SAM Magazine—Denver, Oct. 17, 2014—The record-breaking summer for both occupancy and revenue among western mountain resorts is carrying into the winter booking season, according to Denver-based DestiMetrics, which tracks mountain lodging bookings at 19 western mountain resorts in six states.

SAM Magazine—Denver, Oct. 17, 2014—The record-breaking summer for both occupancy and revenue among western mountain resorts is carrying into the winter booking season, according to Denver-based DestiMetrics, which tracks mountain lodging bookings at 19 western mountain resorts in six states.

As of Sept. 30, winter bookings for November through March are up 7.4 percent in occupancy and 15.5 percent in revenue for the upcoming season compared to the same time last year, with increases appearing in the first five months of the ski season for which data is available.

However, DestiMetrics director Ralf Garrison cautions that weather and snow conditions will largely determine whether this trend continues. Predictably, last season's snow conditions are impacting this season's advance bookings: Rocky Mountain resorts, which fared well with snow last season, are tracking 8.9 percent higher in occupancy and 16.4 higher in revenues. Far West resorts, which experienced drought, are down 6.5 percent and 7.7 percent, respectively.

“A major break in the drought or a few good early season snowstorms would be a powerful antidote for what ails [the Far West],” Garrison said.

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