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Combined efforts by the NSAA and US ski resorts to decrease CO2 emissions have had the eco-effect of planting 13 million trees.

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By the end of 2008, desert-bound Dubai, United Arab Emirates will have two year-round indoor ski resorts.

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home ›   tip library ›   Environmentally Friendly Ski Resorts

Do greener winter wonderlands exist?

The Bite

Yep. If you're planning a trip somewhere up high this winter, check our list for the best, tad-bit-nipply, green resort destinations.

The Benefits

  • Vote with your dollars. One-day lift tickets can cost as much as $80, so spend your hard-earned bucks at greener resorts.
  • Combat climate change. Experts say that global warming could lead to shorter skiing seasons, so choose slopes that are acting against the problem.
  • More than carbon offsets. Some resorts are taking voluntary actions like providing alternative fuel shuttles, introducing recycling programs, installing solar panels and low-energy lighting and educating resort-goers about eco-issues.

Personally Speaking

Mind your zippers: Sara's first ski trip, at 12, was at Stowe in Vermont, where her jacket got caught on the chair lift and she was dragged back down the mountain, dangling at 25 ft. Thankfully, 1/3 of the way down the mountain, the lift operator reversed the lift and saved her chilly little butt.

Wanna Try?

Plan a trip to these green ski resorts (compiled from National Ski Area Association and Ski Area Citizens' Coalition data).  Just a few highlights:

East

  • Stowe (VT) - built an eco-education center to increase the environmental awareness among visitors.

Midwest

  • Buck Hill (MN) - uses wind-based energy.
  • Grand Targhee (WY) - follows the LEED green building guidelines.
  • Lutsen (MN) - has impressive fish & wildlife habitat protection initiatives.

West

  • Alpine Meadows (CA) - uses 100% recycled food service and paper.
  • Aspen Highlands (CO) - retrofitted 80% of facilities for energy efficiency.
  • Aspen Mountain (CO) - hybrid and carpool vehicles park for free.
  • Bogus Basin Mountain (ID) - supported the Climate Stewardship Act.
  • Buttermilk (CO) - uses biodiesel in their snowcats.
  • Sierra-at-Tahoe (CA) - big points for their habitat protection program.
  • Sundance (UT) - recycles everything from ski poles to tyvek envelopes.
  • Sunshine Village (AB, Canada) - awarded a Silver Eagle Award for excellence in water conservation by the NSAA.
  • Mt. Bachelor (OR) - conserves water and energy by avoiding new snowmaking.
  • Taos (NM) - sponsors commuter shuttles to the resort.
  • Whistler/Blackcomb (BC, Canada) - recycling and waste management programs reduce waste by more than 540 tons per year.
  • Wolf Creek (CO) - 100% powered by wind energy.

Dec 21,2006


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Ski with me, Robert Redford

A few years back, I was lucky enough to stay at Sun Dance, which I really believed had Robert Redford's touch on everything.

It just seemed like we were in some movie set where everything was at once rustic yet perfect in the same breath. I was with one my exes (this one I have been thinking about a lot lately as this time last year his girlfriend hacked into his computer and wrote to me, using his email and acting like it was him, telling me that we can't ever be in touch ever again.)

Anyway, I was with this ex, and he knew Robert Redford from some Sundance TV stuff he had worked on.  So we got styled.  Rode horses, made soap, and ate like Kings and Queens.  It was there in that gorgeous cabin the sweetly straddled a creek that I discovered Natural Home & Garden, one of my favorite magazines.

As lovely as this all sounds, it was on this trip that I realized the ex was kind of a "woe-is-me" kind of person.  He found things to complain about... there!  And although the trip was amazing, it was maybe when things started to go downhill.  Ew, bad pun.

This year I am excited to get to know the slopes that are literally 15 minutes from my front door, Bridger Bowl.  I might even try to snowboard, as I am really into trying new things lately (you know when you go through stages for trying new things? I am in one so I need to optimize it.)

Off to get my season ski pass and my favorite hangover helper (holiday party last night where I had too much wine and not enough food!) : greasy egg sandwhich, coming up... Jen


Biter Comments...
I used to work in Whistler. Soooo much garbage is produced from those resorts. However, it wasn't so much the resorts fault, as tourists can't seem to read and often would throw recyclables away in the garbage... but the waste was incredible, and I don 't want to even talk about the smell...

