Ski Resorts Face Delays Due to Unseasonably Warm Weather and Tariffs

WHITEFISH, Mont. — Preparations for a new ski season are underway at Whitefish Mountain Resort, where ski patrollers are busy with safety training exercises.

Though the training is routine, this year it is marked by an unusual absence of snow. With no snow on the ground in late November, anxiety is rising in the resort tourism industry, compounded by the brown slopes and lack of skiers in boots.

“Yeah, if we don’t have snow, that’s going to dictate how our season goes,” remarks Chad Sokol, the resort’s spokesperson.

The Thanksgiving holiday, which traditionally signals the beginning of the ski season, has seen resorts across the western U.S. delaying their openings due to insufficient snowfall and warm temperatures preventing artificial snow production. The impact on winter bookings remains uncertain.

Recently, snow has begun to blanket the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest, including Whitefish. However, the ski industry is facing another challenge: a decline in international visitors, attributed to President Trump’s tariffs and critical remarks about other nations.

Our Friends from Up North

Whitefish Mountain Resort, known by locals as Big Mountain, is located approximately 60 miles south of the U.S.-Canada border and traditionally relies on Canadian visitors for about 25% of its business.

“We think of Canadians as our neighbors, and British Columbia and Alberta, we’re right here — we’re a border state,” explains Zak Anderson, executive director of Explore Whitefish, the local resort chamber.

Montana’s tourism officials report a 25% reduction in Canadian visitors following Trump’s imposition of tariffs on Canada and the suggestion that it should become the 51st U.S. state. This has left locals feeling disheartened.

“We don’t have a say in, you know, national politics,” Anderson comments.

Canadian credit card spending has also decreased by 12% in Whitefish’s upscale boutiques, restaurants, and hotels. This impact is significant for a town with less than 10,000 residents, and Anderson remains hopeful for a Canadian return.

“You know, for a little community like ours, the message is, we’re here — we’re open for business,” Anderson states.

This unease is not just limited to the American ski industry. The U.S. Travel Association forecasts a decline of 5 million international visitors to the United States this year.

“I don’t know if you’d call it a boycott, but definitely a growing attitude of disenfranchisement maybe,” notes Amir Eylon, president and CEO of Longwoods International.

Longwoods, a tourism market research firm, has been tracking Canadian sentiments since last winter, finding that many are canceling trips due to U.S. politics, including tariffs and rhetoric. Additionally, the weak Canadian dollar is a factor for nearly half of the respondents.

“You had many Canadian travelers that were already on the fence about coming to the U.S. just from their own financial perspective and then they’re going to feel insulted or hurt,” Eylon explains. “It makes it much easier for them to say: ‘You know what? Not this year.'”

Welcome Back Canada

Towns reliant on tourism are launching initiatives to attract Canadian visitors once more. Kalispell, Mont., close to Whitefish and Glacier National Park, is among them. Since 1912, the Kalispell Grand Hotel has been a haven for Canadian visitors, as described by General Manager Mitchell Bump.

“Back in the day, it was kind of like the cowboys, you know, rugged people,” Bump remarks with a smile.

Sixty-five percent of Flathead County voted for Trump last year, yet they face significant economic losses due to cross-border political tensions. The local chamber of commerce has introduced a “Welcome Back Canada” campaign, offering Canadians 20% off hotel stays. Bump and his team are actively supporting this promotion.

“I’m a hotel manager, so, like, not really a politician. Our job is to take care of guests and keep rooms filled year-round, especially in shoulder season, and that’s really the lens I’m looking through,” Bump explains.

Uncertainty in Tourism

Back in Whitefish, uncertainty looms over the number of Canadians expected this winter. Despite the resort’s second-busiest season on record, Sokol notes that the tariffs’ impact came after some of the resort’s most crucial weekends.

“So our busy periods were already behind us at that point,” Sokol says.

Christmas week, a pivotal time for resorts, shows promising local bookings for the upcoming holidays.

Anderson from Explore Whitefish reveals that the decline in Canadian visitors has been offset by a rise in domestic tourists and Montana’s population growth since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, domestic tourists tend to book at the last minute, complicating planning for businesses.

“There’s so much uncertainty — it’s hard to know what’s going to happen,” Anderson states. “The political winds seem to be shifting on an hourly basis.”