Skier visits slump as mid-winter snowstorms decline

By Dave Buchanan
Thursday, March 11, 2010

A drop in snowfall during January and early February resulted in fewer skier visits statewide, according to a ski industry trade group.

Colorado Ski country USA announced today that skier visits at its 22 member ski resorts went downhill by four percent from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28 this year as compared to the same period last winter.

Skier visits overall are down 2 percent for the season, said CSCUSA.

“Snow conditions are the biggest driver of visitation,” stated Melanie Mills, president & CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA. “So where conditions were dry during some important mid-season weeks, we saw a sizeable drop in visits. The combination of snow, when it arrived, and a smorgasbord of great deals really boosted visits in February.”

With more than two months left in the country’s longest ski season, some resorts in are already extending their seasons beyond the scheduled closing date.

Other resorts, including Powderhorn Resort, are shifting their operating hours to take advantage of daylight savings time, which begins Sunday, and the now-plentiful snow.

Starting Sunday, Powderhorn will run its lifts from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.