Endangered Sports: Declining Snowfall & the U.S. Sports Sector

Shrinking snowpacks, earlier snowmelt, shorter winters, and increased variability in snowfall are putting winter sports, mountain areas, and the economies that depend on them at risk. This report examines how changing snowfall patterns affect winter recreation in the United States, with a particular focus on the Rocky Mountains, the Northeast, and the Upper Midwest. It highlights the most vulnerable sports, such as skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. The report considers five adaptation measures: artificial snowmaking, snow farming, windbreaks, dry ski slopes, and diversifying recreational activities. All of these have advantages but also involve compromises. Snowmaking requires large amounts of water and energy and becomes less efficient as temperatures rise. Synthetic slopes raise issues concerning emissions, waste, and microplastics. Operating year-round leads to higher costs and greater environmental pressures. The report states that no single strategy can preserve winter recreation, and that long-term resilience will depend on combining approaches suited to local conditions and resort capabilities, as well as shifting recreational models, rather than insisting on maintaining traditional operations at all costs.