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Skis, wallets on the rocks for local equipment shops thanks to low snowpack in Utah

Posted at 5:52 PM, Jan 06, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-06 19:52:13-05

SANDY, Utah – Poor snow conditions have put skis and wallets on the rocks for local equipment rental shops.

”This is where I sit day-by-day and fix all of our broken skis and snowboards,” said Parker Collard as he stood in a room filled with dozens of damaged skis and snowboards.

”This year, we see a lot of rocks, ya know, a lot of stuff that’s not covered by the snow that should be, a lot of branches with sharp edges,” Collard said.

According to the National Weather Service, Utah is experiencing some of the lowest snowpack totals in four decades.

“People are disappointed by the snow, like people are really bummed out,” said Brandon Breach, a ski tech with AJ Motion Sports.

That lack of snow has caused more equipment to come back damaged, but for rental companies like AJ Motion Sports, damage is expected.

AJ Motion Sports offers insurance to renters at $2-3 per day. This covers repairable damage, which can cost the shop between $10 and $20.

According to the manager, Phil, they spend upwards of $10,000 a ski season in labor and repair costs. But in a year with low snow, they can expect that number to rise by 20 percent.