AP Article: Changing Demographics on the Slopes

[Nick]

I would like to see the data that supports an average of 5 days per year. Are there a lot of one-and-done skiers in this? People who only ski once every few years?! The people I know who ski (and ride) get in well over this many days...

5 a year sounds pretty average / normal to me. as mentioned earlier, AZ members aren't really the most representative group of "occasional" skiers

 

[bigbog]

Dee Wang...family of Dr. Wang's(ex Wang CEO)...y/n? That's who they love to take pictures of and try to make some sort of story...;-)

 

[Savemeasammy]

I would have thought 5 days might be closer to a reasonable minimum # of days someone who skis or rides might get in in a season. To me, I would have thought 10 would be closer to a plausible average. In my experience, I don't think I happen to know anyone who skis/rides who doesn't get in at least 10-20 days a season...! Personally, I will do everything in my power to drive that average up a little!

 

[St. Bear]

So like the older population, on the whole, has all the $$$??????? That's a rather localized view of the population's wealth...y/n?

Older population has more disposable income and free time. Not an opinion, it's a fact. If they're still working, they're in their peak earning years. Kids are grown and (hopefully) moved out.

 

[abc]

I would have thought 5 days might be closer to a reasonable minimum # of days someone who skis or rides might get in in a season.

Come to think of it, I know quite a few people who only ski one holiday weekend a year. They'll either do Christmas and/or New Year weekend (but skipping the actual holiday itself), or President's Day weekend. That's about 3, maybe 4 days max. I have several co-workers who're like that.

Then, there's the biggest chunk of skiing population: families who ski one week a year!

It's like people who go to a beach holiday once a year.

So yes, the average is 5, which is probably the biggest group: 1 week vacation with actually 5 days of skiing.

To me, I would have thought 10 would be closer to a plausible average. In my experience, I don't think I happen to know anyone who skis/rides who doesn't get in at least 10-20 days a season...! Personally, I will do everything in my power to drive that average up a little!

Those of us who ski more than a couple weekends a winter are balanced out by those who only ski one holiday weekend. But the main thing is the largest group of skiers ski one week a year! That's 5 days on snow.

 

[goldsbar]

Then, there's the biggest chunk of skiing population: families who ski one week a year!

Yup, this is what I see a lot of. Maybe one weekend and one week, though likely not skiing every day. Most people aren't in very good shape - just take a look!

If you're like most of the population - couple of kids, not really that close to a resort - it takes a lot of effort to go skiing. My best has been a bit over 20 days and most "normal" people would consider that compulsive. That's 6-7 days in Utah or Wyoming, a 3 day weekend in Vermont and 1/weekend otherwise. Feels like a ton of driving at 2 hours each way for the marginal Catskills (most years) and starts to get old near the end of the season.

 

[abc]

If you're like most of the population - couple of kids, not really that close to a resort - it takes a lot of effort to go skiing. My best has been a bit over 20 days and most "normal" people would consider that compulsive. That's 6-7 days in Utah or Wyoming, a 3 day weekend in Vermont and 1/weekend otherwise. Feels like a ton of driving at 2 hours each way for the marginal Catskills (most years) and starts to get old near the end of the season.

Yea, for many years, I skied less than 10 a year. And even at that, I was considered by my non-skiing friends as a "real skier". ;-) Why? Because I was skiing 1 week out west and a couple weekends in VT. That's actually already a lot of flying and driving around. Some years, when condition were less than ideal, I ski even less than that.

Last couple of years, I did 20-30. But it's really getting to me, all the travelling...

Even though I have a relatively good job, with decent vacation, living away from the mountain means I really can't put in that many days without feeling like a slave of my hobby. When the condition is good, all that driving and stress melts away. But when condition doesn't turn out that great, it really saps my motivation for putting the next trip together...

 

[mattchuck2]

I think skiing for some people is like bowling for me. I do it maybe once a year, once every couple of years. I don't own any equipment, so I always rent. I really don't like it too much, but if some friends want to do it, it's better than sitting around at home.

Whereas with skiing, I'm there every weekend, powder days, holidays, and a couple of nights every week. I'm slightly obsessed. But as we've said before, the people on this forum don't represent the average skier any more than the people on car forums represent the average driver or people on hunting forums represent the average hunter.

 

[mattchuck2]

Even now, pushing 40 days last year... To realistically do more than that, you need to be not working or have a very favorable schedule.

I got 85 days in last year and I work a full time job. You're not trying hard enough.

(Of course, I get two hours of skiing in on some weeknights - driving 40 mins each way - and I consider that a "day", or I go in the backcountry and get 1 run and consider that a "day", so maybe my definition is different than yours)

 

[St. Bear]

I have a good friend who is a great example. He pretty much only skis when I come up to NH and am looking for a ski buddy, if he's available he comes along. Last year he got in 3 days with me. If I'm not hounding him to go skiing, it's just not an option for him, it doesn't cross his mind.

