Old people with money are dying and millenials with no money can't afford it. There saved you 9 minutes, you're welcome.

As a twenty year ski patroller, it’s all about the money. They have raised lift ticket prices out of range many people can afford. Shorter hours, old lodges, barely sanitary facilities and overpriced cafeterias.

It’s not the lack of passion for the sport. It’s the high cost, over crowding, long lift lines and price gouging at every corner.

I'm with the rest, the cost is the largest barrier. I started skiing in the 70s, and was an avid skier into the early 2000s. The price has gone up exponentially, and is no longer affordable as a family play day. It's sad really.

Main Reason: Younger Generations are having less and less disposable income. Ski trips have always been tied with higher income groups due to the high costs, People just can't afford it anymore

It couldn’t be the $200 lift tickets, paid parking, $20 hamburgers now, could it?

1- We cant afford a $100+ lift ticket per day 2- Climate change 3- We dont have health insurance lol

Skiing is the most interesting type of holiday imo. it's one where you actively do something. Beach holidays = doing literally nothing. City trips = just looking at a few buildings(big whoop). Skiing is the only type of holiday where you can push yourself to the limit. Take a bit of a risk, get an adrenaline rush and actually feel alive for a change.

Resort: "Say kid, you wanna slide downhill?" Guy: "Sure, that sounds neat." Resort: "That'll be $185 for the ticket, $70 for the skis, $800 for the flight, $200 for the rental car, $150 for the hotel, $200 for the clothes you'll have to buy, $20 for a cheeseburger at the lodge." Guy: "That's...more than I make in a month, for one day of fun." Next up: Millennials "killing" wedding industry; rich people dumbfounded

I was stationed in Germany for years, skiing is dirt cheap in Europe compared to the USA. Resorts need to stop gouging people

My father skied until he died at age 74 from brain cancer. I’m 54 and plan to ski until I die. Skiing is an expensive hobby, I wish lift tickets were cheaper. I started when I was 10. I got one run lesson, here’s who to snowplow. That was it. My brother and I basically taught ourselves to ski.

I am 52 and started skiing when I was 2. Raced my entire youth at a pretty high level. Lived in Aspen for most of the 90's as a ski bum. Aspen is a completely different town now than the 90's. Not a good vibe anymore, which I think the vibe of skiing has diminished as well. Sad really. I miss what skiing was in the 80's and 90's.

If skiing weren't so darned expensive I'd go more often.

I love skiing, but I didn’t realize how expensive it all is until my parents stopped paying for it💀

I'm a ski patroller, and in the words of my patrol leader, "Not everyone skis, but the ones that do are incredibly passionate about the sport". For those who start skiing as kids, it's addictive. I aim to ski 50 days a year, and make financial sacrifices to prioritize the sport. For instance, I never travel unless skiing is involved. But I am also fortunate I live in a climate that allows it, I have more than a dozen hills to choose from within a 3 hour drive, and one a half hour away. What really does our hill well is (a) 2-for-1 lift tickets on Saturday nights mean for about $30 total, anyone can get on the mountain, and (b) we are 15 min from the downtown of a city of 1 million people. While those never-evers struggle down the mountain in jeans and leather jackets and it's secretly pretty entertaining, many actually DO come back and get better. They may never buy a seasons pass like a diehard like me, but they come, spend money, and have a great time. And that's what skiing is all about. The lesson? People want to ski - provided it's cheap and convenient.

I'm an older millenial who started skiing when I was 5. I went every year for probably 15 years. Now, in the last 20 years, I've gone twice. The fact I moved from New England to the Midwest is a big part of that, but also, it is CRAZY expensive.

They really gloss over the fact that ski ticket prices have almost tripled in some places. I used to ski Mt. Rose in 2008-2012 for like $25-30 a day. Checked last year, they're charging over $100!!!

No vacations, no time off, and no money= no skiing. It is as simple as that.

I have not been skiing since the early 1990's. I used to love to go night skiing. Yes, for me, it got expensive and time consuming. However, as an experience, it was incomparable. Nothing beats becoming one with the mountain. Kayaking is close, hiking is rough but fun, skiing is divine.

