5th busiest ski season on record this past year

[drjeff]

https://nsaa.org/webdocs/Media_Public/Press/2020-21/2021_June_SkierVisits.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0N2J7AnjiH56mBhluo_e4bNS2WtfVy5bRzM7zi5ThBn5dFRH6mrDmgLN4

While the numbers for or main region of interest, the Northeast, aren't listed in this release, overall it seems like the public got out and skied in this COVID season, and did so in strong numbers!

Obviously other revenue sources were off for the year, but the overall volume was strong

 

[ne_skier]

Surprised but also not surprised. While plenty of people didn't go due to Covid fears, the people who went likely went a lot thanks to the desire to just get out of the house. With the Covid factor gone, next season will be insane.

 

[2Planker]

Many MAholes skied locally to avoid the hassle of extra testing and quarantine.
Wachusett and BEast saw a ton of our friends who would have normally road tripped every weekend to ME/NH/VT.
Even smaller places like Nashoba an Bradford were way busier during Covid than ever before

 

[urungus]

Many MAholes skied locally to avoid the hassle of extra testing and quarantine.
Wachusett and BEast saw a ton of our friends who would have normally road tripped every weekend to ME/NH/VT.
Even smaller places like Nashoba an Bradford were way busier during Covid than ever before

Yup, I hit the B’East more than 50 times this year, and only made it to NH/VT 3 times in the spring after getting vaxxed. Looking forward to more skiing in Vermont next season…

 

[boston_e]

Many MAholes skied locally to avoid the hassle of extra testing and quarantine.
Wachusett and BEast saw a ton of our friends who would have normally road tripped every weekend to ME/NH/VT.
Even smaller places like Nashoba an Bradford were way busier during Covid than ever before

Are you sure the numbers bear that out? I never went to Nashoba or Wachusert, but the times I was at Bradford they were limiting ticket sales, there were none of the school “ski bus” after school programs (there were race teams) and I’d say was not busy at all.... ski onto the lift or wait 2-3 chairs at most and that was without mixing groups on chairs. But maybe I just was going on slow evenings...not sure.

 

[ss20]

We had an incredible year at Thunder Ridge. Best combination of natural snow and cold temperatures I've ever seen. Weekdays and weeknights were much busier than years past. Friday and Saturday nights were busier than anyone at the mountain could remember. IIRC ski school revenue was up a tick from the previous season.

It was great to see the local bump doing well. A memorable season for sure!

 

[thetrailboss]

Yes, it was indeed busy. Will it continue? We shall see.

 

[kingslug]

49 days..my longest.

 

[Cornhead]

Was always amazed how full the lot at Greek was leaving after our morning sessions. Cabin/Covid fever, me thinks.

 

[jimmywilson69]

would've hit 75 except I broke my collarbone...

 

[tumbler]

I don't think next year will be as busy as this past one. With everything open again there will be other things for people to do that they couldn't do last winter. I think it will be regular busy with the usual suspects like K and Snow being a bit busier.

 

[NYDB]

I know a lot of people who are looking forward to their caribbean vacations again next winter

 

[drjeff]

I don't think next year will be as busy as this past one. With everything open again there will be other things for people to do that they couldn't do last winter. I think it will be regular busy with the usual suspects like K and Snow being a bit busier.

I think there may very well be a bit of back and forth this season between those who for possibly the first time in their ski/riding careers went way more times than they used to and liked the reservation/limited lift loading system vs the folks used to the show up and fill the lifts style that was the norm prior to last year.

Ultimately the industry as a whole wants as many people there and lifts running as close to maximum capacity as possible, whereas some folks, who may be newer to the sport and didn't really have a grasp about what a full lift is like, may not like that at all, and will gripe about it on various social media outlets for sure

 

[Boxtop Willie]

I know for a fact that Bradford was way off. While weekends were OK, the money is in the afterschool programs. Thioe were down over 80%.

 

[dblskifanatic]

I know a lot of people who are looking forward to their caribbean vacations again next winter

We went to the Caribbean during Covid in October. For us the ski season was different only 10 days and our least number of days in 20 years. It had nothing to do with Covid and more to do with moving to Southern MA which made skiing not so easy as day trips since we have dogs. Our dogs are good for about 8-10 hours so we skied tiny places and some early days at A Basin before we moved and a trip out to CO at A Basin. Next year will be a little different. So we did not help the numbers.

 

[Hawk]

I don't think next year will be as busy as this past one. With everything open again there will be other things for people to do that they couldn't do last winter. I think it will be regular busy with the usual suspects like K and Snow being a bit busier.

I think Sugarbush is going to be slammed. A friend of mine in the real-estate business has had tons of calls from new people looking for seasonal rentals. Most of them said they were new IKON people. I just think that the word is out and we are gong to see a big increase in numbers.

 

[Newpylong]

The more riders the better. It is the only avenue for capital investments and for the industry to be sustainable.

 

[darent]

Many MAholes skied locally to avoid the hassle of extra testing and quarantine.
Wachusett and BEast saw a ton of our friends who would have normally road tripped every weekend to ME/NH/VT.
Even smaller places like Nashoba an Bradford were way busier during Covid than ever before

My MAhole friends that ski all went north to VT<NH<ME, didn't pay any attention to the details. I skied Ma for the first time and enjoyed it

 

[1dog]

Paid $1.86 gal. at the halfway point ( Irving Exit 9 I89) to Mad River Valley in Jan of '21. Last year hit $4 and now hovers around $3.50.

Ikon about the same- maybe $50 higher. Utilities close to 60% higher, and plow guy just came in at 23% higher than last year. Rental properties via VRBO/AirBNB, etc are all in high demand. So price/demand algorithms raise prices.

All this in the face of a recession - doesn't matter - if you purchased Ikon or Epic, new gear and planned a trip or 3, you're going.If it snows a 'normal' year - whatever that is, increases demand.

Everyone is used to credit - if no cash, they will borrow. . . until they can't.

Skiers/riders in general are higher income people. I skied when I was poor, middle class, and upper middle class. Nothing short of injury will stop me.

Airfares and reliability are questionable.

Will be above average year in traffic/skier days.

Get skins, go back or side, and the rest of you, whatever you do, stay out of the trees. They are dangerous even if triple vaxxed- maybe more so.

I don't see snow sports here:

 

[Hawk]

Hearing rentals are basically non existent. If you have not booked you are staying 20 mile away or something like that.
Hoping for the best but preparing for a total onslaught.