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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sliding economy affects ski resorts

Lift ticket prices up, development down

Dave Maxwell, left, and Chris Schilbe work to set up  for the Mt. Spokane Ski Swap this weekend at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center.  (Photos by DAN PELLE / The Spokesman-Review)

With the economy on the skids, a couple of regional ski areas have put the brakes on expansion plans.

However, visitors to mountain resorts will find the cost of lift tickets has continued its uphill trend.

Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park’s master plan for developing the backside of the state-owned resort is on hold while officials focus on building a new day lodge, marketing manager Kristin Whitaker said.

“We are just waiting for our lobbyist to take it to the state,” Whitaker said.

The Legislature will have to sign off on part of the estimated $20 million needed to replace the outdated lodge with “something we can all be proud of,” Whitaker said.

However, other aspects of the master plan, which was two years in the making, will have to wait for better economic times. That includes a new chairlift and seven runs on the north and west sides of the mountain.

At 49 Degrees North, ambitious plans to develop a residential and commercial village have slowed to a crawl, said Eric Bakken, mountain manager.

“Expansion plans have been scaled back because of the current economy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area in North Idaho has nearly completed a larger rental shop designed to provide one-stop shopping for guests to rent equipment and sign up for lessons, marketing director Jim Schreiber said.

Despite the economy, resorts report typical season pass sales for this time of year. Most are offering specials until the end of October. Prices for full-day adult lift tickets have risen $2 to $4, depending on the resort.

In the ski business, sales depend more on the weather than the economy, Bakken said.