Total skier visits hits record in 2021-2022 season

The Associated Press

The 2021-2022 ski season was record-breaking in the total number of skier visits to resorts around the country, the National Ski Areas Association announced Friday.

The national figure of 61 million skier visits was up 3.5% from the previous season, according to the trade group based in Colorado.

“This record visitation signals that the U.S. ski industry is healthy, and that the demand for outdoor recreation remains strong. There were signs of this during the 2020-21 season as the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic led more people to seek outdoor activities,” the association said in a release.

A skier visit is when someone uses a lift ticket or pass at a ski area. While a handful of resorts are still running, the number of visits is not expected to increase significantly, the association said.

Around the country, the Rocky Mountain region reported a record high number of skier visits at 25.2 million while Northeast, Midwest and Pacific Southwest all had increases from 2020-2021 season, according to the association. Two areas — Southeast and Pacific Northwest — reported decreases in skier visits from the previous season, the association said.

The national total of skier visits beats the previous record of 60.5 million set in the 2010-2011 season.