SAM Magazine—Jan. 22, 2025, Ludlow, Vt.—As usual, snow, both manmade and natural, played a major role in shaping business over the three-day MLK holiday weekend. So did operational disruptions. Busy new mid-mountain lodge at Tamarack, Idaho.

While a cold snap blanketed nearly the entire country at some point throughout the holiday, the effect wasn’t universal. Some in the Southwest, for example, saw a dip in business. On the other hand, the Northwest and Northeast generally benefited from improved conditions over the prior year and saw improved visitation and/or revenue to match.

Northwest

Despite cold temps, improved early season conditions generally resulted in improved business over the three-day holiday weekend in the Northwest, according to operators who spoke with SAM.

At Tamarack Resort, Idaho, skier visits increased 46 percent year over year (flat with 2022-23), and total revenue was up over 50 percent compared to the prior year period (up 20 percent comparted 2022-23), said CFO Kara Finley. 

“The weather was very chilly over the holiday weekend, which I actually think kept some of the day visitors away, but our passholders and lodging guests definitely made it a fantastic weekend,” said Finley, adding that lodging was sold out throughout the holiday. 

The resort has increased its snowsports school staff by more than 30 percent as well as its corresponding offerings, and also opened a mid-mountain lodge and a newly renovated childcare center and kids’ zone, both of which saw strong attendance over the weekend.

Revenue was up 18 percent at Bogus Basin, Idaho, said GM Brad Wilson. Skier visits were flat year over year for the three-day period but distributed differently compared to last year, with Saturday rather than Sunday as the biggest day of the holiday.

Last year, the resort restricted day ticket sales to avoid parking out over the weekend, but overestimated passholder usage, he said. This year, ticket sales were cut off on Saturday as parking filled up but not on Sunday or Monday, leading to a 37 percent increase in lift ticket sales over the three-day holiday. 

“Last year, we had a lot of pent-up demand for skiing because the skiing was marginal until the big storm on Jan. 5- 6,” said Wilson. “On Jan. 7, 2024, the weekend before MLK, we recorded our largest day in history (Why we were so worried on MLK weekend!). This year, we’ve been 100 percent open with great conditions since well before the Christmas/New Year holiday. We’ve beaten the Jan. 7, 2024, record skier day number twice so far this season!”

Year-to-date, he said, Bogus Basin is well ahead of last year in skier visits and revenue and just behind its record 2022-23 season. 

Wind speeds slowed skier visits over MLK at Red Lodge, Mont., said marketing and sales director Troy Hawks. While the snow conditions in Montana are considerably improved over last year, 30-40 mph wind gusts led to wind holds over the weekend this year. 

Additionally, he said, “we experienced a mechanical issue with the fixed-grip triple chair that services our base area.” However, skiers and riders were able to access the mountain via the newly installed Stache Express high-speed triple. Those that did, said Hawks, “were rewarded with about a foot of new snow and few other skiers and riders to compete with.”

Overall, visits were still up year-over-year for the period, but Hawks attributed that to the fact that -30 degree temps (-50 degree windchill values) forced the resort to close two out of the three days last year. Generally, he said, MLK isn’t widely observed in Montana, with fewer business and schools closing on the Monday than in other parts of the country.

Southwest

In the Tahoe region, “We were back to a normal MLK compared to last year, with higher visitation and revenue,” said Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe (Nev.) GM Greg Gavrilets. “Last year’s MLK was weather affected, so it was nice to have blue skies and dry roads.” 

The resort extended operating hours on its beginner terrain “to provide a better experience for our ticket-buying guests,” he said. 

Despite the dry pattern in the Eastern Sierra, Mt. Rose was 100 percent open, barring its “Chutes” terrain, with normal levels of season to-date snowfall leading up to the holiday weekend. “Our high base elevation and extensive grooming contributed to our ability to maintain consistent conditions across the mountain and shine for our guests during the holiday weekend,” said Gavrilets.

The holiday was also a “really good” weekend for Diamond Peak, Nev. “Clear roads and sunny skies tend to bring the skiers out and this MLK weekend was no exception,” said marketing and communications manager Paul Raymore. 

Year over year, Diamond Peak saw a 7 percent increase in skier visits and a 15 percent increase in total revenue for the three-day weekend. 

“Normally when we see numbers of those sizes, we also see long lines at our ticket windows, but this season the trend was different—some lines but nothing crazy,” said Raymore. He attributed that change to more staggered arrivals and an increase in advanced online ticket sales, both of which smoothed day-of pickup. 

