Snowsports Industries America (SIA) released its Participation Report for the 2022/23 winter season, providing industry stakeholders with “crucial data and trends across all winter sports,” including skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, fat biking, and touring.

SIA’s look at the 2022/23 season shows winter sports participation growth, including an increase in “absolute numbers” across all race and ethnicity groups, with “29.9 million people, a representation of almost 10 percent of the U.S. population ages six and older, engaged in any winter sport activity for any number of days,” an increase from previous years, when participation hovered around 25 million.

For skiing, including alpine, freeski, and telemark, but not Nordic or touring, in 2021/22, there was an observed 5 percent decrease in unique participants. In 2022/23, however, the trend reversed, with the number of participants increasing by 2 percent. In absolute numbers, participant increases range from plus-100,000 for snowboard touring up to plus-817,000 for snowboarding.

Other key sections of the SIA Participation Report show data around:

  • Resurgence of Snowsports: Despite the challenges from the pandemic, winter sports experienced a resurgence. The report showcases a significant increase in participation rates, indicating a strong rebound for the industry.
  • Demographic Shifts: The report takes a deep dive into the demographic shifts within the winter sports community, exploring changing trends in age, gender and ethnicity.
  • Regional Insights: The report provides regional breakdowns, offering insights into winter sports participation trends across different geographical areas.

Nick Sargent, president of SIA, said, “I am pleased that our Participation Report validates what we have been seeing—that winter sports activity is not only growing, but we’re attracting a younger, more diverse audience as well. Our industry has strived to welcome new participants while simultaneously working to reignite the passion for those that had stepped away. While we are pleased with this growth, we’ll continue to look at ways to increase our participant base.”