I'm an avid skier, in my late 40s and a late to the game skier. I have been skiing for 6 years. I have done between 20 and 30 days on Mtn for the last 4 years , but this year moved to the south and the logistics make it so much more expensive. The Epic and iKon passes only do so much. These resorts need to open this up to a much wider socioeconomic range. Every resort should offer rental equipment and a lift ticket for a price the average consumer can afford. Particularly families, this way you get younger gens into the sport earlier and they become life long skiers. 1. A free lift ticket and rentals for under 16 should come with an adult lift ticket, on specified days, including some Sundays. Families cannot afford 6 and 8 hundred dollar ski days. 2. Ski and stay packages are obscenely overpriced at most resorts. 350 dollar per night hotel rooms is not doable for 80% of the population. Build hotels that offer reasonable accommodations and charge 150 per night. Most of us don't want spas and all the other high end stuff. 3. Buddy passes should offer free or deeply discounted days, not some silly 20% off window price. Brecks window is 200 bucks on a weekend, so chances are never skied before aren't going to jump at 160 plus rentals to try it out. 4. Options are key to selling. Indy pass is a great value if you live within a reasonable distance of say 4 or 5 of the mountains. Instead of 2 days at 40 destinations, how about pick 5 resorts and get 4 days at each of your 5 choices. Epic and iKon could also do this. An unlimited pass could be 20 days to use at the 5 mtns of your choice. Much more attractive to a huge majority of skiers. Unlimited days to 13 resorts you live 2000 miles from isn't super enticing or a value of any kind. It's a gimmick with a shallow cover. 5. Stop charging 12 bucks for a hamburger and 8 for fries. If the industry wants long term sustainability, the have to offer sustainable pricing to the masses. Sun Valley , 23 dollars for a bowl of chili and a Gatorade, it's not even good chili. I bring food that isn't gross for a few bucks and they make zero off of me because I resent being screwed. 6. The gear- it's an investment, and if researched and chosen wisely it's not really that expensive. Most people are skiing on equipment they don't need or realize the ability of. They are oversold and sometimes not at the level of ability for their gear. 80% of us are intermediate skiers for life. But we are on kestle and the top end Nordica or Volkl gear. I've learned when and where to buy my gear over the years. 1000 bucks can outfit a skier well with solid equipment that will last many years for most of us. A set of golf clubs costs that now.

Skiing requires excess income and time off from work.

The problem is that lift ticket prices are skyrocketing. They've priced everyone but the very rich out of the sport.

I was talking to a staff member from my nearest resort - prefect north slopes. They said covid was a huge boost in business for them last year. It was considered a covid safe outdoor activity so they had tons of newbies who'd spent a year indoors eager to spend money even if that meant trying something new. Many of last years first timers have become annual members.

Problem is , downhill ski resorts have high fixed costs and they depend on volume of ticket sales to make their profit. Weather or other uncontrollable factors can make the season traffic volume unpredictable, and risky for the bottom line. Furthermore there is a huge travel element involved to get the city folk out to the mountains, either a longish drive, or, worse, flying. Flying pretty much requires you go for at least a weekend and hence now also have to pay for overnight accommodation. On the other hand, I can cross country ski as much as I want within a 10 minute drive of the suburb I live in for at most $10 for parking. TIP: Shop for skis and boots late in the season when the prices are slashed. Or even consider buying used, ski equipment depreciation is brutal.

After having skied every year as a kid and teen with my parents, I practically stopped once I reached adulthood cos I just couldn't justify the cost

We’d ski more if they let us park overnight like our parents did. The business plan of wanting to fill hotel rooms doesn’t really work if no one’s buying them.

I have been skiing since I was a kid, growing up in SoCal. Now I am in my late 30s, living on the East Coast, and still ski. I have the Epic Pass, which is mentioned in the video, and I love the resorts and adventures of skiing with friends as well as meeting new people. Unfortunately, I find it harder and harder to find people that are willing to go with me every year. Most people I know, do not have the time, money, or interest to ski/snow board. The few people I know, it is a one or two day a year vacation.

