According to ski industry lore, when snow falls in Denver during a nationally televised “Monday Night Football” game, Colorado ski resorts see a windfall of advance reservations.
While there is no hard evidence, ski resorts believe it to be true.
“There is no myth. We do see a bump,” Aspen Skiing Co. spokesman Jeff Hanle said. “It certainly makes the phone ring.”
That’s why resorts’ marketing machines were hoping for a winter wonderland Monday night as the Denver Broncos took on the Baltimore Ravens at Invesco Field at Mile High.
“This (Broncos) game falls at a great time of year for us,” said Molly Cuffe of Colorado Ski Country USA. “If people see that there is snow in Colorado in October, they will feel confident there is going to be good snow for Thanksgiving and through the winter.”
Last season, strong national buzz surrounding the state’s bountiful early snow helped push the state to a record 12.53 million skier visits, according to Colorado Ski Country.
This year, skiers could be hitting the slopes as early as this weekend.
Loveland Ski Area and Arapahoe Basin are locked in their annual race for bragging rights as the first ski area to open for the winter. Last year, Loveland opened for the season Oct. 14; A-Basin opened Oct. 23.
Silverton Mountain has also entered the competition, thanks to new permits that allow the experts-only ski area to offer unguided skiing earlier in the season.
“We don’t need much more snow to be ready,” said Silverton co-owner Aaron Brill. “Hopefully, this storm really kicks in.”
Snowmaking efforts at many of Colorado’s 26 ski resorts were helped out last month when a major storm blanketed much of the high country with more than 2 feet of snow.
“That first storm really helped us because it laid down a base we’ve been able to add onto,” A-Basin spokeswoman Leigh Hierholzer said.
Early snow also helps boost local season-pass sales.
Last week, Vail Resorts, Inc. announced that season- pass sales were up 22 percent over last year. It also said that advance bookings through its central reservations system were up 24 percent in room nights.
Aspen Skiing said its season-pass sales are up more than 5 percent over last year. On Saturday, the company will start selling its four-day Classic Pass at several Front Range locations.
The “Monday Night Football” legend stems from a game played Oct. 15, 1984, when Denver bested Green Bay during a blizzard that came to be known as “The Snow Bowl.” Winter bookings soared in the aftermath.
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-954-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
