(via snowsports.org)
According to the SnowSports Industries America Participation Report alpine skiers participation decreased by 1.3 million between the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
“Overall, snow sports participation fell from 21M to 19.8M. An additional 8.8M people said they considered themselves skiers or snowboarders, but have not participated in the last two seasons, most often due to time constraints,” according to SIA.
A late start to the ski season coupled with high temperatures and low snowfall across must of North America is most likely the reason for the slump in skiers and snowboarder visits.
Slump could be related to the recession too…
Could be that resorts are going after the 1% crowd with jacked up ticket prices, and a decade of policies that make it harder to afford to ski–even if you live by a resort. God forbid you want to travel somewhere with a family or you’re spending thousands. Maybe it’s time to cater to the people that actually keep the ski industry in business–skiers.
And when you say “Skiers” you mean the dreaded JOEY……season pass holders who bag lunch live in the woods outside of town don’t bring shit to the table. It’s the people everyone else hate who buy 6 day passes and triple digit lunches in the lodge that keep mountains alive
recession, recession, recession. I saw many pre=paid timeshare rooms sitting vacant because the families just didn’t have the money to spend on anything else like petrol.
yaaaaayyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!
As expected, since snow was minimal in most areas in country except PNW.
Don’t need experts to know this.
Last season I talked to a few people about going up to squaw or alpine on the account of carpool and whatnot. I even had comp tickets The main reason no one wanted to ski was conditions. At least that was what they told me anyway. But then again maybe I’m a bore to be around.
I would say good less people to share the mountain with, but this hurt the realt skiers that work their butts off at resorts so they can afford to live the ski bum life, which is the best life there is. Once you get to ski several days a week for a season there is no turning back.
i only skied 102 days last year, down from 168 the season before. it was definitely the conditions since I have a 6 month vacation every year and can ski every day if I want. on the flip side the ice climbing was awesome since there wasn”t much snow covering the routes.
Slump, maybe it’s because the ski industry is trying to turn skiing into a luxury sport.