Saturday, April 20, 2013

12 Months Skiing in the Wasatch: April


It is April and the snow is still easy to reach.  Snowbird is one of the last ski mountains open late in the Wasatch after closing day at most of the other mountains.  If current global warming trends continue the the winter snowpack is not expected to exist below 9,000 feet in elevation in the Wasatch (our about halfway between the summit and base of the local ski mountains) in as few as 40 years.  A late season snowpack might more closely reflect the winter snowpack of the future.  This is relevant to anyone who lives in the West because the snows provide the crucial store of water for the dry summer months.  It is also relevant to skiers and a generation of the winter sports enthusiasts who will likely see significant changes in a single lifetime.  Right now it is possible (with a bit of hiking and searching) to ski a line in the Wasatch every month of the year.  Will our dependence on carbon burning fuels and slowness to move away from their excessive use make us the last generation who will be able to ski 12 months in the Wasatch?

More information concerning climate change and winter snowpack:
Protect Our Winters  http://protectourwinters.org/

Save Our Snow http://www.saveoursnow.com/

 


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