MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Fewer people visited ski resorts in Vermont and New Hampshire this past season.
Ski Vermont says the state saw about 4.1 million skier visits, down about half a percent from the previous season. But it’s still higher than the state’s 10-year average and less of a decrease than other Northeast states.
Ski New Hampshire reports that there were less than 2.2 million visits, down about four percent from last year. They cited challenging weather conditions.
Ski Vermont’s Molly Mahar says it’s an industry that’s crucial for the regional economy. “It’s responsible for about $975 million in direct visitor spending and it is certainly very important for the businesses in the communities surrounding our ski areas that rely on that strong skier turnout for their success,” she said.
Ski Vermont’s 26 cross-country ski area members reported a statewide total of 202,485 skier visits, a decrease of 49.6 percent from the previous season.
SKI SEASON RECAP
Reporter Adam Sullivan took a look back at the season that was…
The 2023/2024 ski season started at Killington on November 3rd. The mountain holds the bragging rights for the most days open every year.
The season was off to a strong with snow-covered trees that gave off mid-season vibes. In mid-December, the snow gods continued to deliver. Okemo had already received two feet of natural snowfall by this point. But then it went downhill.
Resorts across the region had to rely on man-made snow because of frequent rainfall, and firing up the snow guns was often a challenge, with temperatures often not cold enough.
But in January, a big snowstorm came just in time for the busy Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Weekend. The conditions at Pico restored the faith that a lot of skiing was still in the future.
The Oak Hill Outdoor Center in Hanover fired up its snowmaking for the first time this past winter extending the cross-country skiing season for future years.
And Whaleback in Enfield celebrated its 10th year as a nonprofit.
At Magic Mountain in February, we got a feel of what it was like to rent out an entire resort. It was also the season the long-awaited quad at Magic finally opened.
But big storms were still hard to come by. Then came the “Miracle March,” which turned into an “Awesome April,” with upwards of four feet of snow falling across the region. Ski Areas worked overtime on social media to get the word out.
By the end of May, it all came down to Killington, where it all began, allowing folks to make some of their last turns.