by Tracy Chamberlin

The ski industry is no stranger to the challenges of climate, but a new report reveals the numbers behind the rhetoric.

“Climate change spells trouble for all businesses dependent on winter weather from snowmobiling, snowboarding, and ice fishing to snowshoeing and skiing,” according to the report, titled “Climate Impacts on the Winter Tourism Economy in the United States.”

It refers to snow as currency, pumping billions of dollars and thousands of jobs into the U.S. economy every year, and analyzes what the economic impacts of rising temperatures and snow turning to rain would look like in the future. It is also meant as ammunition for those looking to slow, stop or even reverse climate change through policy and legislative means.

A look at the numbers Difference between a good snow year and a bad snow year in Colorado: - $154 million in lost revenues - 1,900 fewer jobs Difference between a good snow year and a bad snow year in the U.S.: -$1.07 billion in lost revenues - 13,000 fewer jobs -Data from “Climate Impacts on the Winter Tourism Economy in the United States”

“Climate change is the greatest environmental issue of our time, and it’s got the winter sports community directly in its sights,” said Chris Steinkamp, executive director for Protect Our Winters, one of the groups that commissioned the report, in a press release.

Colorado holds the largest share of the country’s skier market at 20 percent, equating to 12 million annual visits. The report looked at the difference between low snowfall and high snowfall years from November 1999 - April 2010.

During that decade, Colorado showed an 8 percent discrepancy. That equates to a loss of $154 million in revenues for the state and 1,900 fewer jobs. For the nation, it comes out to 15.2 million fewer skier visits, $1.07 billion in lost revenue and almost 13,000 fewer jobs.

Colorado temperatures are projected to go up 5 to 7 degrees in the next century under a high emissions scenario, which could result in a 25 percent decrease in snow depth, according to data from the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.

“With winter temperatures rising and expected to continue to rise through at least the end of the century, it is important to recognize the significant economic impact that winter sports tourism has on states’ economies and the national economy,” according to the study, which was commissioned by the National Resources Defense Council and Protect Our Winters, and authored by Elizabeth Burakowski and Matthew Magnusson, researchers from the University of New Hampshire.

Snow-making at Durango Mountain Resort is one of the things the resort is adapting, having replaced more than half of the snowmaking equipment with energy efficient guns./Photo by Steve Eginoire

On the heels of the report is the most recent data from the National Climatic Data Center, revealing that 2012 is shaping up to be the warmest year on record.

For the January - November time period, the national temperature was more than 3 degrees above the 20th century average and one degree above the previous record set in 1934.

“It appears virtually certain that 2012 will surpass the current record as the warmest year for the nation,” according to the center’s State of the Climate National Overview for November.

The overview also points out the dry conditions, adding that Colorado had its driest year-to-date on record. Currently, 95 percent of the state is suffering from severe drought conditions and the Animas River has hit record lows.  

“We’re very, very aware of the increased temperatures,” said National Ski Area Association president Michael Berry. “… It just means the trends are troubling.”

The NSAA has had a climate change policy and worked to raise awareness on the national stage since 2002, according to Berry. “We’re aware of (climate change), it’s potential impact on the industry,” he said. “The real issue is what are we doing in Washington.”

Berry met with the U.S. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) after the November elections and, although he did not come out of that meeting with concrete legislation in the works, he plans to continue to push for it.

Even without legislation, some resorts are working toward energy efficiency and emission reduction on their own.

Durango Mountain Resort received a 40-year ski permit from the U.S. Forest Service in 2009, so it already is looking decades into the future.

According to Kim Oyler, director of communications at DMR, the resort has taken several steps toward those goals. For example, they have shuttle services for guests and employees, offer employees incentives for carpooling, installed compact fluorescent bulbs and other new lighting systems, updated the snowmaking equipment, instituted a resort-wide recycling program, and support the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to limit carbon dioxide emissions from new coal and gas burning power plants.

They’ve even pioneered a new propane equipment initiative, she said, dropping consumption by more than 10 percent and reducing carbon monoxide emissions by 85 percent.

The lower elevations are expected to experience the most dramatic changes, something DMR is also anticipating, but it doesn’t mean the resort isn’t pushing for energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse emissions.

“Weather has always and will always be a factor in the ski business,” Oyler said. “However, (DMR) continues to pursue ways to ensure our practices and policies to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.”

Over the past several decades, the ski industry has struggled with a changing clientele and a struggling economy. But, according to the report, even tougher times could be on the horizon.

The report took the data from climate change research and winter sports industry reports to create a picture of its future, revealing that the warmer winters, reduced snowfall and shorter seasons associated with climate change could spell “economic devastation” for a winter sports industry deeply dependent upon predictable, heavy snowfall.