SAM Magazine—San Francisco, May 6, 2015—The U.S. ski industry tallied an estimated 53.6 million skier and snowboarder visits this past season, making 2014-15 the second-worst since 2000-01, according to the National Ski Areas Association. The results represent a 5 percent decrease from 2013-14, and are down 3.8 percent from the five-season industry average of 55.7 million.

The only year of the past 15 that was worse was 2011-12, when there were 50.97 million skier and rider visits.

SAM Magazine—San Francisco, May 6, 2015—The U.S. ski industry tallied an estimated 53.6 million skier and snowboarder visits this past season, making 2014-15 the second-worst since 2000-01, according to the National Ski Areas Association. The results represent a 5 percent decrease from 2013-14, and are down 3.8 percent from the five-season industry average of 55.7 million.

The only year of the past 15 that was worse was 2011-12, when there were 50.97 million skier and rider visits.

NSAA cited weather extremes for the decline. Snowfall was 28 percent below average nationally, and even more on the West Coast. This season saw the lowest snowfall on record for half the country, including the Pacific Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and Rocky Mountains, according to NSAA.

Meanwhile, areas in the Northeast and Midwest got hit by a little too much winter at times. The Northeast got clobbered by numerous snowstorms that resulted in state-wide travel bans and extreme cold temperatures there and also in the Midwest kept urban skiers and riders from the slopes.

By region, the Northeast was down 0.8 percent, the Southeast down 1.4 percent, Rocky Mountain region down by 2.1 percent, the Midwest region dropped 9.3 percent and the Pacific Southwest was down 6.4 percent. The Pacific Northwest got the worst of it, falling 36.3 percent over the previous season.

On the plus side, season pass sales were up 6.2 percent across the country compared to the previous season, according to NSAA. In addition, NSAA reported that the Northeast and Southeast regions paced ahead of the five-year average.

International visits were up by “double digits,” NSAA said in its statement. “This was especially encouraging, because this growth occurred against the backdrop of a strong dollar, which often translates into fewer international visits,” the trade group said. “In 2014-15, international visits accounted for 6 percent of all skier visits to American ski areas, up from 5.6 percent in 2013-14.”

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