Photo by John Stember
Lutsen Mountains ski resort, co-owned and operated by the Skinner and Rider families, has kicked off the ski season with a promising fall. Steady cooler than normal temperatures plus the recent snow accumulation indicate a solid start to the year.
In 2017 Lutsen suffered from cold spells over the holidays, which impacted skier numbers. In the changing ski industry, temperatures and snow accumulation, especially out west, are increasingly less consistent due to climate change. The way many ski resorts are adapting, including Lutsen, is by making their own snow. “Twenty or thirty years ago we had six snow guns, and now we have closer to 100,” said Charles Skinner, one of the owners.
One of the challenges of running a local, family owned business is competing in such a huge industry. The north shore has luckily been a recreation destination for decades. Most of the people who ski at Lutsen drive on average four to five hours to get there. In order to keep people coming back and enticing new skiers, Lutsen believes they need to keep offering a compelling product.
Looking ahead to the next generation, the big news on the mountain is the proposed 550-acre ski terrain expansion onto neighboring U.S. Forest Service lands. This would double the amount of skiable terrain at Lutsen and create a better balance of options for differing skier levels.
The ski industry in recent years has dramatically shifted away from mom and pop resorts like most folks grew up with. Many family-owned ski destinations have either gone out of business or been bought up by big corporations like Alterra Mountain Company, Boyne USA, or Vail Resorts. With this trend in mind, Lutsen believes it must double in size to remain competitive and survive.
The expansion process itself is time-consuming. Currently Lutsen is seeking a special use permit from USFS, which can take up to three years. “Does the ski area have the financial and technical ability to carry out their plan—that’s where we are right now in the application process,” said Skinner.
Current trends in the ski industry are stable. Across the board, millennials do not appear to be skiing as much as Generation X or Baby Boomers. At Lutsen, skier numbers are consistent and slightly growing but depend primarily upon weather.
As of December 2, 2018, Lutsen’s received 18-24 inches of snow with 4 inches in the last week. All runs on Ullr Mountain are open, one-third are open on Moose, and Mystery Mountain currently is closed.
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