La Niña winter season has struck Colorado this year and has put a hurdle up for ski slopes. Powderhorn has been no exception for this late snow season.
La Niña is a unique weather formation that sends the snow that would normally hit resorts like Powderhorn up to the north, effectively missing resorts that are more southbound. As a result, there have been some adverse effects that have taken hold at the resort.
To most notable and apparent effect comes in the form of customers. Less snow equals fewer customers and, in turn, less money. This has caused the resort some setbacks.
Naturally, there is less revenue for the resort and as a way to combat the lack of revenue, Powderhorn has reduced its normal schedule to a four day week: Thursday through Sunday.
“It’s definitely a less than average season for us,” Ryan Robinson, marketing and aales manager at Powderhorn, said. “It has been a challenging year.”
In an effort to bring in revenue, the resort has held several concerts and non-skiing activities. Bands like Jack and Jill, Union of None, Harry Harpoon and Bicycle Annie have stopped by the resort to entertain guests.
“That has been an activity that people really enjoy,” Robinson said. “People enjoy coming up to have a beer, hot cocoa, a burger and to listen to some live music. Those have worked since the weather has been nice and sunny.”
Combined with the alternative Powderhorn reduced the prices of their tickets in the beginning of the season as a way to entice people to ski or snowboard with the little snow that there is or the snow to come.
As a result of offering cheaper tickets, they have been able to bring new faces to the resort. While they aren’t giving out specific information, the resort does track its customers and has seen a spike in the number of new faces that counters the drop of previous pass holders.
“Early in the season we kept prices really low and had some specials. We saw a lot of new faces and people new to the sport coming to try it for the first time and has been a silver lining from the decreased snow,” Robinson said.
La Niña tends to have a longer snow season, so despite its slow start, those working at the resort hope that the weather will change in the favor of that trend. Just over the last six days, Powderhorn has seen over two feet of snow, making the resort optimistic to a change in the weather pattern.
