Gunstock looking at a strong season

GILFORD — Gunstock is having a very good ski season, the head of the county-owned facility reported to the Gunstock Area Commission at its meeting Wednesday.

An indication of the success is that Gunstock is sold out for the coming holiday weekend, which kicks off school vacation week in Massachusetts.

Tom Day, Gunstock’s president and general manager, told the commissioners that season ticket sales are running 30% of what they were last year, which has meant a major boost to the facilities revenues.

On Thursday Day said the area had sold about 80% of its season passes — at $549 each — by the time the initial offering expired on May 1. Season pass prices then went up incrementally until Dec. 1 when Gunstock stopped selling the passes.

About 60% of Gunstock skiers are season pass holders, with the rest being purchasers of day tickets.

Day believes the COVID experience gave many people a newfound appreciation of outdoor recreation, He thinks that explains a big part of why Gunstock is doing as well as it is.

Another reason is its decision to limit ticket sales.

Gunstock has calculated that it can comfortably accommodate about 3,700 skiers at any one time. Whenever it calculates that the number of skiers for a particular day is approaching that number, ticket sales are cut off.

In addition the jump in season ticket sales, Day said Gunstock is also doing a much larger food service business than in past years. He said the area tripled the space where skiers can check their gear bags at the Main Lodge for free. That, he said, has made the base lodge more attractive, which has in turn led to more business in the food court and restaurant.