Schweitzer sees banner season

SANDPOINT — Despite economic unease and general belt tightening across the country, Schweitzer Mountain officials said the resort enjoyed a banner year.

After a rough start to the season that saw little snow, the resort was able to open in early December with help from $1.4 million in new snow-making machines.

“The reason we were able to open when we did was because of the snow making machines, and we used them a lot at the beginning of the season,” said communication coordinator Haley Sorbel.

The early drought was not a good barometer for the season, as the new year brought heaps of precipitation and near-record snow totals.

 By the first week of January, less than four weeks into the season and with three full months to go, Schweitzer had almost broken a mid-season snowfall record at 150 inches, exactly half of the mountain’s average annual snowfall, according to Sorbel.

Despite concerns that the economy and unpredictable snowfall would impact skier turnout, Schweitzer visitor numbers summited during the last open weekend at more than 200,000 skier visits, with over 300 inches of snowfall by season’s end. While snow totals were slightly above average, they fell short of last season’s 340 inches.

“This was a great year for Schweitzer in a lot of ways,” event director Mary Webber-Quinn said in a press release. “The community events and fundraisers were a huge success. Everything from 24 hours for Hank to the outstanding turnout for ski free food drive, and the epic weather and crowds for Tropical Daze will leave the season on our minds for years to come.”