In 1975, the Aspen Skiing Company sought permission from the U.S. Forest Service to increase its lift ticket prices from $10 to $12. Local residents opposed the price hike and communicated their concerns to the forest supervisor. At that time, ski resorts in the western United States operated under Forest Service permits, which included regulation of prices charged by private companies on public land. Erik Martin, a ski resort specialist for White River National Forest, noted that ski company managers would approach the agency with requests for price increases, often in a deferential manner. The Forest Service had a mandate to oversee price adjustments, and in response to public opposition, it allowed Aspen to raise its prices only by 10%, to $11.
Adjusted for inflation, the $11 ticket would be approximately $66 in 2026 dollars, while a one-day ticket to Aspen currently costs $254. Vail Resort, which had similar pricing to Aspen in the mid-1970s, now charges up to $356 for a day ticket, marking a 436% increase from its inflation-adjusted rates in 1975.
Although the Forest Service retains the authority to regulate prices at ski resorts, its enforcement has diminished over the years. Public dissatisfaction with high costs and service issues has not translated into demands for regulatory action from the Forest Service. The shift in regulatory oversight began with industry deregulation under President Jimmy Carter, which allowed the ski industry to move toward a duopoly.
Historically, many ski areas were developed on public lands with federal funding and oversight. The federal government played a significant role in the establishment of ski facilities, particularly during the New Deal era, when programs like the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps built ski trails and lodges. After World War II, the ski industry modernized, but federal regulation of ski resorts remained strict, limiting new developments and ensuring affordability.
In 1975, Senator Floyd Haskell raised concerns about the proposed price increases and sought transparency from the Forest Service regarding the financial information of ski resorts. The Forest Service classified this information as confidential, prompting Haskell to draft a bill aimed at requiring financial disclosures and public hearings on rate increases. He argued that ski companies should remember their responsibility to the public, as they operated on public lands.
Despite Haskell's efforts, the Forest Service shifted towards deregulation, leading to significant price increases in subsequent years. A group of skiers in Ketchum, Idaho, formed the Skiflation Committee to protest rising prices and demand federal intervention. The Carter administration briefly re-regulated ski prices, but under President Reagan, the industry continued to see rising costs.
The National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 formalized the fee structure for ski companies, which has been criticized for being below fair market value. By the late 1990s, the ski industry began consolidating, with Vail Resorts acquiring multiple ski areas and facing antitrust scrutiny. The consolidation trend has continued, with Vail now owning 42 resorts globally and Alterra Mountain Company owning 19.
Labor disputes have also increased, as seen in recent strikes by ski patrol unions at Vail-owned resorts. Community members have expressed concerns over the impact of corporate decisions on local economies, while federal representatives have been largely absent from these discussions.