The debate over whether skiers are staying away because of time or cost is reviewed by two authors. Mike Shirley, pointing to his decision to cut the season pass rate at Bogus Basin, Idaho, as a great spark to generate record sales, says cost is the problem. Jim Spring says that's not the only answer. SAM magazine also offers additional viewpoints in regard to the Gallup research reported on by David Rowan in the July, 1998 issue.