Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) reported Wednesday that its member resorts set a new record for skier visits during the first part of the 2005–2006 season. From Oct. 15 to Dec. 31, more than 3 million skier visits were reported for the state's 25 member ski areas, a year-over-year increase of 5.6 percent. The figure is also more than 10 percent ahead of the state's five-year average for the first period of the ski season. The strong numbers could be due in part to record early-season snowfall: Resorts located in the northern and central parts of the state, which received the plentiful snow, saw the biggest increases. The record pace "clearly establishes critical momentum for a successful ski and snowboard season," said CSCUSA President and CEO Rob Perlman.
