Number of ski areas operating during the '21-'22 season

[ski diva]

I thought this was interesting: in the '21-'22 season, there were 473 ski areas in the US, operating in 36 states. This is 11 more than in 2021. But it's down from the 529 operating in 1992-93.

Here's a list of ski areas by state.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

It would be fun to see the actual resorts. I can only find 8 of the 10 for WY, but have no doubt that they exist.

It is sad that so many have gone away. I would love to see the reasons for the shorter list. Was it lack of snow in warmer states, or consolidation, or failure to thrive as a result of mismanagement or competition?

 

[diymom]

Comparing the lists for WY on skiresort.info and skicentral.com, I'm guessing the extra 2 are Antelope Butte and Meadowlark. There's also skiiing at a $$$$$ spa retreat called Green Mountain -Brush Creek Ranch, but I'm guessing that isn't included in the list since it is basically private, but if you were to include it that would bring the number in WY up to 11.

Looking at some of the new ski areas in the New England region, they are including small hills that aren't open to the general public, like VT Tech. It is a rope tow only for students and staff.

 

[TheGreenOne]

It would be fun to see the actual resorts. I can only find 8 of the 10 for WY, but have no doubt that they exist.

It is sad that so many have gone away. I would love to see the reasons for the shorter list. Was it lack of snow in warmer states, or consolidation, or failure to thrive as a result of mismanagement or competition?

A lot of ski areas that are no longer around were often at say at a golf club, looking to expand their activities during the winter. Many were only opened with natural snow.

https://www.nelsap.org/
This website shows a bunch and with some, you can find out the reason.

Few in NJ were sold and developed into residential area. Many just couldn't sustain/compete without a snowmaking system.

There is one former resort in NJ, Snow Bowl Ski area that some interested public tries to maintain and use during winter. They have a FB group https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063629857061

 

[marzNC]

In New England, NY, mid-Atlantic, and Southeast there are ski forums or websites with info about most lost ski areas. One man has written a few books about individual regions in the USA. I have Jeremy Davis' books about the Northern Adirondacks and the Berkshires. Looks like he's written books about regions besides the northeast but not for the northern Rockies.

 

[marzNC]

It is sad that so many have gone away. I would love to see the reasons for the shorter list. Was it lack of snow in warmer states, or consolidation, or failure to thrive as a result of mismanagement or competition?

Some small hills in the northeast that opened up in the 1930s before WWII with perhaps a rope tow were too small to survive for long. There were hills that existed soon after the war ended that were also unlikely to last long. I know there were owners who thought snowmaking was a silly idea in the northeast, and probably didn't have the money to install snowmaking any way.

Skiing in the southeast with rope tows or chairlifts that began in the 1950s was not likely to grow into a major industry. Even by the 1980s there were only a few ski areas/resorts still operating based on 100% snowmaking. Lack of capital and poor management decisions may have been more important factors for the places that closed after the 1960s. The six ski areas/resorts in North Carolina remain independent and family businesses. Two are 4-season resorts with mountain biking and other revenue generating activities during the summer season. The three ski resorts in Virginia that survived are quite successful 4-season resorts. My home hill, Massanutten, recently celebrated being in the ski business for 50 years (2.5 hours drive west of Washington DC).

 

[ski diva]

There is one former resort in NJ, Snow Bowl Ski area that some interested public tries to maintain and use during winter. They have a FB group https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063629857061

Huh. I used to ski there when I was a kid.