Resorts reacting to an increase of uphill visitors
By Jack Foersterling, Powder
According to SnowSports Industries America (SIA), human-powered snowsports, which includes backcountry skiing and touring, is becoming one of the fastest growing sectors of the winter sports industry. Studies from SIA have shown that nearly 7 million skiers and snowboarders explored the backcountry in 2016-17, a 15 percent increase from the previous season, and sales of backcountry ski equipment see a similar increase year over year.
But a lot of skiers aren’t just using their gear in the backcountry–as access to better and lighter touring equipment has become available, many resorts across the U.S. are also seeing a significant uptick in visitors opting to skip the lift line and skin up the hill themselves.