Climate Change:

How it will effect the ski and snowboard industry

Alyssa Henderson
Why are people beginning to care?
Snowboarders and skiers are starting to discuss climate change and it’s future
impacts. This is because they are experiencing the first signs of climate change right in
front of their eyes. Warmer days and colder nights cause “icy” conditions, which
make it difficult and painful to ride in. These skiers and snowboarders have a strong
passion for their sport and considering the effects climate change may bring is
becoming overwhelming. What will happen to their favorite slopes?
What is the danger to a changing climate?
Climate change can effect snow conditions drastically, which in turn higher the risk for
avalanche danger (n. a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a
mountainside).
This is one of resorts biggest challenges is to keep their guests safe and their
mountains in safe conditions. They want to avoid avalanches at all costs due to how
dangerous they are, burying and killing almost everyone in their path.
“Hoarfrost” is something that can form under calm, humid and clear conditions. As
well as surface melt or rain-on-snow conditions. Any additional snow that lays across
these icy layers are prone to avalanches. So as you can see, warming temperatures
from climate change will result in melt and rain instead of snow, ruining the
conditions for the entire resort making it dangerous for anyone to ride.
Not to mention the dangerous conditions for back country riders where the area is
not regulated. They need to stay especially safe and cautious.
My partner and I, due to the changing climate
and its effects on our snow here in Utah have
invested in avalanche gear. We have helpful tools
to help our chances of survival if we were to get
caught in an avalanche. Some of these tools
include shovels to dig each other out, beacons
to locate each other under the snow, avalanche
airbag packs to help us float above the snow if
we happened to get taken out by one and many
more. These are some of the ways we are
adapting to climate change risks in our area.
Snow Lines Receding
Officials here in Utah have been curious about if we are capable of hosting the future
Winter Olympics. Will we get enough snow? Especially at lower elevations for Nordic
events. Climate change is causing the elevation zone to change a lot.
“The Sierra Nevada portion of California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment predicts
that, by the end of this century, temperatures in that region will rise an average of 6°F
to 9°F if carbon dioxide emissions continue increasing at a high rate (RCP8.5), raising
the rain-to-snow transition anywhere from 1,500 feet to 3,000 feet” (Scott).
This prediction will most likely be what Utah will face as well, or at least a very similar
problem. Though the amount of our precipitation overall has not changed much, the
fraction that used to be all snow is becoming rain. This makes conditions dangerous
enough that resorts will have to be closed down.
“Greatest Snow On Earth”
Scientists predict that Utah’s “Greatest Snow On Earth” could disappear by the end of
the century. Studies predict Utah will no longer be a ski/snowboard destination due to
less snowfall and snow coverage decreasing dramatically.
Since the ski and snowboarding industry are very important in Utah and earn a lot of
revenue, these changes could significantly impact our economy in the future. Skiing
contributes 1.29 billion dollars to Utah’s economy and creates 20,000 jobs for our
state (Gull). They also benefit from tourist attraction as well for those who don’t ski or
snowboard. The ski industry in 2012 reduced the tax burden un Utah households by
$1076.
Without snow, resorts no longer run.
What are we doing about this?
As locals see trends worsening, people are trying to act on climate change in attempt
to save our snow. Community and ski industry leaders are addressing and attempting
to solve climate change.
Getting involved politically is a great step but one way Utah locals can get involved is
to use park and ride transits and ride share programs to get up to the slopes to
reduce our carbon footprints.

These are all the “park and rides” available in Utah.

How can you help?
My partner and I donate occasionally to “Protect Our Winters”, although it is not
specifically for Utah, being apart of the snowboarding community this is one way a lot
of folks are contributing.
You will often see there logo in the form of stickers pasted onto cars, snowboards,
helmets and more. Check it out!
https://protectourwinters.org/

Here is one more site that we support and visit often. The Wasatch has become a
second home for us and we want to protect it in all it’s glory as best as we can. Join in
the help!
https://wasatchbackcountryalliance.org/
Works Cited
Scott, Michon. “Climate & Skiing.” Climate & Skiing | NOAA Climate.gov, 19
Nov. 2018, www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-and/climate-skiing.

Gull, Blakely. “Scientists Predict Climate Change to Impact Utah Ski

Industry.” The Daily Universe, 12 Jan. 2017,
universe.byu.edu/2017/01/12/scientists-predict-climate-change-to-impact-
utah-ski-industry/.

Stephens, Sydney. “How Climate Change Will Affect Skiing.” SnowBrains, 14

Dec. 2018, snowbrains.com/how-climate-change-will-affect-skiing/.