I'm a boomer who would still be skiing, but it has become unaffordable. I also didn't care much for the big corporate-owned ski areas. Too expensive, too crowded, and WAY too snooty. I always preferred the smaller, "mom & pop" areas such as Dodge Ridge, Donner Ski Ranch, Homewood, and Alpine Meadows before super-snooty Squaw Valley bought it and the two became Palisades. The smaller areas may have fewer amenities, but who needs that, as long as you have snacks in your backpack, and the bathroom is at least functional. At the non-Vail-or-Squaw-owned areas, I felt like I was experiencing skiing as it was meant to be.

Failing middle class is the real reason.

Season pass 600-1400$ Boots bindings and board 1400$ Outerwear helmet goggles 200-600$ Weed in the trees priceless

Just got back from taking the family for their first ski trip, I grew up going and learned previously. The resort gouging is certainly a major factor for us to return.

Cost is definitely the largest factor and if these resorts keep it up they're going to lose more and more skiers/snowboarders. Charging anywhere from $70-200 a day for a lift ticket is just crazy, and Vail's Epic pass isn't that great either.

only reason I quit: Too expensive! Tickets are around $100 for a daily pass. Skiing isn't the sort of thing where you go once or twice a season. You need to go often to stay in shape and to keep up your game. So total money spent is just too much.

"Lastly" Cost should have been brought up first.

No discussion of how ski resorts got hooked on foreign seasonal help on special visas that they treat like indentured servants. This broke the economics of ski towns.

This is why is appreciate my local slopes. The track is just 10 km but for 15 bucks for half a day I go whenever I can. Also fixing old broken equipment like skiboots is surprisingly easy and can save a ton of money.

Old people: *yells at millennials for spending money* Also old people: *yells at millennials for making expensive industries die*

Breaking news: people with no money and no free time can't go on expensive vacations 🤔🤔

I’m one of those baby boom types. Skiing was always fun. Gravity is still as cheap as ever. Winter cold is becoming more elusive. Snowflakes still contain excitement, wet wool and the winter sweat still have their own delights. But humanities “necessary embellishments” have smothered the joy of winter. In transition I ski-camped and cross-country skied. Now I’m happy to just exist outside during a snowfall.as an organism we have enjoyed nature too much on our own terms. We have overwhelmed that which we used to love with the “improvements”. More growth, more people, more demands, more costs, less simple enjoyment.

A day pass at a resort in Colorado is now $285 a day !! 3 hour private lesson is $800 ! And for that at Steamboat there is not even a base lodge !!

Ski tickets are insanely high that’s why.

You know there is a Continent called Europe where people ski and they take their kids with them and the industry is booming and the ski culture is strong, right?

I think the cost for beginners is a huge issue, but one thing I always thought they should do is offer tickets only good on some beginner lifts, that way they aren't stuck paying full price at a large resort when they wont even touch 50% of it. My local resorts have been plenty crowded so far this season though.

I'm 55 year old Scot, skied for over 50 years. When I started skiing it was at the local ski hills where the weather was lowsy and snow was bulletproof. I have skied extensively over Europe and North America. My favourite 2 places to Ski are Jackson Hole and Whistler, but I simply cannot afford to go there anymore. The lift ticket prices are toxic, for a overseas visitor it will be the most expensive component of their trip. Yes they have installed some new Gondolas but at a huge hike to the lift ticket. Whistler and JH, are small- medium sized resorts with mid range lifts (quads mainly) once you get off the Gondola/ Tram. Most European resorts dwarf anything in North America, and have amazing high speed 6&8 per chairs, fantastic restaurants. Mayerhofen in the Zillertal, has 6ski areas under 1 pass, with free train and bus travel for skiers....lift price 300 euros. 4-5 euros for a beer on the mountain and around 12euro for lunch. I paid $850 for a 6 day pass at Jackson Hole, and still had to pay $2 each way to get to Teton. Austrians, love their skiing, it's their national sport and a sport for the people, unlike USA/Canada where skiing is now a sport for CPA's, Dentists and Trust fund kids. Every small hardcore ski town has been bought over and turned into a place to park X5s, G Wagons and Porsche SUVs. As energy prices get higher, and the need for snow making becomes more extensive, lift prices will continue to rise till normal families stop going.

