Insurance hikes drive up Oregon ski prices
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Shredding fresh Oregon "pow" is getting pricier. Photo: Greg Vaughn/VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Hitting the slopes in Oregon will cost more this winter — and it's not just inflation.
The big picture: Soaring insurance premiums for ski resorts and other businesses continue to send shock waves through the state's recreational economy.
State of play: Timberline Ski Resort announced it would raise prices on its daily lift tickets for peak days, which fluctuate due to its dynamic pricing system, as well as second-tier season passes and summer skiing products.
Catch up quick: Resorts point to a 2014 decision by the Oregon Supreme Court that effectively invalidated the use of liability waivers and has led to the premium hikes.
- That case involved a snowboarder who sued Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort for negligence when he hurt himself on a jump.
- The ruling meant those who injure themselves on the mountain could sue the ski resort despite agreeing to a liability waiver.
- That left Oregon as the only state in the West unable to enforce liability waivers and insurers began leaving the state, per the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association.
All but one insurance provider have since left the state after facing staggering costs.
By the numbers: Timberline said it lost its insurer in June and was only able to find coverage through the sole remaining provider, at vastly increased cost.
- Premiums jumped 166% over last year, and their deductible is roughly 10 times higher.
- The resort said its liability insurance costs have gone up by nearly 600% since 2020.
The intrigue: Lawmakers debated a potential fix during the most recent legislative session, where a bill to change how liability waivers are enforced was passed out of committee but failed to advance.
What they're saying: "These changes create unsustainable financial pressure," Timberline said in a statement, noting that the impacts will be felt far beyond the slopes.
- "This threatens not only skiers and riders, but also rural communities, jobs, and families who depend on tourism."