Ted Shepherd, a climate scientist at the University of Reading in the UK, knows what it’s like to just arrive at a ski resort and find that the snow is vacationing elsewhere. For Christmas he went to Switzerland with his wife and her family. “She always likes to go skiing, but we couldn’t,” he says, recalling one resort that allows skiing at higher elevations. Once they’re done running, again. “The situation is getting worse and worse,” he says of the impact of climate change on skiing in Europe.
In the face of warmer winter months, it’s time for the ski tourism industry to take climate change seriously, says Rob Stewart of PR firm Ski Press. It looks like there are,’ he says, recalling how he used to climb and walk on certain glaciers 25 years ago, then hit by rising temperatures. “They’re not just melting, they’re gone,” he says.
He acknowledges that the ski community has probably “walked in the sand” on climate change in the past, but this is changing and resorts have little choice but to adapt to the changing world. claim. However, given the need for optimal conditions and expensive snow machines, relying on snowguns is not necessarily the way forward.
Shepherd points out that snowmaking is not only energy intensive, but also water intensive, a resource that is expected to become increasingly scarce. Moreover, running hundreds or even thousands of these machines is prohibitively expensive. Despite recent spikes in energy prices in Europe, Stewart says ski destinations that have asked about this have not reported financial difficulties related to snowmaking. Laax is insulated against billing shocks, he adds, thanks to long-term contracts with resort suppliers that lock in energy rates until. he says.
But other ski resorts are adapting in other ways because they can’t call in Laax’s army of snowmakers. has been damaged by Instead of nothing white, it offered travelers mountain biking, paragliding, pony he trails, and two new activities (a toboggan on rails and a giant zipline).
“I think that’s the future of this mountain,” said Bruno Burdat, director of the tourism office, noting that resorts need to get used to offering different alternatives when skiing is not possible. Suggests. He says that Pays de Gex has an ice machine, but that it is not always available depending on the situation.
Another solution is to ski elsewhere. The Alps have been tested for the past month or so, and we’ve had some really good snow in Norway, Japan, and some ski areas in North America. In fact, some ski resorts that tend to be particularly cold at this time of year may actually see more snow in the future, Shepard argues. The snowfall suite he spot ranges from minus 10 degrees Celsius to minus 1 degree Celsius, and as temperatures rise, new areas may move into this window. “Climb the mountains to cool down, or move north,” says Shepard.
Everywhere you look there are signs that skiing is changing. Right or wrong, even the entertainment stereotypes of frequent flights and conspicuous consumption could melt away as the industry strives to remain culturally acceptable in the Anthropocene. Shepard suggests there is. It could mean a new way of looking at nature and the way we enjoy it.
And no ski resort can keep a rising tide in check, regardless of pocket depth or snow cannon size.
