by Two Sisters Collective 
Climate change is drastically impacting the world around us, including the way people travel and the destinations themselves. “Green Travel” is a seven-part series delving into how climate change is transforming the landscape of travel.
WASATCH RANGE, Utah ― Solitude Mountain Resort was just getting open with a handful of trails groomed and lifts spinning in early December. Nearby, on the back side of the Wasatch Range, Park City Mountain also had a limited amount of skiable terrain, but was working to get more open.
Utahns insisted that the conditions were relatively awful, but anyone used to skiing or riding on the East Coast would feel like it was the middle of their season.
Daytime highs above freezing at the mountain bases weren’t helping the season get off the ground though, and the warm, sunny weather hinted at the long-term struggles ski resorts face as the climate changes and winters continue to heat up in many places.
But skiers and snowboarders shouldn’t trade in their lift tickets for beach passes just yet.
The ski industry is making investments on a global scale to ensure their operations become more sustainable and to keep people on the snow longer every year, despite the weather’s unpredictability.
Over the course of nearly a week in Utah in early December, USA TODAY got a first-hand look at how two mountains are responding to climate change. Their efforts reflect broader trends in the industry, and while ski resorts will certainly have to adapt to a changing climate, new technologies and best practices shared between mountain operators provide plenty of hope that snow sports aren’t going extinct any time soon. Read more HERE
