SAM Magazine—Denver, June 9, 2023—Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) is projecting a new statewide record of 14.8 million skier visits during the 2022-23 winter season, beating the record set in 2021-22 by one million visits, or 8 percent. The 2022-23 projected statewide total exceeds the five-year average for skier visits in Colorado by 18 percent. 

CSCUSA uses visitation numbers from its 21 member ski areas combined with publicly available information to estimate non-member visitation, including Vail Resorts’ five Colorado properties.

“The 2022-2023 ski season was buoyed by cold temperatures and consistent, abundant snowfall across the state, from the first days of the season in October to closing day on June 4,” said CSCUSA president and CEO Melanie Mills. “We are today celebrating a significant new industry benchmark for visitation, meaningful growth in our business, and the positive economic impact that this success has for our employees, our communities, our partners, and our state.” 

All regions of Colorado received significant snowfall throughout the season with CSCUSA members averaging 286 inches of snowfall this year, up from the long-term average of 265 inches. The 2022-23 snowfall contributed to a season that was 21 days longer than the long-term average season. The state as a whole experienced above-average precipitation and below-average temperatures this winter. 

“Approximately 23 percent of U.S. skier visits took place in Colorado this year, and this was not happenstance,” continued Mills. “Our member ski areas are fiercely dedicated to the guest experience, as well as to the employee experience at their resorts. There’s a mountain for everyone in Colorado, and our ski areas love to welcome one and all to our slopes.”

Skier visits are the metric used to track participation in skiing and snowboarding. A skier visit represents one person participating in the sport of skiing and snowboarding for any part of one day at a mountain resort. These numbers are preliminary and subject to final adjustment. 

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