Schweitzer visits climb

SANDPOINT — Visits to Schweitzer Mountain Resort climbed last season despite fears of El Niño winter and a struggling economy.

The resort announced on Friday that visitor numbers increased over last season with more than 217,000 skier visits.

With only 177 inches of snowfall throughout the season — almost half of last season’s snowfall — visits increased by 7.5 percent.

“Our challenge this year was battling the perception of our snowpack level,” said resort President and CEO Tom Chasse. “But we came out on top in terms of skier visits, proving that we have the terrain and staff that inspire a dedicated following of Schweitzer fans and we truly appreciate their support.”

Schweitzer also extended its season past the initial closing date through April 11, which turned out to be the snowiest week of the season.

The resorts summer operations are slated to kick off on June 25.