Reclaimed Water into Snow: State Approves Recycled Water for Snowmaking at Big Sky Resort, MT Conservation groups applaud first-ever permit for a public ski area in Montana. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has issued final approval of Spanish Peaks’ application to use highly treated recycled water for base layer snowmaking at Big Sky Resort. This process will improve the quality of snow and the early and late-season ski experience, in addition to recharging […] Industry News Press Release | October 8, 2025 0 Comments
How to Be a More Sustainable Skier How to Be a More Sustainable Skier With climate change at the forefront of everyone’s mind these days, it’s no surprise that the ski and snowboard industry is working hard to reduce its environmental impact. Resorts across the world are implementing more sustainable methods of snow production, lift power, and transportation. But what can you do as an individual to […] Brains Brent Thomas | July 14, 2025 0 Comments
How Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Will Affect the Ski Industry The Big Beautiful Bill, which is currently being voted on by the Senate, has drastic implications for the ski industry if it is passed. Even though much of the public lands that were being sold off in earlier versions of the bill have been removed, there are still many ways in which this massive piece of legislation could have a […] Industry News Elliot LeBlanc | July 1, 2025 0 Comments
The Supreme Court Changed the National Environmental Protection Act. Here’s What It Means For The Ski Industry The United States Supreme Court recently issued a ruling in Seven County County Infrastructure Coalition vs. Eagle County, which drastically changes how the highest court in the land views the National Environmental Protection Act, or NEPA. These changes could have profound implications for anyone who uses public lands, whether for recreating or for business, including the ski industry. The case, […] Industry News Zach Armstrong | June 17, 2025 1 Comment
SnowBrains Podcast Ep. 84 | Hilary Eisen – Policy Director for the Winter Wildlands Alliance This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med. Hilary Eisen is the Policy Director for the Winter Wildlands Alliance and is a passionate backcountry skier and ice climber. In her role at Winter Wildlands Alliance, she leads the organization’s policy work, focusing on the protection of wild winter landscapes while advocating for quality human-powered snowsports experiences. […] Podcasts Podcast | April 15, 2025 0 Comments
Ski Lift Staff at Falls Creek, Australia, Holds Clean-Up Event Ski Lift staff at Falls Creek, Australia, recently joined a clean-up event in Falls Creek, to keep the beautiful village looking great. Over 35 staff attended the event and collected a huge amount of rubbish that was sorted into recycling and general waste. The litter was collected from the carparking areas, the base of Halley’s Comet chairlift and right throughout the […] Industry News Oz Brains | August 17, 2023 0 Comments
Beach Clean Up Gathers a Staggering 8,559 Pounds of Trash at Lake Tahoe, CA, After Independence Day Shocking pictures are coming from Lake Tahoe, California, where 4th of July holiday visitors have seemingly had a good time but decided to just leave all their trash behind. It is a sad sight to behold and looks more like pictures from a third-world country’s garbage dump. The blatant disregard for Mother Nature and the fragile environment is not a […] Industry News Julia Schneemann | July 5, 2023 2 Comments
Gear Review: The Eco-Friendly, Ultra-Sporty Sunski Treeline Sunglasses The Sunski Treeline polarized sunglasses are for people who like high-velocity sports and the environment. Made from a ‘SuperLight‘ recycled plastic that Sunski came up with themselves and backed by their lifetime warranty, The Treelines are eco-consciously sexy. The award-winning Treeline is part of Sunski’s glacier sunglasses line with extreme coverage and sun protection. A unisex style that looks great on […] Gear SnowBrains | May 8, 2023 0 Comments
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Accepts Nominations for the 2023 Lake Spirit Awards Until April 28, 2023 Sometimes large restoration projects can overshadow the daily efforts of everyday people working to protect Lake Tahoe. From hosting trash cleanups to installing erosion control measures, individuals’ actions can collectively have a huge impact on the environment. Awards recognizing people exhibiting a special dedication to conserving the lake are now open for nominations. The 2023 Lake Spirit Awards will honor […] Industry News SnowBrains | March 22, 2023 0 Comments
