Dodge Ridge shuts down ski lifts until snow returns

Dodge Ridge – the Northern San Joaquin Valley’s closest skiing and snowboarding resort – closed Tuesday because of a lack of snow.

The culprit is unseasonably warm weather. Temperatures at the Sierra resort – which is about 30 miles east of Sonora and sits at about 6,600 feet elevation at its base – could reach the low 60s by this weekend and could be higher than Modesto, where daytime highs might be tempered by fog, mist and clouds.

“The Sierra is expected to be very warm,” said Eric Kurth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

He said the next chance for precipitation is Tuesday, but with the snow level starting at 9,000 feet, which is higher than Dodge Ridge’s roughly 8,200-foot summit. He said the snow level could drop if the weather system gains traction and continues through next week.

Dodge Ridge spokesman Sean Waterman said the resort could open as soon as the middle of next week if the weather forecasts and models that resort officials are following hold true and the snow returns.

On Monday, Badger Pass Ski Area at Yosemite National Park announced it will be temporarily closed until it receives more snow. The closure includes the cross-country ski trails and snowshoe trails. The turnoff to Badger Pass Road from Highway 41 also will be blocked.

Dodge opened Dec. 17 this season, which is a typical opening date but about two months earlier than last season. Waterman said the resort has had an excellent season and he expects that to continue. “We still have February and March, which are typically our two largest snow months,” he said. “We hope to go until mid-April.”

Dodge does not have snow-making equipment.

Kurth said the Valley’s fog, mist and clouds are expected to dissipate late this week and temperatures are expect to rise. He said there is a possibility the fog, mist and clouds could return Sunday, which would slightly lower temperatures, making it likely that it would be warmer in the sunny Sierra than in the Valley.

This story was originally published January 20, 2015 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Dodge Ridge shuts down ski lifts until snow returns."