Denver, CO – Visits to Colorado Ski Country USA’s (CSCUSA) 22 member ski resorts experienced a small dip during the first part of 2011, according to numbers released by the organization this month.nFor the 2010-11 season, skier visits to CSCUSA member resorts were down 0.75 percent during the second period, defined as January and February, but remain up by 3.4 percent season-to-date compared to the same time last season.
“Here in Colorado, our season-to-date is the strongest the industry has seen since the 2007-08 season and the start of the economic recession,” assured Melanie Mills, president and CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA.
Good snow conditions combined with signs of economic recovery resulted in very strong visitation in the first part of the season.
“Eager skiers and riders took to the slopes right from the start of the season, and continue to take advantage of the near record snowfall at many resorts,” continued Mills. “It’s that dedication to the sport and loyalty guests have for Colorado’s resorts that has us on track for a solid season, albeit probably not one for the record books.”
Although Colorado’s season started off strong, some challenges presented themselves during the second period. During certain peak ski weekends, including the New Year’s weekend, Colorado experienced unusually cold temperatures. Also during key ski holidays and weekends, visitors were faced with trying travel situations including a rock slide that blocked highway 50 for extended periods of time, pass closures and ongoing congestion and delays on I-70.
Colorado has received a lot of snowfall this winter but during the second period, other ski areas in the country also reported better-than-average conditions. While positive for skier visitation nationally, strong snow in all regions means skiers take fewer destination trips.
A skier visit is defined by the industry as a person participating in the sport of skiing or snowboarding for any part of one day at a ski area. CSCUSA’s membership does not include four of the state’s biggest resorts of Vail Mountain, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek and Keystone, all of which are owned by Vail Resorts, which dropped out of membership in CSCUSA several years ago. For Vail Resorts’ second fiscal quarter ending January 31, total skier visits for these four resorts for the preceding three months, plus Heavenly Resort in Lake Tahoe, Calif., were up 8.7%. Numbers for Vail Resorts’ Colorado holdings, for the January-February period reported by CSCUSA, were not immediately available.