Colorado ski resorts closing early amid rising temps and low snowpack

• Delayed openings, limited terrain and record-low snowpack dealt a gut-punch to mountain tourism.

The latest: Ski Cooper outside Leadville, Sunlight Mountain in Glenwood Springs and Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs all closed last weekend.

• Monarch announced Monday it would close March 29, a reversal from a year ago when it extended the ski season one week to April l3.
• Telluride is shutting down for the season April 5.
• Steamboat ski resort is ending its seasonal ski operations April 12, a week earlier than last year.

What they're saying: "With the recent heat wave and an increasingly thin snow base, we've had to make the difficult decision to close for the season," Ski Cooper said in a message, adding: "We hope to welcome you back next year to better snow and brighter days."

What we're watching: Even if the major resorts remain open, it's questionable whether they'll make it to their planned mid-April closing dates.

• Dirt and rocks are showing through on runs at Vail Ski Resort, where access to Blue Sky Basin is closed after its shortest season on record. Snowpack is 51% of normal, the lowest since 1979, the Vail Daily reports.
• Arapahoe Basin, which often stays open into June, has less than a quarter of its runs open at this point.

The bottom line: "Gather up your [winter] jackets and move it to the exits."