 

[Nick]

I think skiing for some people is like bowling for me. I do it maybe once a year, once every couple of years. I don't own any equipment, so I always rent. I really don't like it too much, but if some friends want to do it, it's better than sitting around at home.

Whereas with skiing, I'm there every weekend, powder days, holidays, and a couple of nights every week. I'm slightly obsessed. But as we've said before, the people on this forum don't represent the average skier any more than the people on car forums represent the average driver or people on hunting forums represent the average hunter.

So you aren't a regular on BowlingZone.com?

 

[Nick]

I got 85 days in last year and I work a full time job. You're not trying hard enough.

That's like a full time job

 

[mattchuck2]

So you aren't a regular on BowlingZone.com?

Haha. I bet there is some equivalent like that. A bunch of people geeking out over different balls, shoes, etc. talking about technique, debating which are the best lanes to go to, which place has the best wings, beer selection, and animation on the computer screen when you get a strike. Then there's probably a bunch of retro grouches who long for the days of setting up the pins by hand...

 

[mattchuck2]

That's like a full time job

Well, truth be told, I guess I worked for part of 40 of those days teaching lessons and whatnot, but I always make a few runs for myself whenever I'm on snow. And the lessons I teach are generally big on skiing and small on talking.

 

[SnowRock]

What would be interesting to know is if the average age of the avid skiers has been steady or has risen of late. Lets face it, skiing and snowboarding are hobbies that take commitment... as everyone has pointed out, if you don't live near a mountain you really need to put out some effort. Not even to mention the cost element.

As much as I enjoy snowboarding there have been a few periods of my life where I literally only got out once or twice in a season. I am back and have gotten out a bunch the past 3 years (20-26 days), but its easy enough to get sidetracked, its not like going for a jog or even a bike ride on pavement or dirt. And yes my 26 days last year gets a WOW from most of my buddies, even those that ski or board.

The question is... will those 5 day'ers become the avid skiers in old age, or do they not get the "bug" and turn to other things?

 

[dlague]

I do think that the cost of skiing often has driven many 20-40 something's to seek alternative adventures such as backcountry skiing, winter surfing, ice climbing etc.

I was talking to a surfer dude at Cinnamon Rainbows and he was saying how he dropped snowboarding altogether and just winter surfs.

We have a brother-in-law and a bunch of his friends who would rather earn their turns rather than pay for lift tickets and skiing with a crowd, or ice climb around Franconia Notch as a result he skis at a resort probably 5-6 times per season.

We have friends who talk like big time skiers but probably also only make it out 5-6 times before their interests turn to something else.

There are also the perfect temp/weather skiers/snowborders that don't get out much either

However, most of the people we know that ski/snowboard are out there 10-20 visits or not out there at all. Our family on the other hand, has a sweet spot around the mid thirties with last year hitting our best at 38. I have to say hitting 38 was hard when you work M-F. What is upsetting for me right now is that we are off to a slow start this year already with zero days thus far.

 

[dlague]

I got 85 days in last year and I work a full time job. You're not trying hard enough.

Well, you have to have a pretty flexible full-time job! I work M-F and find it hard to break forty From January - March we ski every weekend, both days and throw in a few night sessions, December and April we average about 5 days per month and then November and May 2-3 days per month which all total gets us close to 40.

You must be cranking out a lot of night sessions during January, February and March, or use a lot of vacation time, or ski a lot during the bookends of the seasons.

I would like to ski more on the bookends but it is tough to get my kids started and they do not like spring skiing!

 

[mattchuck2]

I ski every weekend, both days, and every holiday, I also ski (Christmas, MLK, etc.). Additionally, I ski 2 nights a week from Jan to mid March, then I take a week ski vacation in the Spring.

 

[dlague]

I ski every weekend, both days, and every holiday, I also ski (Christmas, MLK, etc.). Additionally, I ski 2 nights a week from Jan to mid March, then I take a week ski vacation in the Spring.

Must be nice!

 

[bigbog]

Just my $.01, but I think the ski industry would be making a ton more profits by charging skiers by a percentage of their earnings. So many poorer people in poorer states(ie Maine) have to pay the same prices as the Boston crowd does...and I think that simply limits daily visits, especially when the season pass, such as Boyne's, for including weekends...is $600+(at the earliest purchase date) and day lifttickets are above $75. The prices are killers for some and a real bargain for others...but even them out via earnings percentages and I think you'd have more people coming. Those with much higher earnings would maybe whine, but they would pay! If they have problems with those prices....buy a cheaper vehicle. There isn't a true reason why a more expensive vehicle can go through snow better than a less expensive one....it's BS. Just a guess on SL's Opening Day..