Though nearly two weeks remain in the 2008-09 ski season, it appears that this winter will have been one of the slowest in nearly 20 years.
As of March 29, 305,000 skiers and snowboarders had taken to Bald and Dollar mountains since the lifts opened on Dec. 10. That number was about 70,000 fewer compared to the same period last year.
Sun Valley Co. spokesman Jack Sibbach estimated that the final ski count for the season will come in just shy of 330,000. If his prediction proves correct, that would be the lowest ski count since 1990-92, which totaled 236,627.
The figure would still be well above the worst winter on record, 1976-77, when scarce snow prompted only 80,000 people to take to the slopes.
Since skier number data began to be collected in 1971, the average annual skier count through 2008 is 357,806.
Like the skier numbers, Sibbach said, occupancy rates at the resort are also down by about 20 percent, a decrease similar to other ski resorts.
"Some resorts closer to metropolitan areas haven't seen as big of a drop in skier numbers, but occupancy rates are down across the board," Sibbach said.
According to Colorado Ski Country USA, a Denver-based trade association that collects data from 22 resorts in Colorado, skier visitations from the beginning of the season through mid-March were down by about 6 percent compared to the previous year.
In addition to a below-average snow year in the Wood River Valley, tourism was affected by the absence of the 48 Straight music and racing event, which took place in Sun Valley and Ketchum the previous two ski seasons. It featured world-class ski and snowboard competitions, as well as several nights of big-name musical acts. The event was held in late March last year, but was canceled after it lost its major sponsorship from Jeep.
<
Sibbach said the cancelation of 48 Straight was felt not only in decreased occupancy, but also in the loss of international exposure through media coverage of the event.
As well, Sibbach said the issue of accessibility is, as always, playing an important role in a decline in visitation. This winter saw the cancellation of direct flights from Oakland to Hailey's Friedman Memorial Airport and fewer Horizon Air flights from Seattle.
"Losing around 30 percent of our seat capacity really hurt us," Sibbach said.
Sibbach said industry experts estimate that every 10 percent reduction in airline seat capacity results in a 4 percent decrease in occupancy.
Though travelers to Sun Valley in the summer don't suffer from flight diversion issues faced during the winter months, Sibbach said the resort will be further impacted by the cancellation of direct flights from Los Angeles to Sun Valley.
Sibbach said that loss of service has already led one group of a dozen corporate executives to cancel their reservations at the resort.
Jon Duval: jduval@mtexpress.com
