From Deseret News archives:
Utah ski resorts set a skier-days record
State tops 4 million mark with an increase of 3.8%
A skier day is defined by the National Ski Areas Association as one person visiting a ski area for any part of a day or night for the purpose of skiing.
It was the third consecutive record-breaking year for Utah, according to a report released Tuesday by Ski Utah. Since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the state has seen a 29 percent jump in skier days.
This season's estimated total is 4,045,030, but it is still unofficial because not all resorts have closed.
"Snowbird is still skiing," Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty said Tuesday. "They're hoping to stay open through Memorial Day. Last year, they went all the way to July 4."
Snowbird still has a base of 114 inches. More than 600 inches of snow fell on Utah's ski resorts for the second year in a row.
"Everywhere but the southwest had fantastic snow this year," Rafferty said. "It was a fantastic snow season all around."
Rafferty said one reason for the record skier turnout was that there weren't too many big snowstorms that closed resorts this year and took the wind out of the ski season.
Rafferty said the media also were kind to Utah skiing this season, with big awards coming from Ski and Skiing magazines.
This season also marked the first year for the Quickstart program, which meant on certain days tourists who flew into Salt Lake City could ski for free in Park City on the day they arrived.
Rafferty said Utah had the fourth- or fifth-most skier days in the country this season but may still pass Vermont, which also had more than 4 million. Colorado had the most skier days with more than 12 million.
"Utah has 26,000 skiable acres, and Colorado has 37,000," Rafferty said. "We're only half as crowded as they are."
Rafferty said he doesn't like to compare Utah to other states but rather to concentrate on what Utah has. However, he said it's good for Utah to have skiing so popular in other states because that interest will carry over here.
E-mail: bhinton@desnews.com
Comments
- Tiger opens with a 66 in Australia 1:18 a.m.
- Crash kills Utah County man 1:12 a.m.
- UCAT cheaper education option 1:12 a.m.
- Post office to be named for Rex Lee 1:11 a.m.
- Police probe synagogue vandalism 1:09 a.m.
- New charges added in fraud case 1:09 a.m.
- Mom takes plea deal in girl's beating 1:08 a.m.
- Drug trafficking operation busted 1:07 a.m.
- News yule writing contest starting up 12:59 a.m.
- Alpine District school honored 12:59 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Cougars' defensive hoops clinic
- Wyoming writer amazed by BYU
- Long days for BYU interns
- House passes health care bill
287 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
246 - TCU showdown has big implications
193 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
109 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
101 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
92
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh get the audience they deserve and vice versa. ...
I find the rule,very discriminitory. I am not gay, I don't understand what...
I understand we were outmanned last night. However, this effort was awful....
My advice to Jonathan is shoot it when they pass it to you as soon as you...
Maybe they should try drafting a shooting guard who can shoot from outside ....
The sad thing about it is that there are actually people out there that are...
Thank you TCU and BYU. Your wanting to beat Utah so bad has to drive you...
Play fes and koufos. Look to the future. It looks like we will have two...
Oh come on. Obama's a horrible president, but I couldn't care less which...
"We had the best soccer of any place in the state. There's no disputing...



You can be the first to comment on this story.