Laserfiche WebLink
<br />..:.. . <br /> <br />'. <br /> <br />SUJlMARY <br /> <br />Purpose' <br /> <br />The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of early-season snow <br />on skier visits in Colorado and-to r~late skier visits associated with <br />. more snow to ret'aii expenditures. <br /> <br />"'., " Importance of the Study. <br /> <br />-,. . <br /> <br />- - . . . . .\ <br />The Colorado Department of Natural Resources, under legislative manda~e,:'. <br />regulates and conitors weather modification activities in Colorado. . , <br />Colorado law also encourages the, Department to research economic and <br />other effects ot weather modification onC()lorado. ..ThiS study is <br />important because the economic value taski areas and surrounding , <br />counties.'of early-season snow is presented by applicants in support of <br />their' request to conduct cloud seeding in Colorado. 'ski areas indicate <br />that early snow helps them open on time and improves skiing conditfons <br />for the peak Christmas season. . . <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />:'! <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />.., . <br /> <br />Growth of the !';'d Industry' <br /> <br />Since the 1950's, the ski industry in Colorado has grown dramatically. <br />The number of skier visits, ,which totaled over eight million in the <br />1982~83 season, has more than doubled in the past dec'ade.' The. Colorado <br />ski industry accounts for about fifteen percent of skier visits in the <br />United States. . <br /> <br />Effects of Low Snowpack in 1976-77 and 1980-81 <br /> <br />Rapid growth of the ski industry in .Colorado was, interrupted in the <br />winters of 1~76-77 an4 1980-81 .by very low m!,untain snowpacL In <br />1976'-77, sales of lift dclets by members of Colorado' Ski Country USA, <br />the trade association for 34 Colorado ski, areas, dropped by an average of . <br />almost 40 percent from the preceding winter, and in 1980-81, skier visits. <br />declined by an average of more .than 30 percent. <br /> <br />Use of Snow-making and Cloud Seeding to Augment Snow Depth <br /> <br />Several Colorado ski areas responded to the droughts of 1976-77 and <br />1980-81 by investing substantially in snow-making and/or sponsoring cloud <br />seeding. Snow-making is a process by which ski areas produce artificial <br />snow by spraying fine particles of water under high pressure into the air <br />above the slopes. Snow-making is most often used at lower elevations. <br />..Snow-making systems, for whiCh Colorado ski areas spent approximately $30 <br />million in 1982, generally are used to establish base in the fall and to <br />enhance heavily-skied or melted areas during the season. <br />._ .,_'.,"V ~ . ' <br /> <br />i <br />