Albuquerque, NM – It may be only mid-February, but it’s hard to keep going when you’ve received less than three feet of snowfall.

Officials at New Mexico’s Sandia Peak ski area, high above Albuquerque, have already thrown in the towel on the 2012-13 ski and snowboard season. Although the closing is taking place a month ahead of schedule, it’s hard to blame the resort when 32 inches of snowfall season to date has resulted in base depths that reach only 14 inches. Only the resort’s beginner lift and slope were able to open at all this year.

Sandia’s sister resort to the north, Ski Santa Fe, remains 90 percent open on 106 inches of snowfall season to date.

Resort staffers will keep the lifts ready in case a major dump reaches central New Mexico, although the medium range weather forecast doesn’t hold much promise. Otherwise, the resort will reopen for the summer mountain biking season on Memorial Day Weekend, and until then the resort’s Aerial Tramway will keep making round trips for Albuquerque sightseers.