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Show PHOTOS BY JONATHAN ROYCE Solar panels and a wind turbine educate Park City Mountain Resort skiers about renewable energy, but they provide only a small fraction of the resort's power. ■■■■■■■■÷ ■■ ••• .. 4t-zrA Bringing green to the ski hill by Jake Bullinger A warming climate is causing Utah's ski resorts to kick-start sustainabiliity measures. But will these projects make a difference? bane Gadbaw had a right to be scared — the dry winter of 20112012 was hitting Eagle Point hard. Gadbaw was part of an ownership group that purchased the mountain just a year prior, and during its second season he looked at dry slopes throughout November. And December. And January. "I was getting pretty nervous," Gadbaw says. "I thought, 'Did we just buy a ski area that gets no snow?' " Gadbaw wasn't able to drop the ropes on season two until Jan. 27. Eagle Point is faring much better this year, with 286 inches of snow as of publishing. But the treacherous conditions of the prior season are something Utah ski resort owners might have to deal with on a more regular basis. Last season's lean winter made an impact across Utah. Nearly every Utah resort received less than 8o percent of its regular snowpack, and prior to the wetter March and April months, Utah resorts had 8 wasatchmagazine received just over two-thirds of the normal snowfall. The dry winter, coupled with one of the hottest summers on record, raised climate change awareness nationwide, and that sentiment wasn't lost on ski resorts. In response, resorts are doubling down on sustainability initiatives in an attempt to educate visitors, save money, and become leaders in the country's shift toward more climate-friendly practices. Those in the winter sports industry have a vested interest in keeping the climate cool, but it wasn't until recently that dollar amounts were attached to the threat global warming poses to Utah's ski industry. A study authored by University of New Hampshire researchers compared the relationship between revenue and snowfall in ski areas across the country, and the numbers were striking. In Utah, where skiing is a $1 billion business, revenue was $87 million less in the lowest snow year than in the year with the greatest snowfall be- S,YStt t. - t . st' 11 • tween 1999 and 2010, and there were i,000 fewer jobs in the low-snow year. As the climate continues to warm, today's minimal snowpacks could become the norm. The future looks bleak. A 2007 study by The National Academy of Sciences showed that winters shortened by 2.3 to 4.6 days per decade during the past 8o years because of a warming climate, and most climate models project that warming effect to accelerate in coming years. Locally, warming could be pronounced. A study commissioned by the Park City Foundation found Park City could warm by as much as nine degrees Fahrenheit, and precipitation could decrease 4.5 percent by 2075. This scenario could cost Park City's overall economy more than $66 million. Utah resorts have responded to the threat. Nearly every resort is switching to high-efficiency lighting and appliances. All of Deer Valley's off-road diesels run on biofuel, and on-mountain lakes collect 20 million gallons of runoff to be used for snowmaking the following year. Canyons' parent company, Talisker, is emphasizing local food purchasing, and one restaurant, The Farm, is hoping to become the first zero-waste restaurant in Utah. Snowbird has built a cogeneration plant, which simultaneously produces electricity and usable heat, and has partnered with TreeUtah for a revegetation project. Sundance offers a $5 discount for carpoolers. Of all Utah's resorts, Park City Mountain Resort has received the most recognition for its proactive approach to sustainability. In its latest annual report card, Ski Area Citizens' Coalition gave PCMR |
