Is there a Link Between ski resort closures and Climate Change in North America

Keywords: skiing, rural development, climate change, sustainable skiing, mountain development, winter tourism
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

More than half of ski resorts have closed in North America since the building boom of the 1960s and 1970s. First, our research identifies the number of open and closed resorts in every US state and Canadian province. Our methodology uses historic books and magazines to identify all of the original resorts and a cross referencing on the internet with those that remain active today. Next, we begin to quantify some geographic indicators (i.e., elevation, precipitation, temperature, latitude, etc.), for the closed resorts, to determine if there is a relationship between resort closures and climate change. Third, we also identify the reason the resort closed if that information is available. We find that many resorts closed due to lack of snow and water (climate change), high costs (associated with snowmaking or insurance rates), or some kind of natural disaster (fire, avalanche, landslide) that made reopening untenable. We also find that geography has a role to play as different regions of the US or Canada saw very different building patterns and closures, respectively.