Spring break in Park City felt more like a beach vacation than a ski trip this year, as warm temperatures turned spring snow to slush, forcing early terrain closures and leaving sunburned visitors to explore Main Street rather than the rocks beneath their skis.
A late start to snow in December, inconsistent conditions through the winter and early resort closures in March reduced the number of peak booking days across the 2025-26 ski season, limiting visitation and leading to lower occupancy, shorter stays and more price-sensitive travel behavior across the lodging industry, according to local industry leaders.
By late March, bookings slowed significantly and did not recover as terrain availability declined at Park City Mountain and Deer Valley Resort, temperatures remained well above average and Utah’s snowpack fell to among the lowest levels on record.
This was a challenge all season. As warm temperatures and limited snowmaking windows delayed terrain openings across Park City’s ski areas, visitation slowed in December, pushing many local businesses to reduce their seasonal staff levels and working hours until much later in the season, and setting the season off to a rocky start.
“We had delayed bringing on some of our seasonal employees by up to a month,” said Heleena Sideris, general manager of Park City Lodging. “Now we’re on the flip side of that, where I’m letting go of seasonal employees that typically would be here till mid-April. That’s a compression on both sides that we’re seeing.”
As many guests delayed booking until conditions improved — and with little improvement by mid-winter — occupancy remained below typical levels throughout the season, according to the Park City Chamber/Bureau.
February occupancy declined 12.5% year over year, and March is pacing down 15.5%, said Jennifer Wesselhoff, president and CEO of the Chamber/Bureau.
Sideris said occupancy across her portfolio is down 17% year over year, with bookings slowing significantly after March 20, as deteriorating conditions forced Park City Mountain Village and Deer Valley Resort to close March 29, nearly three weeks earlier than in years prior.
Wesselhoff said February rates increased 4% year over year, while March rates declined by less than 1%. Over the past six months, occupancy fell to 43%, down 4% year over year, while average nightly rates declined 1.8% to $714.
“Lodging performance shows softening in occupancy levels, while rates have remained relatively stable, indicating continued demand for the Park City experience,” said Wesselhoff. “Overall, while the season may not match the exceptionally strong performance of recent years, Park City continues to demonstrate resilience.”
Rachel Alday, co-owner and co-founder of Abode Luxury Rentals, said her bookings increased 13% year over year, but revenue fell 7% and average stay value dropped 18%.
“Big picture, it feels like demand didn’t disappear, but guests are definitely more price sensitive,” Alday said. “Likely booking shorter stays, lower price points or waiting longer to book.”
Sideris said average daily rates, which had steadily increased in the years following the pandemic, declined this season back toward pre-COVID levels, reflecting a broader pricing reset that was compounded by weaker demand tied to snow conditions.
“That traveler is waiting and deciding closer to the trip,” Sideris said.
Snowpack across Utah peaked at roughly half of typical levels and weeks earlier than normal, making conditions less and less predictable throughout the winter. By March, late season conditions eliminated a portion of ski travel.
“We, (in) early March, performed really well with some spring breaks,” Sideris said. “But once the second half of March hit, there was hardly any business coming in.”
Still, people love to vacation, she said. Particular holiday weekends performed well, offering slivers of hope throughout the spring, as Presidents’ Day travel remained stable and early March saw an increase in visitation tied to school breaks, said Sideris.
“Spring break travelers aren’t necessarily going to wait to chase the snow,” Sideris said. “They’re coming because of the timing of school breaks and family schedules, and they’re going to make the most of it.”
But those high demand windows were shorter and more concentrated than in a typical year, and they did not offset the slower early season or the early end to the season.
Lodging operators had to get creative to maximize those booking windows and maintain occupancy.
Sideris made an effort to be as transparent as possible with visitors, informing them of resort closures or terrain challenges and reducing minimum stay requirements at Park City Lodging, including during peak holiday periods that previously required week-long bookings.
“We’re really pulling those levers, and just knowing that any business is good business,” Sideris said.
Despite it all, guest feedback remained positive, said Sideris. Visitors adjusted expectations and spent more time on off-mountain activities, including dining, events and other offerings in town. Some chose to proceed with planned trips regardless of conditions, while others used flexible booking policies or trip insurance options to delay their trips to next year.
Broader changes in the lodging market also amplified the season’s challenges.
An estimated 600 new, short-term rental units entered Park City over the past year, increasing competition and putting pressure on occupancy and pricing, said Sideris.
Those factors, combined with variable snow conditions, have required operators to more actively manage pricing, availability and homeowner expectations.
Sideris said bookings for next December are already pacing approximately 25% ahead of last year, indicating continued interest in holiday travel.
How that demand will ultimately take shape is still unclear, she admitted, as travelers become more responsive to snow conditions and less predictable in how they plan trips.
For Sideris, after years of warning signs, she said the combination of low snow, warm temperatures and compressed demand has made it harder to rely on consistent winter conditions as the foundation of the local economy.
“There’s a part of me that a little bit celebrates this season, because the reality has finally arrived,” Sideris said. “Those of us in the climate space have been calling this for a long time, and now the proof is all around us.”
She pointed to efforts like green business programs as one way to give visitors clearer options to support companies committed to environmental and community-focused practices, and said adapting to more variable winters will require greater flexibility in pricing and booking strategies.
“It’s really just going to be about recalibrating people’s expectations,” she said.