SAM Magazine—Conway, N.H., June 13, 2022—Visits to New Hampshire ski areas during the 2021-22 winter season for alpine, cross-country, and tubing overall totaled 2,220,102, down 3 percent compared to the 2,295,424 visits in 2020-21. Courtesy of Dave Gibson

The overall decline is almost entirely attributed to variable weather, according to Ski New Hampshire president Jessyca Keeler. 

“There was definitely a lot of demand, and I heard anecdotally from numerous ski areas that season pass sales were WAY up,” said Keeler during the Ski NH annual meeting, held June 7 at Waterville Valley. “Weather was really the biggest driving factor in visitation. Several ski areas that open before or during Thanksgiving week had to push their opening dates back by a week due to unseasonably warm weather. Throughout New Hampshire, we experienced a lot fluctuating temperatures, and a relatively warm winter from around February vacation until the end of the season.” 

Total alpine visits finished down 3 percent year-over-year at 1,997,185 visits. The 114,263 total cross-country visits were slightly above 2020-21, up 2 percent. Tubing visits were off the most, down 7 percent compared to 2020-21, totaling 108,654 visits this season.

Given the uncooperative weather throughout the winter, Keeler credited ski area mountain ops teams and investments in the latest technology with keeping the season going. 

“With the kind of weather we had this year, we have to thank our snowmakers and groomers for all they did to ensure that the season lasted as long as it did,” she said. “The investments that our ski areas make in new snowmaking and grooming technology is critical to their success. These areas of capital improvement are what help our industry get through tricky winters like the one we just had.”