The first snow has already fallen, and Snow Trails is gearing up for the winter season with some exciting improvements, an article earlier this month stated.
The announcement of two new trails and a chairlift upgrade has me counting down the days until the season begins, and I am confident that I am not the only one watching the nightly temperatures and dreaming of breaking out my skis and snowboard in the next few weeks.
But, as an environmental science student, conditions last winter also have me worried.
As the first and largest ski resort in Ohio, Snow Trails attracts winter sports enthusiasts from across the state (Please note that I am a seasonal Snow Sports instructor at Snow Trails, but the views expressed here are my own).
The resort’s winter tourism has only increased since Vail’s purchase of most other major Ohio ski resorts in 2019.
But Snow Trails also has to rise to a different, and more difficult, challenge. Inconsistent winter temperatures and limited natural snowfall are taking a toll on our ski seasons.
In recent years, Snow Trails has pushed snowmaking campaigns into March to prolong the season despite warmer temperatures and rain.
Since I began skiing, powder days seem fewer and farther between. I miss the big snowstorms I enjoyed as a child. Where is our snow going?
Ohio isn’t alone. According to a 2022 study, 59% of North American ski areas have closed since 1969, many due to increased need for expensive artificial snowmaking in place of natural snowfall.
The situation is not without hope, however.
In a podcast, Protect Our Winters representative Lindsay Bourgoine reminds outdoor enthusiasts that “if we, the Outdoor State, all voted together, we are essentially the largest swing state in the nation.”
As skiers and snowboarders, we have this incredible passion that unites us.
We also have voting power when we are united. So, how can we “protect our winters” here in Ohio?
The answer is simpler than we may think.
Earlier this year, Ohio received a $3 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to support a climate action plan for the state, and a further 4.6 billion is available as a competition for eligible states.
Ohio could use this to reduce emissions across the state, helping to protect the Possum Run Valley from further warming.
I am sure many wonder if this climate action plan can actually help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address changing conditions.
While we might not have data from the future showing impacts of climate action, we have strong evidence in the present that these efforts work.
A study showed that shutdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 17% in 2020. If a one-year shutdown could impact emissions that much, how much more could turning to clean energy do?
Fellow skiers and snowboarders, I implore you to look past political agendas surrounding climate change and protect the outdoor adventures you love.
Reach out to our representatives and let them know that we care about clean energy and a sustainable ski season in Ohio.
If we try, I believe we can address climate action as a non-political issue and vote to preserve our winter sports so we can play outside for generations to come.
Hannah Pryor
Mansfield, Ohio