Reddit reviews Downhill Slide: Why the Corporate Ski Industry is Bad for Skiing, Ski Towns, and the Environment

Downward Slide: Why the Corporate Ski Industry is Bad for Skiing, Ski Towns, and the Environment by Hal Clifford discusses a lot of negative aspects skiing has on the environment.


In a lot of ways, skiing has little impact on the environment since the ground is basically protected by the snow all season. But to name just a few: a ski run is basically a clear cut, snowmaking uses tons of energy and water, and ski areas can displace sensitive wildlife out of their winter habitat.

Because it generally changes the character of a place for the worse. Take Wyoming for example, which was number five. I'm speculating, but what I'm going to describe is what tends to happen in a lot of rural areas.

I would bet most people who live in Wyoming live there because they like small town life, they don't like city-folk, they want a place where no one is going to bat an eye if you don't leash your dog or if you go out and shoot beer cans next to the road. A place where you're free to be a redneck, if you will. They don't make a lot of money but they're happy with what they have.

Now you get rich people from the city moving out because they want to live "the country life". But their version of "the country life" doesn't include shooting beer cans, letting your dogs roam, or driving ATVs and snowmobiles around. They drive up property values by building their dream home "McMansions", forcing out the poorer people who first lived there, they get new laws passed banning dogs off leash and shooting, they complain about the noise of the ATVs and snowmobiles while they're out hiking in their Arc'teryx jackets with their 2.5 kids and 2 dogs, they get the zoning laws changed because they "don't like the smell of cows". Essentially they destroy what made the place desirable. It's the rural version of gentrification.

For good examples look at Aspen or Vail. 50 years ago they were quirky ski towns where a ski bum could live on an instructor's salary. Now they've been overrun by the rich who have destroyed the skiing culture [1]. Steamboat has recognized that the rich are driving out the ranchers that make Steamboat what it is and is trying to find a fix before it's too late [2].

Frankly I don't have a problem with people moving, though at a certain point a small town becomes a city and that sucks for the original residents. Unfortunately the population of America and the world continues to grow, so it's pretty much inevitable, except in the north: most people are too pussy to live somewhere where it gets really cold. However, I do have a problem with people moving and then deciding that they know better than the original residents. And if you move to an area where everyone lives in modest houses and build a massive McMansion, thus driving up property values, fuck you.

Edit: added citations

There is typically a lot of erosion resulting from clearing trails and resort development. Water is also a big issue because ski resorts draw their snowmaking water from nearby streams, rivers, etc. Some states require permits for drawing water for snowmaking. There's plenty out there.

Check out a book called "Downhill Slide." http://www.amazon.com/Downhill-Slide-Corporate-Industry-Environment/dp/1578051029

It should touch on a bit of everything you're looking for. If you need specific examples, I know that Jay Peak in Vermont has had a lot of erosion and water pollution issues.

Know what you mean.... I bought an AT setup after reading this book.

https://www.amazon.com/Downhill-Slide-Corporate-Industry-Environment/dp/1578051029