Further south in California, visits and revenue were down about 30-40 percent from historical expectations at China Peak, said GM Troy Cohee. Road conditions were perfect, he noted, but there was “no weather on either end of the weekend, unfortunately.” 

The resort hosted a popular local DJ group and a USCSA Southwest qualifier that included racing, slopestyle, and a rail jam over the weekend, and terrain conditions were excellent, even without fresh snowfall, said Cohee. “The snowmaking team has put a ton of work in to get the entire mountain open, and with great snow conditions, coverage, and trail width.”

Total skier visits were also down more than 30 percent compared to 2024 at Taos Ski Valley, N.M., said VP of finance Kris DeVogelaere. The resort had anticipated an increase in visitation compared to 2024 with the holiday falling one week later in 2025, but low year-to-date snowfall this season and a favorable snowstorm in 2024 led to a year-over-year reduction for the three-day holiday period.

“The year-over-year decline in skier visitation had been occurring before MLK weekend,” said DeVogelaere, who noted that the resort has been experiencing a prolonged dry spell resulting in limited off-piste terrain. Additionally, the resort experienced polar temps over MLK weekend this season.

Mountain Camp Rail Jam at Sundance, Utah.Overall business was strong at Sundance, Utah, over a four-day holiday period, said COO Czar Johnson. “It was frigid cold by Utah standards,” he said, which led to a 10 percent decrease in visitation year-over-year. Overall revenue, though, which includes F&B, lodging, the spa, and other lines of business, was up 1.27 percent compared to last year.

“The cold temps likely contributed to the increase on other revenue as lots of guests were driven into outlets to keep warm, etc.,” said Johnson. The Friday night soft opening of the resort’s new day lodge, which included a rail jam and DJ, “was a HUGE hit for our local and day guest skiers,” he added. The grand opening was hosted on Saturday.

Deer Valley, Utah, also unveiled some new additions over the holiday. The resort opened the last of its three new lifts, the Hoodoo Express, as well as several new runs in the Deer Valley East expansion, “making it a historical time at the resort, as it was the most lifts (24) and runs (106) we’ve ever been able to open,” said director of communications Emily Summer.

With the opening of Deer Valley East, the resort has also added 500 more parking spots for day skiers, and “we did not run out of parking across all our options this holiday weekend,” said Summer. 

Windchill values of around zero, didn’t cool enthusiasm: “it was a great weekend,” said resort president Todd Bennett.

One state over, media messaging around cold temperatures likely impacted visitation, said Monarch Mountain (Colo.) GM Chris Haggerty. “Friday’s visits started the weekend strong, beating our budgeted visits. However, over the remaining three days, we saw visits decrease each day. We believe this was due to the cold temperatures and the message to ‘stay indoors’ that was being shared through every communication channel available.”

Monarch has 100 percent of its terrain open, and six inches of fresh snow on Saturday “made for a great experience for the visitors that did join us,” he said. 

Midwest

Arctic temps also played a role in diminished MLK business at Wild Mountain, Minn. “MLK Jr. weekend in 2023-24 was by no means spectacular due to low snow levels and poor in-market enthusiasm. Sadly, 2024-25 ended worse due to bitter cold,” said GM Nathan Hakseth.

The ski area was down 37 percent compared to the same three-day period last year. Low temps forced Wild to operate a half day on Sunday and close completely on the holiday Monday. 

Boyne Mountain, Mich., also experienced the cold, but it was a “solid weekend despite frigid temps,” said GM Jason Perl. 

“Between lots of snowmaking and help from Mother Nature, being 100 percent open for the first time this season surely contributed to visitation.” The resort debuted a new signature terrain park over the holiday, and also benefited from its many off-slope offerings, including an indoor waterpark, SkyBridge, tubing, and a robust après scene.  

It has been snowing daily since the holiday weekend and the resort plans to maximize favorable snowmaking conditions to build up its “Victor Glacier” (“i.e. making snow until we’re skiing/riding above the lift towers,” said Perl) with an aim toward operating the longest season in the Midwest. 

“We plan to make it well through April and hopefully into May,” he said, a stark difference from last year’s incredibly low snowpack throughout the Midwest.

Northeast

Despite a Monday cold snap, conditions were favorable in the Northeast. 

Ticket sales were up 13 percent at Mt. Abram, Maine, said director of marketing Allie Masten. “The mountain was bustling with a steady stream of new and returning guests, including many Indy Pass holders, which we’re always thrilled to see.

