For the first time in ten years, the number of skiers
"hitting Colorado's slopes dipped below" 11 million, as
10,891,354 skiers and snowboarders visited CO's 26 ski
areas, according to Jason Blevins of the DENVER POST. CO
Ski Country USA President John Frew said, "Sure we had a
rough year. Next year we could go up. Or we could go down.
Don't put too much emphasis on skier visits. It is not the
sole measure of our profitability. It is not the sole
measure of our health" (DENVER POST, 6/13). In Aspen, Scott
Condon placed the total skier visits at 10,891,318, a
decrease of 514,026 from '99, and wrote that "only a handful
of major" resorts "managed to post gains." Breckenridge
"logged the strongest season" with a 3.7% increase to
1,444,365, while Vail reported a 2.4% increase to 1,371,702.
Aspen Skiing Co.'s visits "plummeted" 7.5% from 1,431,854 to
1,324,304 this season. Aspen Skiing Co. COO John Norton
said 90% of the "loss was before January 15, and much of
that loss was during the holidays" (ASPEN TIMES, 6/13).
WHY THE DECLINE? In Vail, T. Alex Miller asked, "Why
are skier visits down across the state? ... The reasons are
varied and complex. Industry apologists point to cheap
Canadian currency and a strong Whistler/Blackcomb resort as
one reason. Brits aren't skiing as much as they once did.
More people are overweight and less likely to learn a
difficult sport like skiing. Some folks even say they can't
find anyone to go with them to the slopes" (VAIL DAILY,
6/13). National Ski Areas Assoc. President Michael Berry,
on the decline in visits: "To say we don't have a problem
would be naive" (AP, 6/13). Berry, noting the decline as
people age: "Let's face it, there's not enough Nuprin in the
world to keep us skiing" (ROCKY MTN NEWS, 6/13).
