ONLY THE SKIING IS DOWNHILL
Mike McCagg
ccSCOOP News
While many contend that the economy is in a downhill spiral, Columbia County’s lone ski resort is finding attendance on the rise.
Thanks to “phenomenal” attendance this past holiday weekend, the Catamount Ski Area overcame the economic downturn that has plagued much of the economy to tie a record opening month, General Manager Bill Gilbert said Monday. “Last year [2007] was the best December we ever had, but the new year has so far been the best we have ever had, which made us equal to last year’s opening,” the longtime ski area executive said.
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Thanks to “phenomenal” attendance this past holiday weekend, the Catamount Ski Area overcame the economic downturn that has plagued much of the economy to tie a record opening month, General Manager Bill Gilbert said Monday. “Last year [2007] was the best December we ever had, but the new year has so far been the best we have ever had, which made us equal to last year’s opening,” the longtime ski area executive said.
Gilbert reported that Friday and Saturday–January 2 and 3–were “full days” for the mountain, meaning that more than 3,000 skiers packed the resort each day. Sunday—typically a slower day as skiers start heading back home–saw about half the number of skiers, but according to Gilbert, it was still a strong day.
A three-decade skier and patron of Catamount told ccSCOOP that Friday was the busiest she had ever seen the mountain, with the main and overflow parking areas full and cars parking wherever they could find space along the entranceway.
License plates told the tale of where many traveled from. There were the expected places, such as metro New York City, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, as well as some less typical places like Virginia, Maine, and Pennsylvania.
“There is no question the areas that are close to a major population area . . . did very well. I am sure our neighbor Butternut [Ski Area in Great Barrington], and all of the areas within a couple of hours of New York City did well,” Gilbert said.
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Some have speculated that the down economy is keeping skiers closer to home. One snowboarder at Catamount on Friday said he had just returned from a boarding trip in Montana, and while the conditions were excellent, there weren’t as many patrons taking advantage of the conditions this year as he had seen in past trips.
Weather appears to have more of an impact on the ski season than the economy. Gilbert noted that 2007’s record December was the result of several snow storms and cold temperatures. In December 2008, an ice storm and other sleet events dampened the enthusiasm, as did 60-degree temperatures on the Sunday after Christmas.
| On the positive side, a cold November allowed Catamount to open on Thanksgiving weekend, its earliest opening in a decade and one of its earliest openings ever. A strong ski season has positive ramifications for Columbia County’s economy, said Ann Cooper, executive director of the Columbia County Tourism Department, most notably in sales tax revenue. It’s not just the sales tax revenues from Catamount itself. Purchases made at nearby restaurants, stores, and gas stations frequented by visitors to Catamount also generate sales tax revenue for the county. |
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