Lack of snow having big impact on ski dependent businesses
Jan 2, 2014, 1:07 PM | Updated: 2:01 pm
The shortage of Cascade snow continues to be a big disappointment for many, but it’s also causing some serious financial pain across the state’s ski industry.
At its peak, the ski business employs about 7,600 people in resorts, shops and other related industries. It generates approximately $737 million annually, according to John Gifford, the president of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association.
While some areas like Stevens Pass and Crystal Mountain have been open since early December despite the limited snowfall, others like the Summit at Snoqualmie have yet to get enough snow to open.
“It’s having an impact on winter sports shops, other industries or companies that support skiers or snowboards who may be buying gas or stopping at restaurants to and from the resorts,” Gifford says.
Some areas have limited operations, forcing them to cut back on staffing. And even those that have decent coverage are seeing a drop in business because many people are staying away, thinking the conditions are bad.
“Because of the equipment, grooming abilities and that kind of thing, you can create a pretty good ski experience. It’s just that we are so used to getting so much more snow that psychologically, it doesn’t seem like it’s as good.”
The snowpack is currently about 54 percent of normal at Stevens Pass, 29 percent near the base of Snoqualmie Pass, according to meteorologist Josh Smith at the National Weather Service in Seattle.
The forecast calls for a little snow in the Cascades Thursday night into Friday, with 2-5 inches predicted for the base of Stevens. But just 1 inch is forecast for the base of Snoqualmie.
Still, Gifford says it’s important to remember skiers at least have some decent options from Mount Baker to White Pass, and things could be far worse, like the winter of 2004-2005.
“Most ski areas opened late, got a rain storm, got washed out, closed, got snow in February, opened for a while, then closed again in March and then reopened in late March,” Gifford says.
