Rocky Mountain region sees 3rd best ski season; US industry reports 2nd best season
That means the 2024-25 ski season had the second-most visits on record to U.S. ski areas. The 2022-23 season remains the most attended in recorded history, with just under 65.4 million skier visits recorded in the U.S. The association noted that this number is 'widely considered an anomaly across the travel and recreation industries,' spurred by a post-COVID-19 surge.
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The NSAA counts skier visits as each time a lift ticket or pass is used at a ski area, and the currently released numbers are preliminary, as several ski areas extended their seasons after the release was published on May 12. That includes Arapahoe Basin, which has set its closing day for June 8.
However, the association found that this previous ski season had 1.7% more visits than the previous season.
'Several years ago, we set an ambitious goal of reaching a three-year rolling average of 60 million skier visits. We've now surpassed that benchmark for four consecutive seasons,' said NSAA President and CEO Michael Reitzell in the group's announcement of the visit numbers. 'While weather will always be unpredictable, this year was less volatile overall, and nearly every region saw solid snowfall.'
The group noted that more ski areas were operating this year, up to 492 from 484.
'The 2024-25 season may come to represent a new baseline for the industry. Even if 'normal' continues to evolve, this season gives us a strong point of reference for what steady, healthy growth looks like,' Reitzell added in the announcement.'
NSAA said that the Rocky Mountain region, which includes New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, accounted for nearly 43% of all ski visits nationwide during the 2024-25 ski season, and ranked third out of the 47 seasons on record.
However, the Pacific Northwest recorded its best season on record: 4.7 million visits, which represents a 10.9% increase over the 2023-24 season.
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