the pass structures now overwhelmingly favor return trippers vs. day passes. So it's very possible that there are fewer people going significantly more often.

the pass structures now overwhelmingly favor return trippers vs. day passes. So it's very possible that there are fewer people going significantly more often. i haven't skiied in a while and I went on a trip with regular skiiers to Whistler, and while I knew that skiing had gone expensive and Whistler is a top-tier resort, the lift tickets were $350 due to dynamic pricing for lifts that close at 3pm. If you ski at the same collection of resorts a few times a year the passes make more sense, but day tripping is eye-wateringly expensive now. The $20-50 lift ticket is increasingly rare.