Aspen Ski Company announced on Wednesday that the Aspen Snowmass resorts saw a 20% decrease in skier visits from the 2018-19 season. Despite having an above-average snow year, Aspen’s 2019-20 ski season was cut short by a state order that shut down all Colorado ski resorts indefinitely beginning on March 15.
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Aspen Snowmass is not alone in the decreased skier visits this season. The entire industry has been hard hit by government-mandated closures. According to the National Ski Areas Association, skier visits were down 14% from the 2018-19 season.
Despite the discouraging statistics, Aspen Snowmass and other resorts are working their hardest to come back next season in a manner that will allow them to operate safely despite the ongoing pandemic. Some strategies that might be employed by ski areas next year include socially distanced operations, decreased skier capacity, sanitization stations, and mandatory masks when in lift lines or indoors.