Equipment sales were up 22%, with gains also seen in apparel and accessory sales. Telemark equipment was the only category that experienced a decline in sales from 2009.
SIA, a non-profit trade association representing the snow sports industry, believes the sales increase can be credited in part to a La Nina year, which is bringing healthy amounts of snow to many North American ski resorts. By mid-January, 2011, 49 of 50 states had snow on the ground.
Ski areas in Vermont report a 14.7% skier visit increase this past winter. The robust ski season is being credited for helping to stave off a recession in the state.
The ski season was off to a reasonable start. Resorts big and small began launching their season during the first two weeks of December. And then, the cold air swirled away and disappeared from the region, as if frightened away by an unseen force -; global warming, or perhaps El Nino, theorized many skiers as they looked forlornly at quickly-melting slopes. Since mid-December, sustained cold weather hasn’t returned. That could change soon, but for many resorts, the damage has already been done.
The snow is falling fast and furiously out west, while cold temperatures allow the snowguns to fly in the east. Find out what effect the favorable weather is having on resorts from west to east, and view a gallery of photos.
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