“The cold temperatures on Monday did cause many guests to call it a day early, but overall, it was a busy, successful weekend and the best we’ve had so far this season,” she said.

While natural snowfall has been limited in Maine, cold temperatures have allowed Mt. Abram to maximize its snowmaking efforts. The resort had all of its snowmaking terrain open by the holiday weekend. 

The ski area’s annual silent auction, organized by local nonprofit Friends of Mt. Abram, was a highlight of the weekend, Masten added. All proceeds from the event directly support Mt. Abram’s Local Student Access Program, which provides free season passes to students in the ski area’s school district.

“Business over MLK Weekend was strong on all fronts,” at Cannon Mountain, N.H., said GM Jace Wirth. Visitation was up 74 percent over the prior year, when a major wind event forced the resort to shut on the Saturday of the holiday weekend.

This year, “weather and conditions were ideal,” said Wirth. Eighteen inches of new snow in the preceding seven days and aggressive early season snowmaking efforts enabled more than half the mountain to open, while a rail jam under the lights on Saturday night brought a different flair to the ski area’s classic Family Fun Night.

Consistent snowfall in the run up to the holiday allowed Smugglers’ Notch, Vt., to open more than 75 percent of its trails for MLK weekend, said chief marketing officer Steve Clokey. 

“We posted the strongest day over the weekend on Sunday, which was also the highest volume of the season to date,” he said, adding that resort lodging was close to 100 percent this year compared with 79 percent last year, giving the resort a stronger holiday with destination guests year over year. 

Magic Mountain, Vt., was also up significantly year over year: more than 96 percent in skier visits and more than 98 percent in revenue, said president Geoff Hatheway. “Historically it was our second busiest MLK since our ownership beginning eight years ago, or any Magic MLK weekend prior to that—for which we have records dating from 2006.”

Hatheway attributes the year-over-year gain to a number of factors: the ski area is now fully recovered from major flooding in 2024; cooler temps and snowmaking infrastructure additions improved snow coverage; an earlier opening allowed for an improved trail count; and the completion of the Black Line Quad base-to-summit lift allowed for virtually no lift lines even when parking lots are full and during major holiday weekends.

“That alternative reality for the ski experience is the vision we have been trying to achieve, and the fixed-grip quad has been instrumental in achieving it,” he said.

Additionally, “We did pick up 4-5” of snow Sunday night which encouraged people to stay for MLK Monday to a greater extent than the norm despite the much colder temps on Monday vs. the weekend,” said Hatheway.

Mid-Atlantic / Southeast

New York ski areas also enjoyed favorable conditions in the lead up to the holiday weekend. It was “an amazing weekend of bluebird skiers and tons of snowmaking,” said SKI NY president Scott Brandi. 

Dry Hill Ski Area owner Boo Wells told Brandi that the ski area has enjoyed a long early season, with 30 operating days already on the books.

Looking ahead, Brandi said the snowmaking conditions in the region are ideal (“You could make snow with a garden hose right now, temps are that optimal.”), and he added, “It's good from the Catskills to Western N.Y., pretty much the whole state."

“The snowmaking nights have more than doubled over last year at this time and the conditions have been dry,” said Yawgoo Valley (R.I.) president Tracy Hartman. “Business was very good over MLK weekend mostly due to the temperatures leading up it.”

Visits for 2024-25 tripled over same three-day period last year, bolstered by the snow tubing park, which didn’t open until mid-February in the 2023-24 season. Two inches of snow on Sunday night also helped.

Yawgoo had 75 percent of its terrain open for the holiday weekend and expects to be 100 percent open this weekend. “It has been a few years since we have had 100 percent of our terrain open,” said Hartman, adding “It’s a win, we’ll take it in Rhode Island.”

Skiers and riders bundled up for the cold over the holiday weekend at Sugar Mountain, N.C.One hundred percent of Sugar Mountain, N.C., was open for the holiday weekend, said resort vice president Kim Jochl. Temperatures were in the single digits and teens, and six inches of natural snow fell over the weekend.

While visitation held steady year over year, revenue for the three-day holiday was up 7 percent over the prior year period.

The resort also hosts USCSA collegiate races every MLK Sunday and Monday, and “this winter, college racer participation was at an all-time high,” said Jochl.

Operators are now turning their attention toward Presidents’ Week and further ahead, looking to maximize snowmaking opportunities and/or keeping their fingers crossed for natural snow to support a (hopefully) brisk back half of the season.