The outdoor active lifestyle market has heard ad nauseam this yead concerns about poor snow accumulation levels in the mountain states of the western U.S. this past winter season, especially in Colorado and Utah, but the 2026 Annual Report released last month by Ski Vermont saw the numbers in the fourth largest ski state in the country turn those frowns upside down as skier visits during the 2025/26 season came in at their highest level since the 2014/15 season.
Ski Vermont reported that it capped the 2025/26 ski season at its 57th Annual Meeting at Jay Peak Resort in June, highlighting “a winter of favorable weather, strong visitation, and continued improvements at Vermont ski areas.”
The non-profit trade association, founded in 1969 to serve alpine and cross-country ski areas, said they were joined by partners, supporters and industry friends as Vermont’s alpine and cross-country members performed well, with alpine ski areas reporting a total of 4.36 million skier visits for the 2025/26 season, an increase of 4.7 percent year-over-year versus the 4.16 million visitors in the 2024/25 season and an 11 percent increase over the 10-year average. This also marks the best visitation since the 2014/15 season. The totals for the season put Vermont at 1.5 percent ahead of the Northeast region’s 3.2 percent growth, and 13.8 percent ahead of the national average, which fell by 9.1 percent year-over-year this past season.
The report laid claim to Vermont as the top ski state in the Eastern U.S. and set forth the largest in the nation by skier visits. The state’s ski areas reportedly averaged 118 operating days this past season, slightly higher than the 10-year average of 111 days. Average snowfall totaled 194 inches, down 11 percent from last year but 6 percent above the 10-year average.
“Vermont is known for exceptional snow and its authentic community,” said Ski Vermont President Molly Mahar. “Ski areas are committed to providing an unforgettable experience for visitors, and world class snowmaking and ski programming are an important part of that. Ultimately it comes down to showcasing all that Vermont ski areas provide visitors. It’s an experience that brings people back and these numbers bear that out.”
With early season snowfall and consistent snowmaking temperatures jump-starting the season, ski areas experienced steady visitation through the core winter months of December, January and February. Favorable weather and sold-out hotel bookings over the peak holidays of New Years, Martin Luther King Jr., and President’s Day helped mitigate a handful of frigid weekends in late January. Similarly, the season’s steady visitation made up for the early-March warm-up that shortened the spring ski season.
The cold winter also favored Ski Vermont’s cross-country members’ areas, which reported a total of 339,046 skier visits, up 5.1 percent year-over-year. A total of seven Vermont cross-country ski areas has installed supplemental snowmaking systems on portions of their trail networks.
Snowmaking continues to be an important difference maker with single fan gun systems critical to early opening and insurance against December and January thaws. The season was 9.2 percent longer this year, to an average of 106 days.
“The snow storage conversation is getting louder, and we welcome that technology is increasing its effectiveness,” Ski Vermont wrote in their season-end report.
“Highlights of this year’s Annual Meeting program included Building Mental Resilience on the Mountain by Dr. Chrissy Semler of Fortitude Sport Psychology & Mental Health, a presentation of Vermont’s new Destination Management Plan by Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing Commissioner Heather Pelham, and a workforce development roundtable The Pipeline Project’s Tiffany Whitcomb and members of Ski Vermont’s Workforce Development Committee,” the trade association highlighted.”
Kevin Chu of the Vermont Futures Project delivered the keynote Myths & Misconceptions: Data on Vermont’s Economic Competitiveness.
Smugglers’ Notch Sold to Burke Mountain Ownership
Bill Stritzler (pictured right), owner of Smugglers’ Notch Ski Area and former Ski Vermont Board member, accepted an Industry Achievement Award for his contributions to Vermont’s ski industry. Stritzler first came to work at “Smuggs” in 1987 and acquired the business in 1997.
In related news, after nearly 30 years of ownership under Bill Stritzler, Smugglers’ Notch Resort announced the sale of Smuggs to Bear Den Partners, which owns Burke Mountain Resort.
Stritzler previously announced the sale in a pre-recorded video, but he was live at the Annual Meeting.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Stritzler family said it will continue to retain an ownership stake in the company, and CEO Lisa Howe, Bill’s daughter, will continue to “serve as an advisor on the future of the mountain,” according to the announcement.
“It was only a few months ago when I realized that I was very fortunate to have been the managing director and owner of Smugglers’ Notch for 30 years,” the senior Stritzler said in the video. “It also occurred to me that this was a great time to make a change. It was a huge decision for me and my family, because obviously we love this place. But in deciding that a change was needed, I was in a great position to decide how this change would take place.”
Ski Vermont emphasized that skiing is an important economic driver and employer in the state of Vermont, particularly in rural areas where many ski areas are located. Ski Vermont’s Fifth Grade Passport helps to get thousands of children on the slopes annually and partial proceeds from the program support Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports.
For more from the 2026 Annual Report, including happenings at the State House, where Ski Vermont and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce hosted the sixth Tourism Economy Day in April, go here to download the full report.
All images courtesy Ski Vermont
