Scotland’s five Highland ski centres are enjoying one of their best ski seasons so far this century and visitor numbers have already passed double the total number for winter 16-17, a particularly poor season.
The season continues its early promise, with over 132,000 ‘skier days’ already recorded at the five mountain resorts. This is more than double the total for the whole of last season and is over 7% up on the successful 2015-16 season.
Although there have not been huge snowfalls, consistently low temperatures and a gradual increased in snow bases have allowed the centres to now have almost every run open and almost all lifts operating. The common British weather problem of temperature roller coasters and frequent gales has been largely absent this winter allowing for consistent operations and an unusually high number of blue sky, wind-free days.
“We’re even closing the gap on season 2014-15,” said Andy Meldrum of Glencoe ski area, “That season finished with more than 200,000 skier days in total. We estimate that already this winter we have generated over £13.2M for the economy, of which at least £10M will have been spent ‘off the hill’ in accommodation, shops, eateries and filling stations.”