{"id":138918,"date":"2020-02-04T21:04:12","date_gmt":"2020-02-05T05:04:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=138918"},"modified":"2025-11-21T09:30:57","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T17:30:57","slug":"in-our-nature-how-are-warming-winters-changing-snowsports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/in-our-nature-how-are-warming-winters-changing-snowsports","title":{"rendered":"In Our Nature: How are Warming Winters Changing Snowsports?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a co-op, we believe that a life outdoors is a life well lived. We\u2019re dedicated to protecting and advocating for the lands we love, and that starts with understanding the macro issues and trends that impact these outdoor places and the people who recreate in them. The “In Our Nature” series is designed to help us all become more informed and active stewards of the environment. Have a topic you\u2019d like us to explore? Let us know in the comments below.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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Climate change isn\u2019t a simple subject. With complicated science, endless data and varying projections of what the future could hold, it can feel hard to know what\u2019s what. If you\u2019re a skier or snowboarder, you\u2019re likely already seeing the impacts of our changing climate, including\u00a0<\/span>shifting winter seasons<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>erratic storms<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>warmer temperatures in mountain settings<\/span><\/a> and a <\/span>greater reliance on snowmaking<\/span><\/a> at ski resorts. To shed some light on the topic, we called up a few climate change experts and ski industry insiders to get their take on the biggest misunderstandings people have when it comes to climate and how it affects snowsports. Here\u2019s what we found.<\/span><\/p>\n

Misconception: <\/b>It seems like winter is bringing bigger storms with more snow, so climate change must not be real.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reality:<\/b> \u201cA warming world means less precipitation will fall as snow than in the past, with midwinter drizzles becoming more frequent,\u201d said Auden Schendler, senior vice president of sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company and author of the book, <\/span>Getting Green Done<\/span><\/i>.<\/span> \u201cBut because a hotter atmosphere holds more water, when it does dump, it <\/span>could be all-time<\/span><\/a>.\u201d So, just because you\u2019re experiencing an epic winter with feet upon feet of snowfall, that doesn\u2019t mean climate change isn\u2019t happening.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Misconception:<\/b> Changing temperatures are just natural variation, not related to human contributions to a changing climate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reality: <\/b>There are certainly natural cycles of warming and cooling on our planet, but <\/span>research<\/span><\/a> shows there\u2019s no doubt that <\/span>human impact<\/span><\/a> has caused the current warming. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Some people think that humans are playing only a small part or no part,\u201d said Max Boykoff, d<\/span>irector at the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado.<\/span> \u201cThat\u2019s simply not true. From how we get around, to how we use energy in our homes, to how we grow our food, it is our impact.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Misconception:<\/b> Ski areas have found other ways to make money, so they don\u2019t have to worry about climate change.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reality:<\/b> It\u2019s true that ski resorts have created\u00a0<\/span>alternate revenue streams<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0like boosting summer recreation offerings and increasing profits from food and drink, real estate and events. Part of the reason they’ve done this is because ski seasons are<\/span> becoming less predictable<\/span> and ski resorts know they need to become year-round, all-season destinations if they\u2019re going to survive. \u201cScience shows the effects and results of climate change; the balance sheet shows us what we stand to lose as an industry,\u201d said Adrienne Saia Isaac, spokesperson for the National Ski Areas Association, the trade organization for ski resorts owners and operators.<\/span> \u201cNot to lessen the fact that this is the biggest existential crisis of our time and preserving the outdoors for both future generations and the overall health of the planet is the biggest priority in this effort.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Misconception: <\/b>In terms of reducing their impact, ski resorts are just changing light bulbs<\/span> and aren\u2019t actually impacting meaningful change.