Skier Visits by Area

EMSC said:
Wait, Jamesdeluxe is now an AI user? I thought only ChrisC was allowed to do that around here!
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I catch the sarcasm considering that I've been posting all sorts of Chat-sourced material here, to the point where I may need to cut back! It's incredibly helpful in putting together all sorts of arcane information and tying it together with a nice bow, That said; as you're aware, it can be unbelievably wrong sometimes (the much-despised "magical thinking") -- after which it always congratulates the user with "nice catch! I missed that!," a cursory explanation of where it went wrong, followed by an insincere apology.
 
Harvey said:
What is the source of your Plattekill data? Gore?
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I was curious about the ORDA ski resort numbers - specifically how Gore is doing after expansion/investment. One needs to be careful with visitation numbers - often they are 12-month annual numbers. Skier days are broken out separately.


Whiteface Mountain

In 2016/17 Whiteface Mountain attracted over 340,000 visitors, with 201,000 visiting in winter
and 139,000 during the summer season. The mountain continues to host a variety of events,
which attracts skiers and non-skiers alike. In addition to a strong winter season, Whiteface
received a $20 million budgetary addition to create new state-of-the-art skiing, lodging, dining,
and retail facilities to support year-round activities at both Gore and Whiteface. These major
upgrades include expanding the Bear Den Lodge and adding a learning center and restaurant,
expanding and renovating the Adirondack Base Lodge and parking lot, installing a line
connecting the Bear Den Learning Center to the Mid Station, building one of the longest zip
lines in North America, and the longest mountain coaster in the U.S. These improvements set
the stage for Whiteface and the surrounding area to capitalize on the Northeast’s winter and
summer tourism industry.

Gore Mountain
Gore Mountain hosted just over 212,000 visitors in 2016/17, with 203,000 visiting during the
winter. Compared to Whiteface’s 139,000 visitors in the summer, Gore’s summer season is
considerably smaller at under 9,000. With Governor Cuomo’s allocation (stated above), the
mountain looks to be a more competitive experience with new areas to increase revenue,
private investments, and internal growth. Upgrades at Gore include expanding the seating
capacity and modernizing the Saddle Lodge, a third story addition to the Base Lodge, and
restoring the original gondola station into a summit facility and overlook.

Belleayre Mountain:
Belleayre was not included in the 2012/13 economic results, but boasted a visitation of 142,000
in 2016/17, with 124,000 visiting in winter and 18,000 visiting in summer. Its inclusion brings to
light the full reach of ORDA and its existing facilities. In the summer/fall of 2017, Belleayre
completed the addition of the “Catskill Thunder” gondola, which is slated to seat 60 cabins,
travel 1,000 feet per minute, and allowing cross-country skiing across the summit, year round
scenic rides, lift serviced mountain biking, and event rentals. Belleayre was busy last season too
expanding terrain, loading areas, the Discovery Lodge, and glades. Additions of a new
restaurant, pedal boats, and the return of the Belleayre Music Festival were welcome additions
to the mountain year-round.


More recent numbers:


Skiers, skaters, jumpers, coaster riders set ORDA visitor record. Olympic Development Authority surpasses previous years amid hockey, ski jump and other competitions
By Rick Karlin,
Staff Writer
April 26, 2023

LAKE PLACID — Boosted by major sports competitions and facilities upgrades including a zipline and a Cliffside Coaster ride, the Olympic Regional Development Authority, or ORDA, set a new record this past year logging more than a million visits to its properties for the fiscal year ending March 31.

The greatest number of visits were at the height of ski season between December and March, with approximately 750,000 visits during that timeframe making up 73 percent of the new record. January and February brought in the most overall visits, while snowy weather and major events at multiple venues boosted March numbers well above average, with more than 50,000 visits during the month.

Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills saw a particularly large increase in visits, with its numbers jumping from 179,006 in the 2021-22 season to 237,825 in 2022-23.

