U.S.A. — It was another action-filled ski season for the United States ski industry. More ski resorts were sold, and many new lifts and expansions opened. While not as deep as the season before, many people had some quality powder days, with many respectable season snowfall totals throughout most of the West.
With only one outdoor ski resort in the U.S. left open to the public, it seems like a good time to look back at the biggest stories from the 2023-24 season. We’ve created a list of the biggest ski industry stories in the United States this past winter.
Here are the biggest storylines from the 2023-24 season, some of which will also trickle into next winter.
Arapahoe Basin Is Going Through Some Changes: For decades, A-Basin has been known as one of the independent ski resorts in an industry full of conglomerates. This is why it came as a shock in February when Arapahoe Basin announced that the Alterra Mountain Company planned to acquire it.
However, this deal hasn’t been finalized, as the Department of Justice is doing a routine acquisition review. It is still expected to be finalized later this year. Some have questioned whether they will expand access to Ikon Pass. For now, they’re keeping it at only seven days of access. However, paid parking will now be required on weekends and holidays until 1 p.m.
Deer Valley Prepares For Huge Expansion: In 2023, Deer Valley announced they would operate the new Mayflower development. With this expansion, they plan to create one of the largest ski resorts on the continent.
During this past winter, they took guests on tours of the new terrain pod and got a beginner terrain pod expansion approved for this development. Construction is happening right now, and some lifts are even being installed. The first phase of the expansion is expected to open during the 2024-25 season. The Grand Hyatt Hotel, based at Deer Valley’s East Village, will open in November of this year.
In-Bounds Avalanche At Palisades Tahoe Kills One: Following a slow start to the 2023-24 season, Palisades Tahoe finally received some significant dumps in January. After opening up KT-22 on January 10th, an avalanche occurred, capturing skiers and killing one person. The individual was identified as sixty-six-year-old Kenneth Kidd.
According to a Placer County coroner’s report obtained by the San Fransisco Chronicle, the cause of death was suffocation, and he didn’t suffer any significant injuries from the slide. The cause of the avalanche remains under investigation.
This wasn’t the only notable death at Palisades Tahoe this season. Before the season started, a worker was killed in a collision with a snowmobile. In January, a Palisades Tahoe employee, who was suspected in a carjacking, was shot by a police officer.
Palisades Tahoe still had some good moments last season, including hosting the Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup and experiencing a deep February storm cycle.
North Dakota Ski Area Could Be Closing For Good: This story went under the radar, but it’s a sad story for many North Dakota residents. Back in April, Huff Hills announced that they were closing for good. The operators were planning some major improvements, but without a long-term lease, they decided to close and remove their infrastructure for the final year of their contract.
Their last social media post reminded people not to go on the property, as it is private. Huff Hills mentioned in the post that they were still trying to figure out a way forward with the property owners. However, they told Powder Magazine that they are considering moving their operations to another mountain in North Dakota. Since these May updates, no news has emerged about the future of Huff Hills.
Stagecoach Attempting To Be Revived As A Private Ski Resort: Colorado’s Stagecoach Ski Area has been closed since the late 1970s. Many have tried and failed to revive the mountain. However, a big-time developer intends to reopen it for skiing and riding.
In March, the Yampa Valley Bugle was the first to report that the Discovery Land Company, known for developing Montana’s Yellowstone Club, has begun efforts to revive Stagecoach as a private ski resort. Some hurdles remain, such as environmental concerns and residents who live at Stagecoach who are reluctant to change. In my opinion, this is the most interesting story in the ski industry right now.
Image Credit: Dylan Anderson, Yampa Valley Bugle
The Ski Resorts Of Eden, Utah Struggled: The town of Eden, Utah, is home to two ski resorts: Nordic Valley and Powder Mountain. Both faced separate challenges last winter.
Nordic Valley was without Apollo, its main chairlift out of the base area, for the entire season due to mechanical issues. In January, a fire destroyed their base lodge, leaving them to rely on temporary facilities. The Apollo chairlift is being refurbished this summer, while an official plan for the new lodge has yet to be announced.
Over at Powder Mountain, new ownership created tension between locals and management. Reed Hastings, known for co-founding a lesser-known streaming company, became the majority owner of PowMow last year. He also announced $100 million in improvements. Price hikes and an announced transition to a semi-private ski resort model filled their social media posts with many angry customers.
It’s not all bad news for Powder. Four new chairlifts will be installed this summer, and two more are coming in 2025. It will be interesting to see how much the mountain changes in the coming years and whether locals will continue to visit or go elsewhere.
Two Ski Resorts in Wyoming Sold: Last year, it was announced that Jackson Hole would be sold to a local group of investors. The deal was officially finalized in February 2024.
The other Wyoming ski resort sold was White Pine, situated south of Jackson Hole. This was sold to Joe Ricketts, a Billionaire investor who has acquired multiple properties in Wyoming for various purposes. Ricketts intends to add snowmaking to the mountain to extend the season. A new base lodge is likely planned, as the old one burned down.
Ultimately, Skier Visits Were Down Nationwide. A less snowy start compared to the 2022-23 season meant fewer skiers and riders came during the December and January holiday periods, which are the make-or-break periods for ski resorts. However, snowfall in February and March helped bring skiers back in droves. Late-season events, like Solar Eclipse parties in the Northeast, provided a needed boost for the industry. Ultimately, U.S. ski resorts totaled 60.4 million visits. While overall visits dropped 5% compared to the 22-23 winter, it was a surprisingly solid number based on the lack of snow to start the season.
Image Credits: Deer Valley Resort (Featured Image), Arapahoe Basin, Palisades Tahoe, Huff Hills Ski Area, Dylan Anderson (Yampa Valley Bugle), Weber Fire District, Powder Mountain-Ian Matteson, White Pine Ski & Summer Resort, National Ski Areas Association
