Snow Drought: Why Vail Resorts Visits Plumbed 20% This Season

The early 2026 season has been a brutal reality check for the North American ski industry. While we usually wait for the spring thaw to count the damage, Vail Resorts recently dropped a bombshell. North American visitation is down a staggering 20% compared to last year. With November and December snowfall across the West sitting at 50% below the 30-year average, the "Epic" experience has been replaced by a "wait and see" attitude from even the most die-hard locals.

The numbers out of the Rockies are particularly grim. Snowfall in the region plummeted 60% below historic norms. This left only 11% of Vail’s total Rocky Mountain terrain open through the end of December. While Vail’s massive advance-commitment strategy, the Epic Pass, shielded their lift revenue from a total freefall (down only 1.8%), the lack of bodies on the mountain gutted other aspects of business. Ski school and dining revenues both saw double-digit drops as mid-winter powder days were replaced by the sound of snow cannons fighting a losing battle against warm temps.

If the corporate giants are feeling the heat, the independent and "smart" resorts are facing a full-blown existential crisis. Unlike the big players who can offset Western losses with strong early-season conditions in the East, smaller community staples don't have a diverse geographic portfolio to lean on.

These smaller areas are often the heartbeat of the TGR community—the places where the next generation of groms find their feet. For these hills, a 20% drop in visitation doesn't just mean lower earnings; it means shortened seasons, reduced operating hours, and a direct hit to the local mountain town economies that depend on them. Without the buffer of millions in pre-sold passes, the "smart" independent resorts are having to innovate faster than ever. They are pivoting to value-added programs and non-snow recreation just to keep the lights on.

Even the most advanced snowmaking technology has its limits. High "wet bulb" temperatures have made it nearly impossible for lower-elevation resorts to maintain a base, leading to a "zero-degree line" that is moving higher up the peaks every year. While we’ve seen late-season surges at spots like Whistler and Tahoe, the industry is increasingly divided into the "haves" (high-altitude resorts) and the "have-nots" (everyone else).