I have skied most of my life. And the prices have gone up so much that my income can't keep up with my lifelong habit. I just simply cannot afford it anymore.

Let children under 16 ski free -that’s when you learn the most and you’ll keep them for life

It’s costs about $10,000 all expenses included to take a family of four to Colorado for a ski trip. Fuck that.

I'm going on a ski instructor course in January, its probably the only way i'll get to go skiing as an independent adult due to the cost of holidays

"For every Boomer that retires, 2 millennials are needed to replace that income" ... that's a really ass-backwards way of saying that millennials don't make as much money as previous generations.

Babyboomers are the only people who have disposable income to go skiing. Which is pretty expensive as well. Most people are happy they can go away a bit in summer. A seccond holliday is only possible for few nowdays...

I am from Germany. Just read the comments. Having tears in my eyes. Here in Europe skiing and especially lift tickets are affordable not only for the rich. There are expensive places especially in Switzerland but also cheap and smaller locations in other parts of the alps. Is it the fact that investment companies own whole resorts in the US ? Are insurances for the lift companies more expensive because they fear to be taken to court by dumb skiers who injure themself . This is nature. It is free of charge. It is for everyone. And yes you can die - even if you take the marked slope - this should be the only high price ;-) Everything else should be priced on a normal level. I hope this changes some day because I'd like to come to ski in the USA one day. And who eats Hamburger in the skihut? We eat Kaiserschmarrn and Germknödel. Hang loose.

Started skiing in the 70's. When I moved to N CA in the late 80's I used to hit Tahoe 20+ days a season. I've been away from the sport for a few years now and thought about getting back into it this year. $1200 for a custom boot fitting (problem feet) plus another $1200 for skis and bindings. And that's before the $150 to $250 daily lift ticket, lodging, food, gas... And it's just me. Cannot imagine how a family of 4 can afford this sport anymore. They can talk about passion all they want, but when the price gets too high... people will just walk away.

As a person born and brought up in the Swiss mountains, I have watched skiing become far too expensive. The prices of skis, ski boots, ski clothes, ski passes, accommodation and food in resorts have continuously increased out of all proportion. A friend of mine in Switzerland posted an advert for a pair of skis from Stockli: CHF1500 a pair! Nuts. My wife and I then worked out how much a single week would cost if you equipped a family of 4. This came to a staggering $15 000 just for 1 week and pricing this with very basic accommodation. With the average European wage at $2050 a month (according to EU 2020 stats) very few families can afford this. I am sure that the same can be said in North America.

I think that you should add "in North America" to the title. Because afaik, ski in Europe is booming

I skiied from 1985 to 2008. Had a lot of fun. Was a ski instructor at the Villa Roma in the early 90,s. Have to say it was a great sport. But it does take a toll on your knees and body. The coldest I skiied was 28 below zero. I came off the slope and back into the chalet and SNAP.My boot cracked right in half.Glad I had the oppertunity to do this sport in my younger years.Also ice skated from1989 till 2017.Be safe on the slopes............

This is so sad. Imo, skiing is like the best thing, ever. Hands down.

“But there are some big hurdles that the ski industry is going to need to jump over to keep from going downhill” 😭😭😭

This is weird to see as a non-American, I literally went on a one week long skiing trip with my whole grade in 6th grade as a school trip, and i was among only 6 or 7 people who had never gone skiing before. Skiing is still doing well here in Europe

People complain about ski ticket prices, but high speed detachable lifts are expensive compared to the double chairs, Poma lifts and rope tows that we used in the past. Grooming is expected which was done only rarely 30 years ago. Insurance is also a huge expense for area in this litigious society. It is about 25% of the ticket price.

When we were kids we went to ski swaps to get used equipment & tow prices were very cheap. Now the swaps are gone and the prices for equipment & tow tickets have skyrocketed.

Gee, It's almost like disposable income for younger people isn't equivalent to that of previous generations.

"The Millenials killed the skiing industry: too poor to participate"

My local ski hill weekday pass is $199/yr. Full access with weekends is $499/season. 1800 ft vertical, 350+ inches of snow this year, and we're still skiing in April, well after many other places have closed for the season despite $200/day tickets. Last day is May 6th. You don't need to spend a fortune to ski--you just need to live near a hill that is run for skiers, not for the pocketbook of the management.

