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Ski resorts once operated on a simple rule: open when snow fell, close when it melted. Warmer winters and erratic precipitation have pushed operators toward far more deliberate planning. Many resorts now rely on snowmaking machinery that can extend a season by several weeks at either end, though the equipment consumes large volumes of water and electricity, raising operating costs considerably. Some resorts have responded by diversifying into summer attractions such as mountain biking trails and alpine coasters, spreading revenue across a longer calendar rather than depending on a short, unpredictable winter window. A few smaller resorts, unable to afford snowmaking infrastructure, have closed permanently in the past decade. Industry analysts now describe elevation and reliable natural snowfall, once minor selling points, as the decisive factors separating resorts likely to survive from those likely to fold.