Aspen Snowmass Celebrate 25 Years of Sustainability
Aspen Snowmass set out on its sustainability mission back in 1997, one of the first major resorts in the world to focus on the growing climate risks that the ski industry is facing today.
The lift company’s Sustainability Report has been keeping track of the resort’s environmental impact and progress as well as climate policy action since 1999.
Among its many sustainability initiatives over the years, Aspen Skiing Company has been an avid supporter of Protect Our Winters (POW), a non-profit organisation founded by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones in 2007. POW works to engage and mobilise the snow sports 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.
In another sustainability move, last season, one of Aspen Snowmass’ four mountains, Buttermilk 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 “creates a more seamless, sustainable experience for guests as they make their way onto the mountain,” Aspen dsays, with a skier services building with ski school, rentals and ticketing all in one location.
In terms of 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.
The new Sustainability Report is expected to be published shortly.
“This year’s sustainability report pushes that thinking further, both visually and intellectually,” said Auden Schendler, Aspen Skiing Company SVP of Sustainability.
