Past Winter Brings Record Riders To New York State Resorts

The Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) achieved a new record in the past fiscal year ending March 31, with over a million visits to its properties. This increase was fuelled by the popularity of major sports competitions and facility upgrades, such as a zipline and a Cliffside Coaster ride. Most of the visits were to ORDA's three ski centres: Whiteface, Belleayre, and Gore Mountain. However, events like a ski jumping competition at ORDA's Olympic facility in Lake Placid, a major hockey tournament, and college Olympic-style games also contributed to the surge in numbers.The peak ski season between December and March saw the most visits, with around 750,000 visits during that timeframe, accounting for 73% of the new record. January and February attracted the most overall visits, while snowy weather and significant events at multiple venues boosted March numbers, with more than 50,000 visits during the month. Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills witnessed a substantial increase in visits, with its numbers rising from 179,006 in the 2021-22 season to 237,825 in 2022-23.