Snow-capped European ski resorts look very different this year. Unseasonably warm temperatures and heavy rainfall have made snowfall very unlikely in some regions. As the Earth warms up, ski resorts are looking for alternative entertainment to draw in visitors if snow doesn’t fall.
Popular ski resorts in France, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria face melted and barren slopes, not suitable for skiing, of course. According to a study by the University of Grenoble, since 1951, almost half of France’s 169 ski resorts have closed due to a lack of snow.
Morzine ski resort in France faced this issue over the Christmas season. They considered using artificial snow to fill in during the dry spell, underscoring the phrase, “fake it till you make it,” but temperatures were too high to use the snow cannons.
What activities are ski resorts looking to add?
A tiny ski resort of Métabief tucked away in France’s Jura region has gotten creative with the lack of snow and introduced off-snow activities such as all-season toboggan runs, winter mountain biking, caving, and horseback riding.
Other resorts like Morzine created a ‘wall with the eagles’ activity; in Switzerland, surfers can hit the waves year-round at Alaïa Bay, a 45-minute drive from Verbier, and Swiss ski resort Villars-Sur-Ollon offers yoga and meditation classes, as well as art galleries to attract other types of visitors beyond skiers.
Ski resorts are increasingly reducing their carbon emissions in eco-friendly ways, from slowing down ski lifts to installing Teflon outdoor ice rinks.
Visitor travel accounts for 50-70% percent of resort carbon emissions, and Morizane resort is setting an example by providing discounts for train travelers – one of many initiatives that hopefully others implement as we continue to face the impacts of global warming.
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