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ENLARGE
Ethan Bolinger prepares to jam during the early March Jiblet at Diamond Peak.
Sierra ski resorts are beginning to shut down lifts for the season after what some operators are calling a “very challenging year” because of the economy’s downhill run.
Boreal, Soda Springs and Homewood resorts closed Sunday, a week before Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Northstar-at-Tahoe and Diamond Peak plan to halt operations this Sunday.
While many Tahoe resorts struggled this year, Diamond Peak was an exception, opting to stay open an additional week because of higher-than-average late season skier visits.
“We’re having considerably better operations than we were at this time last year,” Diamond Peak General Manager Ed Youmans said last week. “We’re really excited that business levels and snow conditions will allow us to stay open through the Easter holiday.”
“I think it was fair — it wasn’t our best, but it wasn’t our worst. We’re pretty excited to be able to stay open another week,” said Incline Village General Improvement District Marketing Coordinator Kayla Anderson. “The economy might have something to do with it (a somewhat slow season), but the snowfall this year is also a factor. We had a strong Christmas weekend, but people waited to see what the weather was doing before heading up here, and that affected what people did.”
While Diamond Peak’s numbers are fair, things haven’t been the same for other Tahoe resorts.
In a message on the resort’s website, Alpine Meadows executives acknowledged the economy is prompting an earlier-than-usual shutdown of their slopes. Last year, the resort closed May 4.
Art Chapman, president of JMA Ventures, and Jim Kercher, chief operating officer and general manager of Alpine Meadows, said it was “a very challenging year” for the industry as skier counts and revenue were down sharply at all Tahoe resorts.
Alpine also wants to make sure it has the necessary capital to make upgrades for next season.
“I think Alpine and Homewood were both fortunate this year, because I know that the region in general was a little nervous going into the winter,” said Alpine spokesperson Rachel Woods. “We’re fortunate that we have a very large customer base within driving distance. We were able to maintain visitorship, and Homewood in particular is very popular with families in the basin or within a half-day’s drive. And, when we did receive snow, we did receive it in massive quantities, which helped.”
Other resorts said skier numbers were down, but for different reasons such as a later start of snow and a snowy Presidents Day weekend that kept crowds away
“We weren’t significantly down because our prices are cheaper than other resorts,” said Boreal spokesman Jon Slaughter.
At an April 1 conference in Keystone, Colo., Vail Resorts Chief Executive Officer Rob Katz said his company has faced a dramatic decline in ski school participation and high-end retail spending this season. Vail owns Heavenly on Tahoe’s south shore and four ski resorts in Colorado.
Most Sierra resorts plan to close late this month. Northstar still has 7 feet of snow on top and 3 feet at mid-mountain, spokeswoman Jessica VanPernis said.
“But with spring, interest in skiing starts to wane a bit,” she said. “People put their skis away, and pull out their bicycles and golf clubs.”
Elsewhere around Tahoe, plans call for Sierra-at-Tahoe to close on April 20, Kirkwood on April 26 and Squaw Valley USA on May 10.
Mt. Rose above Reno plans to operate daily through Sunday, then stay open only Fridays through Sundays until May 3. Sugar Bowl Ski Resort is open through April 26.
“You know, there’s no question it was a challenging season. If the economy was one challenge, then moderate snowfall was another. At Sugar Bowl, we feel fortunate that we’re positioned as a day-skiing resort as opposed to a destination resort, so while it was challenging, we retained our market share and delivered an excellent product,” said Sugar Bowl spokesman John Monson. “We’re positioned well for the rubber-tire market. We’re the closest resort, in the Tahoe Basin, from Sacramento. A lot of people took advantage of that fact. Plus, when they would head back home from their trips at other places, they’d stop for a day to ski here on their way out.”
As usual, Mammoth Mountain near Yosemite National Park hopes to stay open the longest — at least through Memorial Day weekend.
The Associated Press Contributed to this report.
Boreal, Soda Springs and Homewood resorts closed Sunday, a week before Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Northstar-at-Tahoe and Diamond Peak plan to halt operations this Sunday.
While many Tahoe resorts struggled this year, Diamond Peak was an exception, opting to stay open an additional week because of higher-than-average late season skier visits.
“We’re having considerably better operations than we were at this time last year,” Diamond Peak General Manager Ed Youmans said last week. “We’re really excited that business levels and snow conditions will allow us to stay open through the Easter holiday.”
“I think it was fair — it wasn’t our best, but it wasn’t our worst. We’re pretty excited to be able to stay open another week,” said Incline Village General Improvement District Marketing Coordinator Kayla Anderson. “The economy might have something to do with it (a somewhat slow season), but the snowfall this year is also a factor. We had a strong Christmas weekend, but people waited to see what the weather was doing before heading up here, and that affected what people did.”
While Diamond Peak’s numbers are fair, things haven’t been the same for other Tahoe resorts.
In a message on the resort’s website, Alpine Meadows executives acknowledged the economy is prompting an earlier-than-usual shutdown of their slopes. Last year, the resort closed May 4.
Art Chapman, president of JMA Ventures, and Jim Kercher, chief operating officer and general manager of Alpine Meadows, said it was “a very challenging year” for the industry as skier counts and revenue were down sharply at all Tahoe resorts.
Alpine also wants to make sure it has the necessary capital to make upgrades for next season.
“I think Alpine and Homewood were both fortunate this year, because I know that the region in general was a little nervous going into the winter,” said Alpine spokesperson Rachel Woods. “We’re fortunate that we have a very large customer base within driving distance. We were able to maintain visitorship, and Homewood in particular is very popular with families in the basin or within a half-day’s drive. And, when we did receive snow, we did receive it in massive quantities, which helped.”
Other resorts said skier numbers were down, but for different reasons such as a later start of snow and a snowy Presidents Day weekend that kept crowds away
“We weren’t significantly down because our prices are cheaper than other resorts,” said Boreal spokesman Jon Slaughter.
At an April 1 conference in Keystone, Colo., Vail Resorts Chief Executive Officer Rob Katz said his company has faced a dramatic decline in ski school participation and high-end retail spending this season. Vail owns Heavenly on Tahoe’s south shore and four ski resorts in Colorado.
Most Sierra resorts plan to close late this month. Northstar still has 7 feet of snow on top and 3 feet at mid-mountain, spokeswoman Jessica VanPernis said.
“But with spring, interest in skiing starts to wane a bit,” she said. “People put their skis away, and pull out their bicycles and golf clubs.”
Elsewhere around Tahoe, plans call for Sierra-at-Tahoe to close on April 20, Kirkwood on April 26 and Squaw Valley USA on May 10.
Mt. Rose above Reno plans to operate daily through Sunday, then stay open only Fridays through Sundays until May 3. Sugar Bowl Ski Resort is open through April 26.
“You know, there’s no question it was a challenging season. If the economy was one challenge, then moderate snowfall was another. At Sugar Bowl, we feel fortunate that we’re positioned as a day-skiing resort as opposed to a destination resort, so while it was challenging, we retained our market share and delivered an excellent product,” said Sugar Bowl spokesman John Monson. “We’re positioned well for the rubber-tire market. We’re the closest resort, in the Tahoe Basin, from Sacramento. A lot of people took advantage of that fact. Plus, when they would head back home from their trips at other places, they’d stop for a day to ski here on their way out.”
As usual, Mammoth Mountain near Yosemite National Park hopes to stay open the longest — at least through Memorial Day weekend.
The Associated Press Contributed to this report.
