And then there were three, maybe 2, or possibly just 1…While a few ski areas are still open (Mammoth, Palisades Tahoe and maybe Beartooth Basin), the 2022-2023 winter season has effectively ended. Another record-breaking ski season in the books, with over 64 million+ skier visits according to NSAA. The Northeast also saw increases in season-over-season skier visits. This end of season reflection builds off a holiday shopping idea already engrained in most of our brains. Call it what you will, I call it Smaller Ski Area Saturday, while corny sure, could help smaller ski areas thrive amidst fierce competition (and limited marketing budgets) for customers, unpredictable weather, workforce challenges, and increasing costs. Smaller ski areas tend to be off-the-radar, passionately loved by the local community and ripe with character. We can help them by skiing there more often. And meeting up at a smaller ski area provides a great solution (affordable, not crowded, unique) for Ikon and Epic passholder friends who can finally ski together!? Either way, all the best this off-season, Powder Hounds!
:20 - Welcome
4:40 - Episode Intro
5:48 - Smaller Ski Area Saturday
17:20 - Close