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reality:<\/b> It\u2019s true that ski resorts don\u2019t have a one-size-fits-all approach to fighting climate change. But portions of the ski industry have long been outspoken advocates and the broader industry is also beginning to expand its efforts. For example, the National Ski Areas Association has been <\/span>supporting and advising<\/span><\/a> on climate legislation for decades; Colorado Ski Country and other associations <\/span>came out publicly in support of climate-friendly legislation and regulation<\/span><\/a> last year; and Ski New Hampshire and Ski Vermont have been <\/span>working hard<\/span><\/a> at the federal level for climate legislation. The list goes on. \u201cI think the power that ski areas have\u2014the power of messaging and igniting passion for a place and the power to do something about a problem\u2014can be a game-changer for both ski-area employees and guests who care about the effects of climate change,\u201d Isaac said. \u201cThe reach of a ski area to an impassioned base of outdoor enthusiasts is what can help move the needle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Misconception: <\/b>Snowmaking is both the problem and the solution.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reality: <\/b>Big ski resorts <\/span>rely on snowmaking<\/span><\/a> more than ever to help create a base if early-season snowfall doesn\u2019t arrive. And yes, traditional snowmaking machines require a lot of water and energy resources, as well as cold temperatures that sometimes aren\u2019t even possible. <\/span>Snowmaking has been around since before scientists recognized the climate crisis<\/span><\/a>, but it\u2019s changed and improved a lot over the decades, becoming more efficient and using fewer resources. \u201c<\/span>Ski areas are working with their local utilities to power or offset their snowmaking operations with renewable energy, and snowmaking companies are increasingly investigating new automated technologies to make the processes more efficient<\/span>,\u201d Isaac said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Misconception: <\/b>I\u2019m just one person. I can\u2019t do anything to help this massive issue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reality: \u201c<\/b>There are so many ways we can change the path we\u2019re on,\u201d Boykoff said. \u201cFrom every meal we eat to every decision we make about how we get around to how we use energy where we work, at home, and what kinds of companies we support. And especially how we vote. The scale of the challenges feels big, and the best way to address them is through large-scale shifts. But it\u2019s important to remember that our everyday decisions matter, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Misconception:<\/b> The best thing I can do to combat climate change is recycle, drive less and eat less meat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reality:<\/b> Individual actions can add up to make a big difference<\/span><\/a>. But according to Mario Molina, executive director of the nonprofit organization Protect Our Winters, it\u2019s also important to tell \u201cour elected officials we want to see large-scale systemic changes, like carbon pricing, more renewable technology and electric vehicles.\u201d <\/span>Here\u2019s how to get <\/span>started<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Misconception: <\/b>It\u2019s too late to do anything. We\u2019re doomed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reality:<\/b> \u201cThere\u2019s an old proverb: <\/span>\u2018The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now,\u2019\u201d<\/span>\u00a0Boykoff said. \u201cWe could have done all kinds of things in the past that would have lessened the burden now. But there are all kinds of things we can be doing now that will lessen the burden in the future. It\u2019s not too late. We can reduce our emissions, invest in important adaptation strategies, and we can help those who are at the forefront of the climate impacts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a co-op, we believe that a life outdoors is a life well lived. We\u2019re dedicated to protecting and advocating for the lands we love, and that starts with understanding the macro issues and trends that impact these outdoor places and the people who recreate in them. The “In Our Nature” series is designed to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10765,"featured_media":151998,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[685,11],"tags":[795,733,1961,727,692],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-138918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-snowsports","tag-climate-change","tag-co-op-cinema","tag-in-our-nature","tag-latest-posts","tag-news","post_format-post-format-video"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/news\/in-our-nature-how-are-warming-winters-changing-snowsports","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"In Our Nature: How are Warming Winters Changing Snowsports?","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/in-our-nature-how-are-warming-winters-changing-snowsports","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/in-our-nature-how-are-warming-winters-changing-snowsports"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/02\/Wondercamp_REI_ION_5-021-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/02\/Wondercamp_REI_ION_5-021-1.jpg?fit=7952%2C5304"},"articleSection":"News","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Hanna Boyd"}],"creator":["Hanna Boyd"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["climate change","co-op cinema","in our nature","latest posts","news"],"dateCreated":"2020-02-05T05:04:12Z","datePublished":"2020-02-05T05:04:12Z","dateModified":"2025-11-21T17:30:57Z"},"rendered":"