Snow days have become less common in our winters nowadays and doesn't stick around long. Resorts are hurting.

Can’t afford it anymore. $150-$200 day to ski is a joke.

"Millenials ski less" yes... that happens when a day ticket costs over $100.

As a lifelong expert skier I can add some perspective. The poster below has it nailed: price. The strategy of moving to mega passes was coupled with massive increases in daily rates. I think this has backfired on the resorts. Essentially they want the money six months in advance. The multi-resort aspect is not a big draw, most of us aren't going to jet around to all these areas. So that's a big fat zero. The explosion of the day pass rates have gone well over the hump on the price elasticity curve, but in their greed they refuse to see this. However the data shows that quite clearly. As an aging boomer I can say that I'd ski more of the cost/day were half what it is. The current $200+ rate means I've just moved to different winter sports, like snow shoeing, that cost much less or nothing at all. Everyone I know who sucked in on passes found that they didn't pay out, they didn't use them as much as they planned. So we've cottoned to that scam. It also cuts out middle class families who mostly aren't going to buy say four passes to go for a few days of skiing. As to climate change. Well in the Sierra where I ski we're quite used to very variable winters so you can't claim any trends anyway. The 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics almost had to be moved for lack of snowfall, sound familiar? We went through the late 1970's with little snow. This year there's an abundance but at $200/day I'm not going to be skiing...just not worth it. The solution is right in front of the resorts but they don't like it. Cut the day rates by 50% for at least 5 years. I'd bet real money they'd see more customers. Promotions are nice but a band aid. Yes you'll have to cut costs - a lot. Start by firing the MBA's who came up with your current pricing strategies.

The decline in skiing is a result of the higher prices for lift tickets. I use to ski a lot during the 1980's and 90's, because it was affordable. But I stopped skiing in the 2000's, because lift tickets shot up 100%, and it wasn't worth a trip to ski resorts anymore.

Everyone: *forgetting generation X exists*

Utah has low elevation? looks like someone didn't do their research.

The popularity of snowboarding has plateaued now and the cost of equipment and ski passes keeps getting higher and higher

I retired , moved to Denver , and have all the equipment , skis on Craig's List $40. Icon pass $700 . I ski 25 days a year , that's $28 plus gas a day , not too shabby.

Vail charges 180$ for a single day ticket lmao they’re doing it to themselves

America's middle class has less disposable income, and less free time.

Cold and discomfort usually come about by people not using the correct winter gear. You need to be familiar with layering and if you’re a beginner you should probably get a bib instead of pants so snow doesn’t get onto your body. If you don’t know what a base, mid, and outer layer are then you will likely be cold when skiing. Fear of heights is valid, fear of bodily injury is valid up to a point (you can get harmed doing a lot of things, don’t bite off more than you can chew and you should be fine).

Even with my IKON pass, Which is dam pricy, I find myself not snowboarding very often. Even with ski-lift price factored out, I know that every time I go up to the mountains I will be spending $150-$200. I can't drop that kind of money regularly, and I don't think I'm the only one. I understand this is a luxury hobby/sport, But I see my skills dwindling, Because I'm being priced off the mountain

Had my first skiing experience this January and loved it. Out of a group of 10 people, 3 of us would do it again. The cost was too high and we researched cheaper options. We want to give it another shot but it's not in our budget at this time. Also, the instructor played a huge role in our overall experience.

I switched to backcountry skiing long ago. A few hundred bucks for equipment, and you're good for years. A weekend at a ski resort with lift tickets costs as much as a used car. It's not climate change, it's price change.

I'm 46 and skiing was my favorite thing to do. My knees are toast and I am I can't risk injury.

I used to go more than 10x per year at minimum. Now that I'm bringing my daughter and the cost of everything on mountain has gotten so expensive, we're down to 1-2 times a year, and our stay is shorter. If we're not going to our local mountain and having to stay near or on the resort, it becomes a $1,000+ visit and I just don't have that kind of money

Short answer: No one has disposable income or vacations anymore and all the snow is melting anyways.

