The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has reported that total US skier and snowboarder visits this season is estimated to be 53.3 million. That is a 2.8 percent downturn from last season’s 54.8 million total.

The figure is the lowest in seven seasons and the third-worst winter in 18 years. A skier visit is calculated by the purchase of a lift ticket or use of a pass for one day or part of a day.

This is a sharp dip from the same time last year, when we reported that skier numbers were up by two million, or 3.7 per cent. Despite the downtick, some region saw an increase in skier visits. Jackson Hole in Wyoming had so many visits that it was one of a handful of resorts to set records.

“This past season, ski areas in the Midwest experienced an impressive rebound, as skier visits grew by 17 percent in this region to 6.4 million visits. In addition, the Southeast region had a strong season, up 3.6 percent to 4.3 million visits from 2016-17. The Northeast region held steady at 11.8 million visits, less than 1 percent down from the previous season. The Rocky Mountain, Pacific Northwest, and Pacific Southwest regions were down slightly more, ranging between -5 and -14 percent.” –  www.nsaa.org

One reason for the downturn could be the slow start to the season across much of the west as well as the below average snowfall in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California

Resorts Who Set Skier Visit Records This Season:

    • Whitefish, MT
    • Bridger Bowl, MT
    • Stevens Pass, WA
    • Jackson Hole, WY
    • Schweitzer Mountain, ID

NSAA will release a final report of the Kottke End of Season Survey this summer. To order a copy of the report, visit NSAA online at www.nsaa.org.

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