USA Saw Second Busiest Ski Season
14th May 2025
Last modified on May 18th, 2025
Preliminary data from the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) indicates that the 2024-25 season saw the second-highest visitation on record at US ski areas.
A total of 61.5 million skier visits represents a 1.7% increase over the previous season.
The highest number was in the 2022-23 season which saw 3.9 million more visits.
A skier visit is counted each time an individual uses a lift ticket or pass at a ski area.
The current total is still preliminary as several ski areas have extended their seasons.
We have reported on the extended season here on PlanetSKI:
Palisades Tahoe, California. Image © PlanetSKI
NSSA divides the country into six regions:
- Rocky Mountain
- Pacific Southwest
- Pacific Northwest regions
- The Southeast
- Midwest Regions
- The Northeast
The Pacific Northwest recorded its best season on record, with 4.7 million skier visits—a 10.9% increase over the previous year.
The Midwest also experienced a strong rebound, with a 21.8% increase in skier visits after a 26.7% decline the prior season due to unseasonably warm weather.
The Rocky Mountain region, which accounted for 42.9% of all national visits in 2024-25, also had a strong shoring, ranking third out of 47 seasons on record.
Skiing in the USA. Image © PlanetSKI
NSAA President and CEO Michael Reitzell said the organization set a goal several years ago to reach a three-year rolling average of 60 million skier visits.
That benchmark he said has now been surpassed.
“While weather will always be unpredictable,” he said, “this year was less volatile overall, and nearly every region saw solid snowfall.”
Factors contributing to this season’s growth include:
- Increased visits at small and medium sized ski areas
- A record-setting year in the Pacific Northwest
- A rebound in the Midwest following a dip last season
- Continued growth in season passes and frequency-based products
- The number of operating ski areas also rose from 484 last season to 492 this season
The 2024-25 season he adds may come to represent a new baseline for the industry.
Even if “normal” continues to evolve, Michael Reitzell said this season gives a strong point of reference for what steady, healthy growth looks like.
A final number will be released once final numbers are compiled. NSAA has tracked skier visits since the 1978-79 season.
Average snowfall at ski areas nationally totaled 150”, which was a slight 6.9% decrease year-over-year, and less than the 10-year average of 175”.
Regionally, snow was below the 10-yr average in the Rocky Mountain, Pacific Southwest, and Pacific Northwest regions.
The Southeast and Midwest Regions were slightly above average, and right on average in the Northeast.
$624.4m was spend on capital investment by US ski areas during the 2024-25 season.
As in previous years, the highest percentage of capital expenditures was directed toward lift infrastructure, with 97 new and upgraded lifts installed at ski areas nationwide.
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