Utah Sees Second Best Season for Skier Visits
14th July 2024
Last modified on July 22nd, 2024
The ski state had over 6.7m skier visits and comes despite a poor start to winter with little snowfall. With an Olympic bid looking a certainty and a host of resort improvements the future looks bright.
In 2022/23 Utah’s 15 ski resorts saw 7.1m skier visits and though that number is down for last winter the people running the ski industry are delighted.
“We are immensely proud of this season’s success and extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who contributed to making it memorable,” said the President and CEO of Ski Utah, Nathan Rafferty.
“From our hardworking resort staff to the passionate skiers and snowboarders who choose Utah, thank you for your dedication and support.”
One skier visit is recorded the first time per day a person scans their lift pass.
Alta saw the most snow in Utah with 626 inches (16m).
Utah, USA, ski road trip. Image © PlanetSKI
Alta’s annual average is 500 inches (12.7m).
Four resorts in Utah were in the Top Ten for snowfall last season in the USA.
- Alyeska Resort, Alaska, 740 inches (18.8m).
- Alta Ski Area, Utah, 628 inches (16m).
- Brighton Resort, Utah, 568 inches (14.4 m).
- Snowbird, Utah, 566 inches (14.4 m).
- Timberline Lodge, Oregon, 541 inches (13.7m).
- Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah, 539 inches (13.7 m).
- Sugar Bowl Resort, California, 485 inches (12.3 m).
- Mt. Baker Ski Area, Washington, 485 inches (12.3m).
- Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming, 447 inches (11.3m).
- Grand Targhee Resort, Wyoming, 438 inches (11.1m).
Powder Mountain, Utah. Image © PlanetSKI
According to the National Ski Areas Association, NSAA, there were 60.4 million skier visits in the USA.
NSAA said it showed “the resilience of snowsports among renewed interest in outdoor recreation post-pandemic.”
“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,” added Nathan Raferty.
An announcement on which area gets the 2034 Winter Olympic Games will be made later this month ahead of the Summer Games in Paris.
France is likely to be awarded the 2030 Winter Games.
Salt Lake City last hosted the Games in 2022.
Plaque marking the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. Image © PlanetSKI
There are some huge developments planned for the area, not least a new area linking with Deer Valley.
Like in Deer Valley, snowboarders will be banned.
PlanetSKI visited the construction site back on 2020.
The resorts in Utah are geographically more like Europe with a large number of resorts within easy driving distance of each other.
Image c/o Ski Utah.
The town of Park City with its connected resort of Park City Mountain is a popular place to stay for Europeans.
Park City, Utah. Image © PlanetSKI
Park City Utah. Image © PlanetSKI.
