U.S. Snowsports Participation Reached Record Highs

Total snowsports participation grew to 31.96 million Americans during the 2025-26 season.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Skiing

Expressive sports illustration of a snowboarder carving through fresh powder on a mountain, rendered in bold painterly strokes. — Total snowsports participation in the United States reached a record 31.96 million participants during the 2025-26 season, driven by a surge in snowboarding. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you plan to participate in winter sports like skiing or snowboarding this upcoming season?

Data from the 2025-26 season shows that 31.96 million Americans participated in snowsports, with the share of the population aged six and older reaching 10.3%. This growth was headlined by a nine percent surge in snowboarding participation.

Why it matters

Snowboarding growth is currently driven by younger, more diverse audiences, while alpine skiing participation remains constrained by an older demographic and fewer new entrants.

Snowboarding participation reached 10.6 million participants, while alpine skiing remained flat at 13.2 million. During the same period, total skiing days fell 6% and snowboarding days dropped 3%.

The players

Snowsports Industries America

This trade association represents the interests of the snowsports industry and conducts regular research on participation and market trends.

The details

Despite a total increase in participants, individuals adjusted to poor snowfall in regions like the Mountain West by moving toward off-resort activities such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Snowsports Industries America conducted 15,000 household surveys to arrive at these figures.

Snowboarding participation reached 7.1 million participants in 2017-18.
Participation for snowboarding was approximately 8.1 million in 2021-22.
Researchers conducted 15,000 surveys between late 2025 and early 2026.
Total snowsports participation hit 31.96 million during the 2025-26 season.

Season Trajectory

This growth suggests a diversifying demographic profile that could redefine the industry's outreach strategies beyond the traditional skiing core. The shift challenges the industry to reconcile rising interest with reduced days on the slopes caused by volatile weather.

The 6% decline in skiing days and 3% decrease in snowboarding days reflects the practical reality of reduced time on resort slopes. Enthusiasts may find that lower overall resort activity leads to more opportunities in alternative winter recreation like snowshoeing.

The takeaway

The rise in diverse snowboarding participation indicates a significant shift in who is engaging with winter sports. To sustain this momentum, the industry plans to adapt its successful snowboarding growth models to the skiing market.