The Olympic venues in Lake Placid — Mt. Van Hoevenberg cross-country ski center, the luge and bobsled track; the ski jump and Olympic training center saw a combined increase of more than 63,000 visits.

“Over the past six years, with heavy construction at times, we never missed an operating season,” ORDA President and CEO Michael Pratt said. “We will always have projects to properly maintain our facilities, but we are certainly optimistic about the resurgence since the improvements have been completed.”

Many of those came to ski and ride at ORDA’s three ski centers: Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore. But events such as a ski jumping competition at ORDA’s Olympic facility at Lake Placid, a major hockey tournament and college Olympic-style games added to the numbers.

An international ski jumping World Cup event in February drew the largest crowd at any single ORDA venue since the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

ORDA estimates this past year marked a 15 percent increase from pre-pandemic levels.

Events at ORDA’s conference center, custom groups, non-ticket events, and functions are not included in any of these calculations, which would reflect an even higher number of visits.

The numbers followed multiple upgrades to facilities such as the ski jump.

An international ski jumping World Cup event in February drew the largest crowd at any single ORDA venue since the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

The Olympic complex also hosted the 2023 FISU World University Games in January. While that may not have brought in hordes of spectators, the numerous competitors, families and support teams kept the complex facilities busy.

That was followed by several other high-profile sporting events including the Eastern College Athletic Conference hockey championships, the World Synchronized Skating Championships, and other hockey tournaments happening throughout.

Mt. Van Hoevenberg has become a hub of year-round activity with an indoor rock climbing center, trail bike rentals, a roller ski loop and the Cliffside Coaster, an elevated ride that follows the path of the 1980 Olympic Bobsled Track.

Numbers at other ski resorts were not immediately available, and privately operated ski centers typically don’t share financial details of their business.
 
Interesting, the NY State / ORDA ski area with the highest profile, and the greatest vertical drop on the East Coast, came in last attendance-wise.

Total Skier Visits: 764,453, a 9 percent increase over the prior season (696,342) and an all-time high, with record-setting visitation at:
  • Gore Mountain (261,053)
  • Belleayre Mountain (253,175)
  • Whiteface Mountain (250,225)
  • along with approximately 9,000 Nordic visits at Mt Van Hoevenberg

Size Comparison Overview
The table below highlights the exact size differences between the resorts:

Ski Resort​
Skiable Acreage​
Number of Trails​
Vertical Drop​
Lift Count​
Gore Mountain​
453 acres​
108​
2,537 feet​
14 lifts​
Whiteface Mountain​
299 acres*​
94​
3,430 feet​
11 lifts​
Belleayre Mountain​
174 acres​
50​
1,404 feet​
8 lifts​
*Note: Whiteface also features 35 acres of un-groomed wilderness terrain known as "The Slides," which only opens when safety conditions permit.

www.governor.ny.gov

Governor Hochul Announces Record Visitation at New York’s Olympic Authority Venues, Surpassing 1.2 Million Visits

Governor Hochul announced that visitation to New York State’s Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) venues has surpassed 1.2 million visits during the 2025-26 fiscal year, setting a new record and underscoring the State’s continued leadership in tourism, recreation and...
www.governor.ny.gov www.governor.ny.gov


If Belleayre had a record season, I would assume other Catskill ski areas also did well, potentially achieving near-record seasons (Hunter, Windham, Plattekill), unless Belleayre is starting to take business away from them.

However, Windham seems to be focusing on premium pricing per skier visit, rather than maximizing the number of visitors. Similarly, Plattekill appears to be prioritizing yield with its quasi-public/private model (public access on Fridays-Sundays and holidays, private rentals other days), and no longer operates seven days a week to maximize visitor numbers.
 
Last edited:
ChrisC said:
Similarly, Plattekill appears to be prioritizing yield with its quasi-public/private model (public access on Fridays-Sundays and holidays, private rentals other days), and no longer operates seven days a week to maximize visitor numbers.
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Putting aside private rentals, has Plattekill ever operated anything other than Fri/Sat/Sun/holidays, at least since the Vajtays took over in 1993?
 
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