Vail Resorts Closes Crans-Montana for Season, Local-Led Petition Fails

The planned closure of Switzerland’s Crans-Montana ski resort this month prompted frustration and led some skiers to file a petition addressing the mountain’s new owners, the American conglomerate Vail Resorts, claiming that ending operations on April 6, 2026, was “not just disappointing” but “unjustified.”

According to the petition, Crans-Montana historically remained open until around April 20 and, sometimes, later. This season, the resort still ended up closing on April 6, despite what the petition called “excellent snow conditions.”

Speaking with Radio Télévision Suisse, Crans-Montana’s vice president and general manager, Pete Petrovski, defended the decision, saying that fewer skiers turn up after Easter, but he also said that this wasn’t the main reason for the closure.

He noted that the plan was published on June 25, 2025, and that Crans-Montana had a long-term maintenance schedule. Crans-Montana’s local operating team set the closing date based on several factors, like needed improvements and how guests use the resort.

The resort is also preparing for the FIS Alpine World Championships, which are set to be held at Crans-Montana next season, Petrovski pointed out. 

“We’ve been very clear about our operation dates since last summer. We plan them a year or two in advance,” Petrovski said. “I understand that there is snow right now. We also have work that needs to start tomorrow.”

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This explanation isn’t unheard of. Ski resorts in North America have closed terrain—or an entire mountain—in the spring to account for upcoming projects. 

Alpental, Washington, ended the season in mid-April 2025 to make way for the replacement of its Edelweiss chairlift.

Each spring, Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, shifts to operating on only one of its two mountains. In 2024, it ended operations on Blackcomb to account for lift maintenance and construction of the Jersey Cream six-seater.

The petition, which saw more than 1,000 signatures, argued that the Crans-Montana closure cut the season short around the Easter holidays, a key period for tourism, impacting local workers and businesses. Cantons throughout Switzerland have school breaks around Easter.

“Crans-Montana is not just a resort, it is a living ecosystem that depends on a full and well-managed season,” the petition reads.

Crans-Montana is not the only resort in the area that closed in early April. The nearby Anzère has been doing so for six years, Radio Télévision Suisse reported. The outlet added that Anzère’s management said it closes when it does because there aren’t enough customers to be profitable.

Other major Swiss resorts, like Verbier and Saas Fee, remain open until later this month.

Beyond the closure, the petition claimed that under Vail Resorts, “many in the community, skiers, instructors, local businesses, and visitors, feel that the quality and commitment have declined significantly” at Crans-Montana.

In conclusion, it urged Vail Resorts to “engage more closely with the local community and professionals who depend on it.”

Vail Resorts bought Crans-Montana in 2024, announcing at the time that it would invest around CHF 30 million into the resort over the next five years, making improvements to food service and snowmaking. 

Since then, some restaurants that were previously closed have reopened, and the resort has widened some of its popular ski trails, moves that prompted positive feedback from guests. Beginner areas have also opened earlier than ever.

The Easter dust-up marks a sharp contrast to North America, where, this season, many mountains had to close whether they liked it or not after a hot spring.

Still, during more regular winters on this side of the pond, plenty of ski resorts close, even when the snow is sticking around. These are some more reasons why.

Related: Powder Days Are Great, but I’d Rather Ski in the Spring