Early snow brings hope of strong ski season

VAIL, Colo. – The powder is already deep on Vail’s double-diamond run Prima and at many other Western ski resorts, raising hopes of another boom year for the industry after 2002’s record season.

Most resorts opened early in Utah, which led the nation with more than 100 inches of snow by Thanksgiving.

“We could not ask for anything more this year,” said Kip Pitou, president of Ski Utah.

The snow that blanketed Utah also helped out elsewhere. Powderhorn in western Colorado opened for the Thanksgiving weekend for the first time in more than 20 years, while Mount Spokane in Washington was open for the first time in seven years.

Last year, the U.S. ski industry reported a record 57.6 million skier visits. A skier visit represents the purchase and use of a lift ticket by a skier or snowboarder.

But executives were more nervous this season with the industry facing increasing competition for the leisure dollar. Even cruise lines are offering cheap deals in prime ski markets, and last-minute Internet bookings are making resort management more complicated.

Vail Resorts recently posted its first fiscal year net loss in a decade, blaming the effect of the war in Iraq on travel.

Bill Jensen, chief operating officer for Vail Mountain, the nation’s busiest resort, and others are hoping a weaker U.S. dollar, good snow for a second straight year, an improving economy and fewer air travel problems will mean more visitors.

Resorts have cut ticket prices, and many are offering discounted season passes or special deals including lodging, air tickets and lift tickets. That makes revenue from resort-owned restaurants and lodging the difference between profit and loss.

So far, reservations are looking good. “We’ve had four times as many visits on our Web site than anytime in our history,” Ski Utah’s Pitou said.

“We are considerably ahead of this same point last year, as much as 30 percent,” added Frank Johnson, president of the Vail Valley Chamber and Tourism Bureau.

Warm weather hindered some resorts in the East this week, but the forecast is for colder temperatures and snow. Sunday River and Sugarloaf USA in Maine were among the handful of resorts that were open for the holiday. Most Midwestern ski areas planned to open later.

The news was better in the West.

Jackson Hole, Wyo., has 80 inches of snow and expects to be able to offer skiing on its infamous Lower Face on opening day, Dec. 6.

“We are looking at the best early season conditions I can remember, possibly the best ever,” said Jerry Blann, president of the resort.

Mammoth Mountain in California celebrated its 50th season with a new gondola at the resort’s new base village. Snowriders can now check e-mail on the lift at Lake Tahoe’s Squaw Valley, which installed a wireless network in the offseason.