Vail Resorts says ski visits were down nearly 15% this past winter

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Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, one of Vail Resorts' 37 mountain resorts in North America.
Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, one of Vail Resorts' 37 mountain resorts in North America. Photo Credit: Vail Resorts

In a report on ski season metrics filed on April 23, Vail Resorts said ski visits at 37 properties in North America were down 14.9% this past winter season amid exceptionally weak snowfall in the Mountain West, especially Colorado and Utah. 

Vail's Rocky Mountain resorts were especially impacted, with visitation down 25% year over year.

Vail also reported a 12% decline in ski school revenue and an 11.7% decline in dining revenue year over year. 

In a statement, Vail resorts CEO Rob Katz called the 2025-26 season "one of the most challenging winters in history across the Western U.S., with record low snowfall and historically warm temperatures negatively impacting visitation and spending throughout the season." 

"March conditions saw a continuation of low snowfall and warmer temperatures well outside of historical norms, leading to weaker late-season visitation and earlier than planned closures for many resorts across the western U.S.," Katz added.

Vail's strong reliance on multi-mountain Epic Pass products, which must be purchased ahead of the ski season, proved to be a bulwark this year, limiting its year-over-year decline in North America lift revenue to just 5.6%.

So far, however, there are ominous signs for Epic Pass sales for next season. Through April 12, Vail said it had seen a "moderate decline in pass product units and a slight decline in sales dollars," the company said.

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