SAM Magazine-Denver, Mar. 18, 2011-Colorado's ski season continues on a positive path despite a small dip in visitation during the first two months of 2011. Visits were down .75 percent at the 22 members of Colorado Ski Country USAS during January and February, but remain up by 3.4 percent season-to-date compared to the same time last season. "Our season-to-date is the strongest the industry has seen since the 2007-08 season and the start of the economic recession," said Melanie Mills, president and CEO of CSCUSA.

Although Colorado's season started off strong, some challenges presented themselves during the second period, Mills said. During certain peak ski weekends, including the New Year's weekend, Colorado experienced unusually cold temperatures. Travel issues, including a rock slide that blocked highway 50 for extended periods of time, pass closures, and ongoing congestion and delays on I-70, also hampered visits. Strong snow across the country also impacted visits.