Early-Season Struggles Didn't Stop Utah From Seeing Second Most Skier Visits on Record

Despite a somewhat slow start to the season snowfall-wise, Utah’s 15 ski resorts enjoyed the second most skier visits on record this past winter—6,746,008 in total—a number only topped by the 2022-2023 winter, during which ski resorts across the state saw 7.1 million skier visits amidst record-breaking snowfall.

“We are immensely proud of this season’s success and extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who contributed to making it memorable,” said Ski Utah president and CEO Nathan Rafferty of Utah’s skier visitation performance in 2023 and 2024.

The state saw a series of mid and late-season storms that significantly bolstered snowfall totals. In February, Alta Ski Area received an average of 5.3 inches of snow a day, making the month the third-snowiest February on record for the Collins Study Plot. March also proved fruitful for the resort, with an average of 4.23 inches of snow daily.

By the season’s end, Alta had picked up 628 inches of snow, which is significantly less than its record-shattering 903-inch 2022-2023 winter, but still above their reported 500-inch average.

According to a preliminary announcement from the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), ski resorts nationwide saw around 60.4 million skier visits last winter (a final tally, which shouldn’t be much different, will be released once every ski resort in the country has closed). As with Utah, total skier visits declined from last season when 65.4 million visits were reported at ski resorts across the United States.

The NSAA noted in a press release that last winter’s nationwide visitation total—even if it wasn’t record-breaking—did indicate “the resilience of snowsports among renewed interest in outdoor recreation post-pandemic.”

According to the NSAA, skier visit totals are a key performance indicator for the ski resort industry, meaning a significant decline in these numbers would be a sign of trouble.

However, in Utah and elsewhere, resorts maintained momentum regarding visitor numbers this past winter, and Rafferty of Ski Utah is excited about the potential of upcoming ski seasons.

“The future is bright for Utah with a variety of capital investments slated ahead of the 2024–25 season and the potential announcement of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games returning to Utah,” he said.

Related: Fire-Threatened SoCal Ski Resort to Reopen This Weekend

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