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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 9, 2005 Sean Smith of Ashland hikes through blowing snow to the Mount Ashland ski lodge Friday after his final day of skiing. The Southern Oregon University student says he�ll be studying the last two days of the season. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven SNOWY SENDOFF It’s the final weekend for skiers and snowboarders at Mount Ashland, and the snow is some of the best around By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune The last weekend of the ski season on Mount Ashland may feel a lot like opening day. A spring storm battered the mountain Friday, providing excellent snow for a few hardy skiers and snowboarders who braved gusty winds and limited visibility. Forecasters were predicting 3 to 6 inches of snow for Friday night and snow showers again today. Southern Oregon’s publicly owned ski area will close the books on its 42nd season Sunday with a good chance of recording 100,000 visitors for the third consecutive year and just the fourth time in its history. Final visitor counts won’t be available until after the season ends Sunday. Advertisement Many ski areas around Oregon and Washington had to close for lack of snow, but the Mount Ashland ski area remained open all winter. "We just happened to be in a position where we caught the northern edge of storms that hit California," said Rick Saul, Mount Ashland’s marketing director. The 122-day season was seven days longer than last year’s, but attendance declined about 2 percent. Saul said "walk- in" traffic from occasional skiers fell this season, in part because of a widespread perception that there was "no snow" on the mountain. He said news reports about the dearth of snow across the region apparently convinced some people that there wasn’t enough snow on Mount Ashland, despite reports to the contrary from local newspapers and television. "The casual skiers didn’t seem to know we were open," Saul said. Strong attendance means the ski area will finish the season with extra cash to set aside for future expansion, but Saul said final financial information for the season won’t be available until September, when the Mount Ashland Association publishes its annual financial report. During the 2002-03 season, when attendance reached 102,500, the ski area set aside $240,000 for future improvements. Winter visited the mountain early but did not come to stay until December. A series of October storms dumped more than a foot of snow, raising hopes for a Thanksgiving opening, but dry weather in November melted much of October’s snow. The resort finally opened Dec. 10, which has been the average opening day over its 42-year history. Bare spots surfaced on some trails as Christmas approached, but a Dec. 26 storm delivered ample snow for the busy holiday season, when many ski areas earn as much as 20 percent of their annual income. Dry weather in February and the first half of March raised another crop of bare spots by mid March, and the grooming crew put in long hours moving snow around the mountain to cover the bare spots. "The groomers did a great job," Saul said. Another timely storm buried the rocks and brush just in time for an influx of skiers and snowboarders during spring break week. "If they would have had snow more frequently they probably would have had a record season," said Bob Matthews, owner of Medford’s Rogue Ski Shop. Although the season ends Sunday, Mount Ashland will continue to sell discounted season passes for the 2005-06 season through April 30. Adult passes (age 18 to 64) will cost $199 through the end of the month. The price will rise to $299 Sept. 1 and $399 Oct. 24. Passes can be purchased at the ski area until Sunday or by mail. Current pass holders can re-use their existing photograph, or a new picture will be taken at the mountain Oct. 22-23, when photos are made for new pass holders. Pass applications can be downloaded from the ski area’s Web site:www.mtashland.com. Skiers and snowboarders who want to stretch the season will have to travel to Mount Bachelor, which is scheduled to remain open through May 30. By the numbers Season Visits Length in days 2004-05 100,000* 122 2003-04 102,329 115 2002-03 102,500 116 2001-02 95,100 136 2000-01 71,200 99 1999-2000 86,500 134 1998-99 99,500 152 1997-98 84,816 132 1996-97 80,507 118 1995-96 75,107 104 1994-95 104,744 154 10-year avg. 90,230 126 *estimate all figures from the Mount Ashland ski area Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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