SAM Magazine—Warren, Vt., June 6, 2025—A total of 205 resort and supplier members gathered at Sugarbush Resort for the Ski Vermont annual meeting, June 4 and 5, where it was revealed that Vermont alpine ski areas welcomed more than 4.16 million skier visits during the 2024-25 season, up 1.1 percent year-over-year.Keynote speaker Mirna Valerio presented "The Power of Belonging, the Responsibility of Inclusion" during the final general session.

Vermont’s cross-country ski areas rebounded from a rough 2023-24 season thanks to consistent cold weather, good snow cover, and fewer thaws during the winter, reporting 322,353 skier visits, a year-over-year increase of 37 percent.  

“Vermont posted solid numbers for the season, aided by more consistent weather and snowfall during the core winter months than in the previous few seasons,” said Ski Vermont president Molly Mahar. “Blustery and very cold conditions over two key peak periods, disappointing March snowfall, and inclement weather on spring weekends held the increase to 1.1 percent year-over-year. Still, it was a positive result with a 6.2 percent increase over Vermont’s 10-year skier visit average.”

The programming at the annual meeting included discussions about inclusion and belonging, stewardship of Vermont’s outdoor spaces, and the state of government affairs related to proposed legislation that may directly impact ski areas. 

Workforce development was a primary focus, though. For the first general session, Ski Vermont gathered a panel of officials from Vermont government, universities, and professional organizations to discuss the current employment environment in the state and opportunities for ski areas to help attract and retain staff. Vermont’s unemployment rate is currently at 2.6 percent and there are more unfilled jobs than there are unemployed residents to fill them. 

A lively roundtable discussion followed with ski area leaders, consultants, and others chiming in on staffing issues felt by all, especially the need for more lift maintenance professionals. There are more resources available at the state level, officials said, to assist employers like ski areas with apprenticeships, paid internships, training, and other programs to help elevate the state’s skilled workforce. 

“We were pleased with the turnout and the attendee participation in conversations around workforce development, the state’s strategic plan for the outdoor recreation economy, and the importance of mental health and inclusion in outdoor recreation,” said Mahar. 

The event concluded with former Mount Snow general manager Kelly Pawlak being honored with the 2025 Ski Vermont Industry Achievement Award for her decades of service to the Vermont ski industry. Pawlak was the first female general manager in the state’s history when she was chosen to lead Mount Snow in 2005. After accepting the award, Pawlak said that while she may have been the first female GM in Vermont, women had been leading ski areas for decades before then—they just didn’t have the title—and she accepted the award on behalf of all the women in the ski business, which the crowd responded to with a standing ovation.