Rafferty said that this was the first time the Utah ski industry has surpassed the $1 billion mark.

Reasons for the increase range from the value, or devalue, of the dollar, which brought in skiers from outside the country, to skiers discovering Utah snow.

"We hear it all the time," said Rafferty. "People come to Utah for the first time to ski and tell us they wished they'd come sooner. We get some of the best snow in the world, and our resorts are some of the most accessible in the world.

"Within an hour of landing in Salt Lake City, people can be on the hill skiing at any one of 11 world-class resorts."

Also, the Utah Office of Tourism has helped in the promotion of Utah skiing, which Rafferty said has been "invaluable."

And, several resorts have announced that they will be spending millions on improvements this summer, which will make Utah skiing and snowboarding even more appealing for this coming season.

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