Green Winter Adventures: Top 5 Eco Ski Spots
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Blue skies, fresh powder and a day full of clean mountain air; nothing beats a great day of skiing, especially in late winter and early spring. But even though skiing gets us outdoors and active, it’s not always an inherently environmentally friendly sport. Big resorts mean big crowds and along with them, a laundry list of things that can harm the environment.
A week on the slopes means good things for your body and soul, but it’s equally important to consider the impact on those slopes you’re skiing down. Still, a busy girl’s gotta prioritize her time, and planning your winter ski getaway shouldn’t be a research headache. Fortunately, there’s the Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition, an independent organization that rates ski resorts and areas according to a strict set of environmental criteria in four areas: habitat protection, watershed conservation, climate change consideration, and environmental policies and practices.
So what’s your best best in terms of an eco-friendly ski resort? Here are the SACC’s top five, meaning that you can rest assured these places are doing their part to keep the environment in mind, and all you have to focus on is enjoying your time on the slopes.
1. Squaw Valley, California
The top-ranked ski resort, Squaw Valley does a great job when it comes to habitat protection, particularly because it puts a high value on protecting undisturbed and environmentally sensitive areas and making sure that local endangered species are protected. But it’s also a world class resort with over 4,000 acres of terrain, which means you’re sure to enjoy yourself.
2. Aspen Mountain Ski Resort, Colorado
Known for its amazing runs, Aspen also gets top environmental grades across all four SACC categories. But even though the resort may be green, if you’re planning a trip to Aspen it’s also important to consider the environmental impact of your travel as well as lodging. Fortunately, the resort is close to the heart of town, cutting your transportation needs.
3. Buttermilk Mountain Ski Resort, Colorado
Along with Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk is part of the four resort consortium Aspen Snowmass. It’s currently the home of ESPN X Games through 2012, giving this green resort great national exposure and hopefully encouraging other ski areas to take similar steps to protect the environment.
4. Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, California
Another Lake Tahoe gem, Sugar Bowl is a great venue for a family trip, complete with an extensive network of kid’s trails as well as plenty of slopes for the more experienced. It also does a great job when it comes to protecting local watersheds.
5. Sundance Resort, Utah
Established by Robert Redford, and situated on 6,000 acres of wilderness, the Sundance Resort has everything from skiing to theater, all with four star comfort. Being located in such a beautiful area of the country, the resort is fully committed to doing all it can to consider the environment. Beyond implementing common green policies like a recycling program and offering organic goods in the restaurant, Sundance also has its own glassworks kiln, where glass bottles are broken down and turned into artwork used around the property.
To learn about more green ski areas, you can read the full Top 10 list here.
Don’t see one that’s near you? The SACC also lets you compare ski areas by state. Here’s to a relaxing, and environmentally friendly, ski getaway!
Images: Rennett Stowe, dcwriterdawn, Zach Dischner, mariachilly, GLiving
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
|
|
|
4 Comments
March 2nd, 2010 at 11:36 am
Beautiful photos! Going to an eco resort for a winter vacation is an awesome idea. Didn’t know that Squaw Valley participated in habitat protection. Thanks for sharing!
Alex
March 2nd, 2010 at 3:44 pm
If you’re worried about flying into Aspen and your carbon footprint, the City of Aspen has the first municipal carbon offset program in the country to help offset your travel. (We’ll also help you calculate how much you need to offset based on where you are traveling to and from, etc.)
The City of Aspen will invest the funds in local, state and regional renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that would not otherwise be possible.
Also, Aspen has a great free bus system, so once you are here, you don’t even need a car.
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:34 am
Hurray! Sugar Bowl made the cut. Headed there in a few days for annual mom-daughter weekend.Like Squaw, it has a rich vintage history, and I think this is what motivates the communities to preserve the mountains and habitats. My fave thing at Sugar Bowl is not so eco, but so vintage: an old photo of the resort’s first owner, Walt Disney, with his family on the runs.
Who Linked To This Post?
Welcome! The comment box is all yours to say what you like. Just make sure you use a real name, not a site or company, so you don't get sent to the spam bin. (That makes us sad.)