Approach
The costs of winter snowmaking and other adaptations could put stress on the viability of winter sports areas, including developed skiing resorts. Recreationists who engage in skiing on federal lands have some of the highest trip expenditures per participant. Unfavorable future conditions or reductions in total number of ski days could lead to fewer visitors during low-snow winters, especially in low-elevation locations. Reductions in the number of ski days could also translate into significant economic losses to local communities. In order to maintain the economic viability of winter sports areas, these areas could diversify their portfolio of offerings to include four-season recreation and to capitalize on increased warm-weather visitation. This approach intends to offset winter-use reductions by drawing visitors into an area during the non-winter season, by offering alternatives such as mountain biking or ATV use.
Tactics
- Encourage multiple-use trails that can accommodate mountain biking and/or ATV use in non-snow seasons and snowmobiling when viable in winter.
- Offer a suite of year-round activities: lift-served mountain biking, alpine slides/coasters, zip lines, rope courses, rock-climbing walls, camping offerings, white-water rafting, horseback riding, pools, spas, events, and/or ice rinks that can be covered.
- On public lands, change ‘ski area’ designations to ‘highly developed four-season recreational area’ designations.
- When forest closures are implemented for wildfire risk, continue to allow visitors to access developed four-season recreational areas that have the requisite oversight and equipment to account for the wildfire risk.
- Develop indoor ski domes in areas with marginal winter conditions but large population densities in order to maintain a base of future skier demand.
Strategy
Strategy Text
Changes in climate may prompt recreation professionals to revisit what are considered best management practices for the industry. Seasonality will change across diverse geographic locations. Winter recreation will be affected by shorter winters with less snow in northern areas. With this will come both risks to the industry and occasions to transition to new opportunities. This strategy includes both conventional and non-conventional actions to transition recreational infrastructure and opportunities into forms that would not be likely to suffer total loss over their lifespans, even given the uncertainties inherent in a changing climate.
O’Toole, D.; Brandt, L.A.; Janowiak, M.K.; Schmitt, K.M.; Shannon, P.D.; Leopold, P.R.; Handler, S.D.; Ontl, T.A.; Swanston, C.W. Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Approaches for Outdoor Recreation. Sustainability 2019, 11, 7030.