I remember skiing back around 1980-86 in the Lake Tahoe area. Snow was plentiful, ticket prices were affordable. Probably went 10-20 times a year. Typically paid $15-20/day. I recall the resorts were packed on weekends back then.

I live in Salt Lake. I can tell you that nobody skis Little Cottonwood any more because it's so crowded. Bumper to bumper traffic all the way up and down the canyon.

I Ski all the time now since my 4 kids are of age to ski as a family. We need to lower the cost of skiing and it get more familys into the sport... That's the key to build it back up.

As a European, why am I even watching this

Save yourselves 9 minutes of your life and just read the comments for the consensus

It does not have to be very expensive. You can buy gear from last years collection, which can be up to 50% cheaper. Much cheaper than rental in the long run. If you find 3 other people to go on a trip, you can share the expenses of accomodation and transport (if you drive). Going outside school vacations also makes accomodation cheaper. If you cook your own food, it's also much cheaper then eating at a hotel. I went on a trip couple years ago with some people to Serre Chevalier in France, it was less than 400 euro for accomodation, transport and ski pass, 5 days of skiing. Going to Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Austria in february - only 180 euro for 5 nights, and gasoline will be about 100 euro. Of course I can't imagine paying for an entire family, and getting into it is also not cheap, considering you propably will not even like it as a beginner.

Like many, I aged out but remember every day on the slopes fondly.

Skiing is definitely not dying. Every year lift lines get longer and longer.

Short answer: wages haven't increased for both lower and most middle class jobs in 30 years, while cost of living has quadrupled.

Cost and aging out are two big issues. Younger generations are searching out new lower cost sports or spotts that are not so energy dependent. Driving to a ski resort is not cheap and neither is running snow making equipment.

Pretty easy answers: Too expensive and not enough snow.

The title of this vid should be “Why are Americana ski resorts dying”

Laughs in Swiss

Mention should also be made to court cases where skiers were injured, some while skiing out of bounds or in marked, fenced off, restricted areas and yet the courts awarded them millions in compensation. ( Stowe Vermont comes to mind. ). Ski areas were forced to increase ticket prices to pay for insurance and the new rates made skiing for many, just too expensive. I used to ski, with my family and, I was a qualified ski instructor. But, overnight, I could no longer afford to take my family skiing. This caused me to slowly lose interest and finally stop altogether. So, blame some of the decline in skiing on lawyers and the creampuffs they tend to represent. Those who refuse to take responsibility for the outcome of their own bad decisions.

Hey cheddar, it’s not like people think it’s boring, it’s just expensive at most good mountains!

The narrator has a pretty extreme case of Valley Girl uptalk.

I think BAD ski areas are dying. Look at the price of real estate in Colorado ski towns, its been rising like a rocket. Small mountains with slow lifts and aren't on any multipass are dying because they're dinosaurs in this industry. Go to Vail, Breckenridge, or any similar mountain on the weekend and they're all packed to the gills. It is prohibitively expensive for tourists, but season passes are reasonable.

I’m 58 years old. I have the Ikon Pass and ski at Mammoth/June most of the time. Been skiing there for many years. Bought their season pass when it was only $435. Over time, the pass included Bear Mountain and Snow Summit in SoCal and the price has gradually increased up to this season where I paid $1000 for the Ikon Pass. As with anything and everything the prices go up across the board; lodging, gas, food and trinkets from the different resorts. And then there’s the fare for flying to resorts out of state because I’ve got free passes to those included with my pass. I used to be able to ski Mammoth for roughly $200 a weekend everything included. Now it’s more than doubled. It’s the times we live in. Gas fluctuates but nothing else seems to. I’m still doing it though. Nothing like riding millions of dollars worth of equipment to the top of a mountain and letting gravity do the rest to get me to bottom.

I ski A LOT but that's because my friend and I have found a way to avoid paying hardly any money at all. It's a blast planning out a 3 day trip, packing up all our own food and hot drinks, living out of SUV, buying lift tickets at bargain basement prices, and riding on old but high quality ski equipment bought in the 90's. We've done trips for as low as $300 each, the folks at the ski lodge just can't do anything to stop us, and god knows they've tried!