Posted by: Meg | December 21, 2006 at 07:16 AM

A geographic nit from today's tip: Wyoming isn't in the Midwest. It belongs in the West category.

Posted by: Gina | December 21, 2006 at 08:46 AM

I sorta have an issue with affluent people coming in and trying to make our western town just "perfect" looking on the top with fake wagon wheels and all crap without giving to the community. They just pay for the views while they live here two weeks a year and drive taxes up for the middle class...BUT that being said, Big Mountain ski resort in Whitefish, MT offers a FREE comminuty snow bus that runs many, many times a day so one can "carpool" with a bunch of other slope bound! Hopefully, the funding will come through to covert it to a bio fuel in the near future. I'm not sure that would influence anyone to come ski here but it's the one thing they have done for years that always made an eco gal like me happy.

Posted by: Corrie | December 21, 2006 at 09:08 AM

I'm sure that Sundance is a wonderful eco resort, BUT have you ever taken a look at the Sundance catalog. You will find leather jackets, leather books, rabbit-fur lined leather boots, leather sofas, leather chairs, leather bags, leather belts. I wonder how many cows had to die in order that the Sundance catolog could put enough items on it's pages? Sundance maybe be "ECO" friendly, but they certainly are not CRUELTY-FREE. I always thought the two should go hand in hand.

Posted by: shira Weber | December 21, 2006 at 10:30 AM

Yeah, Shira...I had the exact same thought. I guess I divide the issue a little differently. Knowing a few local native americans and other "locals", there's animal products and then there's Sundance Animal products. Cows die every day, it's more of a how and why to me. To meet basic needs makes sense...but for the 50th pair of rabbit fur boots, well I agree with you. Not everybody can afford the recycled soda bottle Patagonia jacket or synthetic cotton pillow (assuming that it's even manufactured sustainably).

Posted by: JS | December 21, 2006 at 11:43 AM

Ski resorts are a bad idea on the whole because they need to clear-cut many acres of trees in order to create ski slopes and majestic mountain-top lodges. They use up too many natural resources to give rich people a place to play.

Posted by: joe mama | December 21, 2006 at 11:47 AM

today's tip said .... "check our list for the best, tad-bit-nipply, green resort destinations." "tad-bit-nipply" ??? dont you mean "nippy" without the 'l' ? Or does cold weather lead to wardrobe malfunctions ? ;-) -- Nitin Borwankar Find, Learn, Act .... Greener http://greener.com

Posted by: Nitin Borwankar | December 21, 2006 at 03:17 PM

Former Man, you must have missed the recycled feminine products discussion. I was "uughhhewwwww"-ing all the way to the gym after that one, and had bury a few more beers afterwards just to "unremember" that one. Ski resorts may kinda be a bad idea, but like anything, if we're gonna make it a few more centuries, I think the answer's making the ski resort green, not saying "no more skiing!"

Posted by: JS | December 22, 2006 at 06:22 AM

JS - Just think of how grossed out I was, as a WOMAN, after the "recycled feminine products" discussion. It's a gross enough monthly gift WITHOUT re-using everything. The thought of it made ME immediately drink a few beers plus some vino to wash it down. Be happy you're not a woman. And be extra nice to the ones around you. We deserve it!

Posted by: the other JB | December 22, 2006 at 11:15 AM

OJB, good to know I wasn't just "being the typical guy" on that one!!! Yep, hopefully the new Girlfriend's very, very, very happy this Christmas. Now if only I could figure out what do about having to go her undergrad formal dance thing. I haven't gone to an undergrad date, crush or sorority party in 10 years!! Either way, I need to brush up on my beer shotgunning skills.

Posted by: JS | December 23, 2006 at 10:17 AM

JB - I can't imagine what you did to make an ex's girlfriend want to turn evil like that...

Posted by: Pat Siegel | December 24, 2006 at 04:11 AM

Jiminy Peak should be added to the East Coast list. They are doing a bunch of things to conserve energy.

Posted by: Green75 | April 20, 2007 at 12:38 PM

http://direct2blog.com/blogs/zhouzhongqiu/

Posted by: 8888QiLi88 | May 16, 2008 at 09:31 PM

Yeah I think Jiminy Peak should consider to the list of East Coast. http://www.abc-of-skiing.com/

Posted by: myfreestyle_08 | May 27, 2008 at 03:46 AM

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