'23-'24 ski season second only to prior year's record-setter
Utah’s 15 alpine ski resorts saw a total of 6,746,008 skier visits during the 2023-24 winter season, the second-highest visitation total in the state’s history behind the 7.1 million skier visits the prior season, according to state trade association Ski Utah. A skier visit is defined as one skier or snowboarder skiing at a ski resort in Utah for a day.
“We are immensely proud of this season’s success and extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who contributed to making it memorable,” said Nathan Rafferty, Ski Utah president and CEO. “From our hardworking resort staff to the passionate skiers and snowboarders who choose Utah, thank you for your dedication and support. 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.”
The capital investment referenced by Rafferty includes the installation of at least 14 lifts over the next two years, as well as numerous updates to existing infrastructure.
The record-breaking snowfall during the 2022-23 ski season caused ski areas to report some of the highest visitor revenue of all time. While the just-concluded ski season didn’t match last year, it still saw some decent snowfall. Alta Ski Resort, for example, reported over 628 inches of snowfall for the season. While this is 270 inches less than in the record-breaking 2022-23 season, it is still well above the seasonal average of 500 inches.