Renée Jean, Business and Tourism Reporter delicately highlights both sides of Plug Controversy in the full article, HERE. An excerpt fro POP side:

Unlike some of the other lodging business that told Cowboy State Daily their business is lower than usual, Ohlinger said her bookings for Elk Horn Lodge are above pre-pandemic levels this winter.

“Our Canadian customers can come back,” she said. “For the past two years because of COVID, they haven’t been able to come, and we’re a big destination for Canadian skiers and snowmobilers. So that’s been huge.”

Ohlinger also said Cooke City’s tourism is becoming diversified from snowmobiles with backcountry skiing. 

“That has really exploded,” she said. “Last winter was a great winter for that.” She credited Benjamin Zavora of Beartooth Powder Guides with helping build up the backcountry skiing scene. 

“We even had Kobe Stevenson, the U.S. Olympic freestyle skiing silver medalist, stay with us last year,” she said. “So, I mean it’s really taking off. Ben Zavora has really put us on the map for that. We’re diversifying a little more, it’s not just snowmobiling anymore.”