The snowless winter in California overwhelmed the snowy East to yield the ski resort industry’s second worst season in 16 years. Resorts across the U.S. saw visits fall to 53.6 million, according to a preliminary count by the National Ski Areas Association.
While it wasn’t as bad as the 2011-12 season, when visits plummeted 16 percent from the previous season to 51 million, visits for the 2014-15 season fell 5 percent. The season finished 3.8 percent below the five-year average of 55.7 million.
Snowfall was down 28 percent across the country, according to early results from the the NSAA’s annual Kottke Survey.
Visits to the Rocky Mountain region, from Montana to New Mexico, were down 2.1 percent from 2013-14 but landed above the region’s five-year average. Visits to resorts in the Northeast, which saw record snow that occasionally hindered visitor traffic, fell less than one percent.
Colorado ski areas through February were pacing . Resorts in the southwest portion of the state .
The resorts in the Pacific Northwest, from California’s bone-dry Lake Tahoe area to Washington State, endured a crippling 36.3 percent decline in visitation from 2013-14 season, which saw a 19.4 percent drop.
Season pass sales, which have flourished in the last five years, again climbed, this time peaking at 6.2 percent above 2013-14. Coffer-filling international skiers crowded U.S. resorts, continuing a promising trend with double-digit percentage increases in visitation nationally. Pass sales and the increases in international vacationers, who tend to stay longer and spend more, likely will fuel higher yields by destination resorts in the Rocky Mountains, furthering .
“The good news is that despite the vagaries of Mother Nature, ski areas have adapted and responded with dramatic expansions and investments in energy-efficient snowmaking,” said Michael Berry, president of NSAA, in a statement. “Even in a season where snowfall is off, our guests still get an incredible skiing or riding experience.”
Jason Blevins: 303-954-1374, jblevins@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jasonblevins
National skier visits (in millions)
1999-00: 52.2
2000-01: 57.3
2001-02: 54.3
2002-03: 57.6
2003-04: 56.8
2004-05: 56.9
2005-06: 58.9
2006-07: 55.2
2007-08: 60.1
2008-09: 57.4
2009-10: 59.8
2010-11: 60.5
2011-12: 51
2012-13: 56.9
2013-14: 56.5
2014-15: 53.6
