AP Article: Changing Demographics on the Slopes

[BenedictGomez]

Not sure that's a healthy industry sign

Definitely not. More like death spiral stuff.

I was surprised to see the national average of skiers getting only 5 days a year.

Didnt surprise me. For every skier that skis 2 days per year, you need someone to ski 8 days. And there are a TON of 1 or 2 day a year skiers.

I'm not convinced skiing is more expensive than it was 30 years ago (once corrected for inflation).

It's not. I argue this on this board every year. If you adjust for inflation, skiing is generally static or perhaps even "undervalued" during that time for most mountains.

We worked M-F, and only had Saturday and Sunday to ski. Driving 3 hours to the loaf both ways and a full day of skiing meant no skiing on Sunday. Occasionally, we'd splurge for a room at the loaf and get a day and a half, knowing we had major unloading when we got home and liked to be well rested for work on Monday. Some weekends, it just didn't work for us, rain, guests, overtime at work, family responsibilities.... A good year was 18 days, most were 12-14, doing all we could to attain that.

Thanks for depressing the hell out of me by so perfectly describing my current life (just substitute n.VT + Catskills for Sugarloaf). Might as well go ahead and finish me off by telling me how bad it's gonna' get in a few years once I have kids.

 

[BenedictGomez]

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 have to pay the same prices as the Boston crowd does...and I think that simply limits daily visits Those with much higher earnings would maybe whine, but they would pay!

I wish Obama would spend more time fixing his healthcare mess than posting on AlpineZone.

Those that are experienced bargain skiers know how to ski for under $50 a day. The casual skier that decides on a Friday night to go skiing Saturday at a resort is looking at $80 to go for the day.

Last year I skied 16-18 days, and it cost me almost nothing, literally. If I pay more than 1/2 the posted daily rate, I consider myself a bargain hunting failure that day.

I am one of the skiers that ski for less than $40 and am a serious bargain hunter so I get what you are saying!

Exactly. I know I'm a serious outlier, but I actually have FUN constantly seeking out all the best discounts, BOGOs, and deals.

Drinking the Kool Aid heh.

Frightening.