Climate change could shutter ski resorts

Editor:

Leaders of Aspen One recently held a meeting with the Aspen City Council. The ski company leaders said they need support from the community so that Aspen will remain a ski town.

Last winter was a shock. Aspen One revealed its business had declined for the last three years. That should not be a surprise. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to rise. Climate change is accelerating. When they announced the amount of capital improvements they were putting on the mountains, I was surprised. The concept of stranded assets came to mind.

There is a good bit of growth thinking in Aspen and Pitkin County. But is this time to put billions into the airport and new housing? If the temperature rise continues, should we expect more or fewer visitors? Aspen is one of the higher ski areas on the planet, and that should work in our favor for a while.

I remember reading about European ski areas losing their financing years ago. So I did a Google search. In the Guardian, I found “Ghost resorts: As hundreds of ski slopes lie abandoned, will nature reclaim the Alps?” And this: “With the snow line edging higher, 186 French ski resorts have shut, while global heating threatens dozens more.”

France has 113 abandoned ski lifts. The problem is getting rid of the old equipment. It is polluting the landscape. There are 3,000 abandoned structures to remove.

The other aspect to ski resorts is their high carbon footprints. As they often say in this area, our carbon footprints are “world class.” There is a constant chatter about striving for sustainability. It is not even close to happening.

I wonder if it is time to do some serious planning for the future of this valley. 

Patrick Hunter

Carbondale