Snowshoers and ski tourers explore the old mining ruins in Mayflower Gulch Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017, in Summit County, Colo. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center says the risk of avalanches on Tuesday ranges from high in the mountain backcountry in the Vail and Summit County areas and the Front Range mountains to considerable in the Aspen and Steamboat Spring regions. (Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily via AP)

FRISCO |  Skier visits to U.S. resorts in the Rocky Mountains were down about 5 percent this past winter, which equates to about 1 million fewer visits than the prior winter season.

The Summit Daily News reports that the National Ski Areas Association tallied about 21 million visits to the region’s slopes for 2017-2018 in a preliminary study.

Despite the decline, several resorts set visitation records. They included Wyoming’s Jackson Hole, Whitefish and Bridger Bowl in Montana and Schweitzer Mountain in Idaho.

Low snowfall amounts early in the season in the southern and central Rocky Mountain region prevented the industry from boosting business overall.

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Information from: Summit Daily News, https://www.summitdaily.com/

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