New Hampshire Green Slopes

Environmental Initiatives at Ski Facilities

The ski facilities in New Hampshire have had many obstacles over the last 50 years. The latest issue that has made it difficult to run an efficient operation is climate change. As the winters become warmer and shorter, the ski season has been affected by lack of snow, excess ice due to melting & refreezing and poor air conditions. Research has been completed by the ski industry as well as scientists to change the way ski facilities are run to produce a more environmentally friendly and sustainable landscape for winter sports. Many facilities are using high volume low pressure guns to produce snow and are using retention ponds for their water supply. The NH Pollution Prevention Program’s Green Slopes Project in the summer of 2007 expressed the urgency of changing other practices in the facility including things as simple as restricting bus and passenger car idling on the mountain. Listed below are many of the ski facilities that have put forth initiatives to better both the air quality and the environmental sustainability of their slopes.

Arrowhead Recreation Area
Arrowhead ski facility, located in Claremont, adopted an idling reduction campaign for the 07/08 ski season.

Attitash
Attitash Mountain, located in Bartlett, is one of the ski facilities recently acquired by Peak Resorts. The facility has implemented a state of the art $2.5 million snow making fan systems. One hundred fan guns have been placed strategically around the mountain. This system is one of the most energy-efficient systems that use both the weather and pumping station to create snow early in the season that lasts throughout the entire season even with slightly warmer weather. Attitash will also be adding a no idling policy in the 07/08 season.

Balsams
The Balsams Resort, located in the Dixville Notch, has adopted an Environmental Management System (EMS) called GreenPath™ for their entire facility as outlined by the parent company Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts. This system affects all facets of the facility including but not limited to energy use, waste generation, water usage and erosion control measures.

Bretton Woods/Mount Washington
The Mount Washington Resort which encompasses the Bretton Woods Mountain Resort has been making many changes and improvements to the operations of its facility. They have adopted an idling reduction policy and are looking into biodiesel for grooming equipment. The guest facilities are also developing and environmental approach to recycle and composting as much as possible. Another change to the facility is the construction of new buildings. All of the construction materials will be recycled and the resort is developing Sustainable Standards for new homes and structures on the property.

Cannon Mountain
Cannon Mountain located in the Franconia State Park and is the only state run ski facility in New Hampshire. With the help of the Pollution Prevention Program, Clean Cities Coalition and the Office of Energy & Planning they are setting up an EMS with the intention to Go Green in five years. Cannon would like to start from the bottom up to decrease its carbon footprint, starting off with an anti-idling campaign. The campaign began with 88 employees signing an idling reduction pledge on-site as well as in their personal lives. With this being a state run facility, it becomes an excellent teaching case for all patrons of the park.

Cranmore
Cranmore located in North Conway and has been reducing its carbon footprint since 2003 by using biodiesel in the grooming and fleet equipment. Cranmore has used more than 20,000 gallons of B20 fuel each year which is a 4,000 gallon reduction of conventional fossil fuels per year. This year Cranmore stepped out of the box by initiating a partnership with the Village Trolley in North Conway by allowing them to use the biodiesel in the trolley system which runs seven days a week all around town. Cranmore also implemented an anti-idling program for staff and guests.

Crotched Mountain
Crotched Mountain in Bennington, as well, has been bought out by Peak Resorts. The facility has installed the snow making fans that will reduce the amount of water and energy used throughout the ski season. These high volume low pressure fans represent many environmental steps to come.

Granite Gorge
Granite Gorge in Keene is a small ski facility that is thinking big. They have brand new energy efficient engines for both snowmaking/snow fans and chairlifts. All of the trails are graded and seeded with grass then hayed to control erosion on the slopes. Also located on the facility is an energy efficient yurt. In winter of 2007, Granite Gorge also will be implementing an anti-idling policy.

Gunstock Mountain Resort
Gunstock Mountain in Gilford has utilized a partnership with the Road Agents to educate patrons and employees in the state on environmental projects that can reduce impacts on the mountain and surrounding areas including water retention ponds and erosion control measures. These projects and an idling reduction campaign help to retain the sustainability of Lake Winnipesauke. Gunstock also has a wetlands park educational area with maps and identification cards for the wildlife and vegetation found on the mountain. The identification information also stresses the importance of each of these organisms.

Loon Mountain
Loon Mountain in Lincoln was recently sold to Boyne USA and has been undergoing construction on new lifts and trails since the summer months. Loon has initiated many green programs including an idling reduction campaign on the mountain for both company vehicles as well as guest vehicles, EPP on cleaning products and formed the “Loon Green Team”. The facility has started: using a B10 biofuel mix for their grooming fleet, a recycling program for cardboard, steel, napkins and kitchen grease to name a few and a Green Tag program promoting renewable energy credits to guests. Loon Mountain has also reduced their energy use by upgrading snowmaking guns, converting all lighting, installing motion sensors and upgrading boiler/heating systems. There are many other projects going on at the mountain to reduce its carbon footprint.

King Pine & Purity Spring Resort
King Pine in East Madison has implemented many programs to decrease their carbon footprint. They use biodiesel in the on-mountain vehicles and heat in all lodging. They have also implemented a recycling program in commercial areas and idling reduction policy throughout the resort. King Pine uses organic based cleaners and energy-efficient equipment in kitchen and laundry facilities.

Mount Sunapee
Mount Sunapee is located in Newbury and has recently been making big changes on the mountain as well as being the front runner on other ways to reduce their carbon footprint. 2007 will mark the fifth season where Mount Sunapee has had an anti-idling program on the mountain. The winter of 2007 will also be bringing biodiesel to the fleet vehicles as well as the heating for the lodge and 19 new energy efficient snowmaking guns.

Pats Peak
Pats Peak in Henniker also attended the Green Slopes Workshop in 2007 and is making some updates to the facility. In the fall of 2007, Pats Peak rolled out their anti-idling campaign on the mountain.

Ragged Mountain
Ragged Mountain located in Danbury, has made tremendous strides to reduce their carbon footprint since the Green Slopes Workshop. The day after the workshop, their idling reduction plan went into effect. Within the next month, the mountain had plans to use biodiesel for all fleet vehicles, golf carts and other engines. Ragged has updated all of the other infrastructure as well such as implementing energy efficient snow guns, seeking certification from the Audubon International and promoting an energy efficient building.

Waterville Valley
Waterville Valley located in Waterville Valley has implemented an anti-idling policy for the 07/08 Season.