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As a follow up on the “industry downturn” due to lack of snow this past season, the National Ski Areas Assoc. now reports that annual ski resort visits could be down more than 15% nationwide  this year, the lowest in 20 years!   Not coincidentally, the 2011-12 season was also marked by the lowest national average resort snowfall since 1991-92.   According to a survey, 50 percent of responding ski areas opened late this season, and 48 percent closed early.
This was likely the result of a perfect storm of a bad economy, high gas prices, and lack of snow.  I’m guessing the gas prices are probably here to stay, but here’s to hoping the economy and snow bounce back for next year!

Trivia Question:  What is the third-largest ski state in terms of skier visits behind Colorado and California?  If you guessed Utah, you are wrong, it’s Vermont.

>  Any thoughts on global warming?  Here’s something to think about.  While the US just experienced its hottest March by far, the world as a whole had its coolest March since 1999.  Yet it was still the 16th warmest since record keeping began over 100 years ago with temps almost 1 Degree above average.  Looks like a trend to me…

Trivia Question:  What is the oldest ski area in North America?  If you guessed, Sun Valley, ID, you are wrong.  Mt. Norquay in Banff, Can. was already around for a decade by the time Sun Valley opened in 1936.  Alta, UT comes in at 3rd place in 1938.

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