London (Brussels Morning Newspaper) October 9, 2026 – Snowboarding participation in the United States increased by approximately 9% to reach 10.6 million people during the 2025-26 season, up from 9.7 million the previous year, according to data from Snowsports Industries America. The figures mark a continued upward trajectory for the sport, which has expanded in seven of the past eight seasons despite inconsistent snowfall conditions across various North American regions.
Substantial Growth Driven by New and Returning Riders
The latest participation study published by Snowsports Industries America (SIA), the trade association representing the winter outdoor industry, details a significant expansion in the American snowboarding community. Participation has climbed notably from 7.1 million riders recorded during the 2017-18 season, representing an increase of nearly 50% over that broader timeframe.
Furthermore, the sport has experienced accelerated momentum since the COVID-19 pandemic. Participation figures for the 2025-26 season show nearly 30% more snowboarders compared to the 2021-22 period. The influx of individuals entering or returning to the sport has remained robust, with data showing that roughly 4.2 million people either tried snowboarding for the first time or returned after taking a season or more away. This figure outpaces the number of lapsed participants, with approximately 3.3 million riders stepping away from the sport over the same timeframe.
Nick Sargent, president and CEO of Snowsports Industries America, noted the resilience demonstrated by winter sports participants despite challenging weather conditions.
“Americans kept coming back to winter this season, even when the snow didn’t cooperate,”
Sargent said. He added that the sport’s expansion highlights demographic shifts within winter recreation.
“Snowboarding’s growth, especially among younger and more diverse participants, shows where the next generation of snowsports is coming from. Our industry’s job now is to continue to grow the pipeline of new participants, and to expand the key learnings from snowboard in an effort to build a similar pipeline for skiing.”
Demographic Shifts and Youth Engagement
The expansion of snowboarding is heavily anchored in younger demographics. The sport currently accounts for 5.3 million participants under the age of 25. This concentration of youth participation closely rivals alpine skiing, which reported 5.5 million participants in the same age category, despite skiing maintaining a larger overall participant base across all demographics.
Industry analysts point out that snowboarding frequently functions as an introductory gateway into winter sports for newcomers. According to the SIA findings, 29% of winter sport participants indicated that snowboarding was their very first winter sport experience, compared to only 16% who reported that alpine skiing served as their initial entry point.
Future intent metrics compiled within the study also favor snowboarding’s ongoing momentum. Among individuals who did not participate in snowsports during the 2025-26 winter season, 1.8% stated an intention to take up snowboarding during the subsequent winter. By comparison, 1.1% of non-participants indicated plans to take up skiing.
Comparative Performance Against Alpine Skiing
While snowboarding experienced a notable 9% increase in participants, alpine skiing remained relatively stable. Participation in alpine skiing held essentially flat at approximately 13.2 million individuals during the 2025-26 season.
Despite retaining a larger aggregate number of participants than snowboarding, alpine skiing has faced stagnation relative to broader population growth. Skiing participation levels remain below their pre-pandemic peak of 14.9 million, which was recorded during the 2018-19 winter season. Industry stakeholders continue to examine the differing trajectories of the two disciplines as they plan marketing strategies, resort offerings, and guest retention initiatives for upcoming winter seasons.
