Five Ways Aspen Snowmass Is Paving The Way To A Sustainable Ski Industry

Climate change poses a great threat to the global ski industry, with temperatures rising and ski seasons shortening. Research carried out by Protect Our Winters (POW) reveals that the majority of ski resorts around the world will be closed by 2090 if we carry on without significant action. Aspen Snowmass set out on its sustainability mission back in 1997, before many other ski resorts around the world even knew about the climate risks that the ski industry faced. Since then, Aspen Snowmass has spent more time in Washington lobbying for climate change than any other ski resort in the world, the resort has produced sustainability reports every year since 1999 and has found itself at the forefront of advocating for climate change within the ski industry. With winters shortening at an alarming rate, Aspen Snowmass continues to weave sustainability into its development as a world-class ski destination in many different ways.

Sustainable Development 

New this season, one of Aspen Snowmass’ four mountains, Buttermilk has unveiled a transformed base area complete with a new 9,000+ square-foot fully electric skier services building, a renovated and rebranded Buttermilk Mountain Lodge restaurant (formerly known as Bumps) and an expanded bar and outdoor patio, newly named The Backyard. This major $23 million renovation will create a more seamless, sustainable experience for guests as they make their way onto the mountain, with an intuitive skier services building with ski school, rentals and ticketing all in one location.  

Sustainable Dining 

Aspen Snowmass has a range of sustainable dining options with some new additions to the list this year. The new Rooftop Cafe at the Aspen Art Museum is now operated by The Farmer & Chef, a husband-and-wife duo who are dedicated to using local and organic produce. Aspen’s only five-star, five-diamond hotel, The Little Nell, has its own organic garden used to grow the majority of the vegetables for its popular restaurants, Element 47 and the Ajax Tavern. The Little Nell spends over £160,000 a year on local produce, a purchasing decision that feeds into and supports the local economy with 75% of its produce coming from Colorado.  

Green Buildings 

Aspen Skiing Company developed the first ever set of green buildings in the ski industry back in 1999. Having been involved in the creation of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership Energy and Environmental Design Program, known as LEED, Aspen Skiing Company built one of the first 11 LEED-certified buildings in the world. Today, there are a total of six certified buildings in Aspen Snowmass such as the well-known Elk Camp Restaurant, Sam’s Smokehouse and both Limelight Hotels in Aspen and Snowmass.  

Partnership with POW (Protect Our Winters)

Aspen Skiing Company has been an avid supporter of the Protect Our Winters campaign, founded by pro snowboarder Jermery Jones back in 2007. POW works to engage and mobilise the snowsports community in taking action against climate change and ultimately, protecting our winters. In April 2022, artist Chris Erikson created the melting gondola, a structure placed on top of Aspen Mountain to represent the effects of climate change on the ski industry. The Melted Gondola offered visitors an opportunity to reflect on what life would look like if winter melted away. In partnership with POW, Aspen Snowmass encouraged visitors to post photos of the art with the hashtag #PowerToPOW, and more importantly, to donate and become members.

Aspen Skiing Company has a Senior Vice President of Sustainability

Ausden Schendler, Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company and Board Chairman of POW, has been named a “climate saver” and “innovator” by the media in his efforts to pave the way for other ski resorts in advocating for a change to climate policy and reducing Aspen’s carbon footprint. Schendler writes and publishes regularly on climate change, served on several Governor-appointed boards in Colorado including the Pollution Prevention Advisory board and works on scale solutions to climate change, including clean-energy development policy, advocacy and activism. He helped to develop Aspen’s coal-mine-methane to electricity project, the only of its kind in the US, and other pioneering clean-energy projects in solar and hydroelectricity. Schendler has been pivotal in shaping Aspen Snowmass’s strategy towards tackling climate change and has played a fundamental role in educating other ski destinations around the world.