This year there is 85 percent less snow around Lake Tahoe than last year. Reno Mountain Sports Sales Manager Scott Schwartz says this is the third year of declining snow pack and he says the seasons are becoming more uncertain.
“The seasons are starting a little later and just specifically for the Reno-Tahoe area, it’s a lot more difficult to be a sustainable business in that kind of sense as well. You see it for shops across the west really, specifically in California and Reno Tahoe," Schwartz says.
Because of the lack of snow pack, skier visits in the Tahoe area are down 23 percent according to Vail Resorts.
The owners of Reno Mountain Sports have decided to retire and leave the stress behind.
“It is, it’s kind of a strain and it is like get out while you are ahead instead of kind of just every year trying to squeeze a little more out,” says Schwartz.
Schwartz says the number of ski shops in the west is declining and some industry jobs are disappearing. Reno Mountain Sports has 20 employees in the peak season. It will close in May.
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