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Natural Snowfall to $114.45, up from $109.79 (figure 6). Ticket prices
The number of days open tends to correlate with natural increased in all six geographic regions and in all four size
snowfall. Average inches of ski area snowfall was strong, categories. Average ticket yields rose 0.7 percent nation-
at an average of 230 inches per reporting ski area in 2016- ally this past winter to $52.47. The ticket yield ratio
17, up from 169 inches in 2015-16, an increase of 36 per- dipped nationally this season to 45.8 percent from 47.4
cent (figure 5). percent last season, as gains in ticket prices (up 4.2 per-
Average snowfall per resort increased substantially in cent) outpaced increases in ticket yields (up 0.7 percent).
three regions: the Northeast (191 inches, up 158 percent
from a mere 74 inches last season), the Pacific Southwest Season Pass Sales & Visits
(530 inches, up 66 percent from 319 inches), and Pacific Average season passes sold per ski area rose by 10 percent to
Northwest (455 inches, up 14 percent from 400 inches). In an average of 10,055 passes sold per area (figure 7). Pass unit
the Northeast, strong snowfall was a welcome reversal from sales increased most significantly in the Rocky Mountains (up
the record low snowfall experienced in the 2015-16 season. 16.8 percent to an average of 23,246 passes sold per ski area),
While the two Pacific regions celebrated especially abundant followed by the Pacific Southwest (up 13.2 percent to 11,938
snowfall, it contributed to occasional operational difficulties passes) and Pacific Northwest (up 7.3 percent to 12,889
(delayed openings or unscheduled closures). passes). Despite this increase, the percentage of visits attribut-
Average snowfall per ski area was flat in the Southeast able to season passholders was steady at 41 percent in 2016-17.
region (47 inches in both 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons), and
down by an inch in the Midwest (at 68 inches, down from Lesson Volumes & Ratios
69 inches). In the Rocky Mountain region, average snowfall In terms of lessons, the number of aggregate lessons
was up 5 percent to 282 inches (from 268 inches). given per ski area rose by 0.7 percent nationally this sea-
son. Absolute lesson volumes were up strongly in the
Ticket Price, Yield, & Yield Ratio Northeast and Southeast regions, rebounding from a
Financially, many ski areas were able to raise window down year in 2015-16.
ticket prices while strategically and selectively managing The share of visits that included a lesson (i.e., lesson
prices to motivate incremental visits. The average adult penetration ratio) dropped to 7.7 percent in 2016-17 from
weekend ticket price increased 4.2 percent this season 7.8 percent the season prior. In addition, Level 1 lessons

Figure 3: Average Days Open by Region, 2013/14 to 2016/17
2013/14 2015/16
Average Number of Days Open and Operating
2014/15 2016/17

160

140

120

100

80

60 127 120 114 121 137 136 112 127 114 108 72 95 112 109 89 93 133 131 138 134 125 109 144 149 136 90 131 139
40

20

0
Overall Northeast Southeast Midwest Rocky Mountain Pacific Pacific
Southwest Northwest

38 | NSAA JOURNAL | SUMMER 2017