-funded candidates who collapse well before the June primary, and Mahan’s trajectory is one to watch for signs of whether this donor enthusiasm translates into broader electoral support or simply becomes an expensive exercise.

Elon Musk redirected his political energy this week toward the SAVE America bill, pressing Senate Majority Leader John Thune to advance the legislation. Musk’s influence on congressional dynamics has been a recurring story since his involvement in last cycle’s federal campaigns, and his continued activism on specific legislation signals he views his political capital as something to spend aggressively, not conserve.

President Trump posted criticism of the Supreme Court on social media this week, calling it a “weaponized and unjust Political Organization” following a ruling on tariffs that went against his administration’s position. Trump’s relationship with the judiciary has been contentious throughout his political career, but publicly attacking the Supreme Court over a tariff decision represents a notable escalation of that tension.

On a lighter note, the San Francisco Chronicle’s food team ran a blind tasting of local sourdough loaves and delivered one of this spring’s more surprising local verdicts: Tartine, which carries arguably the most outsized reputation of any Bay Area bakery, finished fourth. Josey Baker Bread took the top spot. The result will either send sourdough loyalists into a spirited debate or prompt a long line outside Josey Baker’s Great Northern Food at the Heath complex in the Mission. Probably both.

For skiers mourning the end of the season, the early closures are a reminder that snowpack is never guaranteed and that the Sierra’s relationship with late winter has grown more volatile. Book early next year, and maybe build in some flexibility.