Page 30 - NSAA_Fall2015Journal

ON AN OVERALL NATIONAL BASIS, THE of the operating winter season declined in all regions except
TICKET MIX HELD RELATIVELY STEADY ON A the Northeast (which edged up 0.3 percent).
PROPORTIONATE BASIS, WITH SLIGHT YEAR-
LESSONS
OVER-YEAR DIPS IN PAID TICKETS. The importance of lessons, particularly beginner lessons,
to the long-term health of the industry has been clearly
The 2014-15 season also stands out for exceptionally documented and received particular attention and focus
low snowfall in longer-term perspective. In the 24 seasons of in recent years. The NSAA Conversion Cup competition
available Kottke snowfall records (back to 1991-92), the highlights successful and innovative learn-to programs, and
2014-15 season had the lowest average snowfall for Learn to Ski/Snowboard Month has been gaining traction
responding resorts in the Pacific Southwest, Pacific with more and more ski areas participating. These efforts are
Northwest, and Rocky Mountains, and the second-lowest showing success, as documented in the Kottke results.
snowfall on record for the country as a whole.
Aggregate lessons given declined by 3.3 percent
Snowfall in the 2014-15 season was 25 percent nationally this season, similar to the decline in visits at
below average nationally, 68 percent below average in the same sample of resorts, with decreases in lessons in
the Pacific Southwest, 46 percent below average in the all regions except the Northeast. The share of visits that
Pacific Northwest, 25 percent below average in the Rocky included a lesson (i.e., lesson participation rate) held steady
Mountains, and 13 percent below average in the Midwest. at 7.8 percent this season.
By contrast, snowfall was 12 percent above average in the
Northeast and 8 percent above average in the Southeast. Lesson volumes were variable by geographic region, with
absolute lesson volumes down in almost all of the geographic
The snowfall patterns, among other factors, impacted the regions, with the greatest decreases in the Midwest (-21.6
number of days of operation. On an overall national basis, US percent) and Pacific Northwest (-18.1 percent), followed
ski areas were open an average of 19 days this season, down by the Southeast (-4.7 percent) and Pacific Southwest (-3.0
from 125 days in 2013-14, a drop of 4.8 percent. The length percent). Average total lessons were down just slightly in the
Rocky Mountains (-0.3 percent) and Northeast (-0.4 percent).

FIGURE 2 AVERAGE ANNUAL SNOWFALL BY REGION, 2011/12 TO 2014/15; 24-SEASON AVERAGE

600 Overall Northeast Southeast Midwest Rocky Mountain Paci c Southwest Paci c Northwest
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
333

530
451
377
24-Season Average (91/92 - 14/15) 2011 | 2012 2012 | 2013 2013 | 2014 2014 | 2015

500

400

300 268 277
210 217
214 228 204

180 277
149 204

200 172
187
136 75 157
141 149 53 89
150
157 90
117
100 92 65
28 74
0
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