Outdoor Recreation Industry Valued at $862 Billion: This is Why We Love (and Spend so Much on) Nature The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has just made a powerful discovery that the outdoor recreation industry is now worth 862 billion dollars. The outdoor industry is worth more than the oil and gas industry by almost 750 billion dollars but it doesn’t just provide for the economy it provides an additional 4.5 million jobs. […] Brains Oliver Lund | November 20, 2022 0 Comments
Incentives Offered For Disposing of Harmful Fluoro Ski Wax in Colorado Many skiers and snowboarders care about the environment. Not only has climate change been at the forefront of our minds, but also eliminating toxic chemicals from our environment. Fluoro wax, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, that are commonly used in ski waxes can be toxic to the environment and do not biodegrade. This means as the wax wears off, we are leaving […] Industry News Brent Thomas | May 2, 2022 0 Comments
EcoSki: A New Sustainable Ski Wear Rental Platform Skiing, which heavily relies on the environment to function, just got met with a sustainable ski wear rental platform. The company, known as EcoSki, is a self-proclaimed “contemporary, sustainable skiwear rental service.” The rental philosophy this brand presents is nothing short of genius. Even if you live in a major ski state such as Colorado, skiing is only realistic for […] Industry News Breya Bergom | September 1, 2021 2 Comments
AI-Powered Tools Aid in Early Wildfire Detection AI, or artificial intelligence, has long been heralded as a solution to many of humanity’s most pressing issues, but now thanks to the work of a California teenager, AI wildfire detection is being put to work preventing fires in sensitive environments. The system, created by 14-year-old Ryan Honory, uses an array of interconnected fire detectors and mini meteorological stations to […] Lucas Gauthier | July 9, 2021 0 Comments
Microplastics Found in Snow in Siberia, Russia Researchers recently found microplastic pollution in Siberia, one of the world’s most remote areas. These recent findings are another example of human pollution permeating the environment. Related: USGS Report: “It’s Raining Plastic”: Microplastics in the Mountains? At Tomsk State University, researchers found airborne plastic fibers in snow samples taken from twenty different Siberian regions. Snow sampled from the Altai Mountains, […] Brains Alex Mangels | March 25, 2021 0 Comments
California’s Unpredictable Climate Could Forecast A Future With No Snow A massive snowstorm is currently hitting the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe region dumping three to six feet of snow by the end of the week. A few weeks ago, the region was ravaged by high winds and dry conditions which sparked wildfires throughout California. This dramatic shift in the region’s climate is only expected to get worse, and this “precipitation […] Weather Nick Retterer | January 29, 2021 0 Comments
Tahoe Fund Donors Meet Tahoe Blue Vodka’s $100,000 Match to Clean Up the Lake The Tahoe Fund announced today that Tahoe Blue Vodka’s generous $100,000 match has been met, allowing the nonprofit Clean Up The Lake to begin its massive effort to remove trash around all 72-miles of Lake Tahoe this spring. Support to meet the match was overwhelming, with more than 135 businesses and people donating to the cause, including $25,000 from Vail […] SnowBrains | January 6, 2021 0 Comments
Australia Proposes Year-Round Concrete Runway for Antarctica Vast, untouched, pristine, frigid; these are a few words that come to mind for me when picturing Antarctica. I’ve always thought of it as the last frontier on Earth, where nature is still the dominating force and human presence is minimal and restricted. Human presence in Antarctica isn’t new, but a controversial new development proposal is on the horizon. Related: […] Industry News Taylor Stephan | July 21, 2020 0 Comments
US Forest Service Memo Proposes More Logging, Mining And Oil The US Forest Service (USFS) released a memo which proposes to increase the usage of public land for more useful purposes, and environmental groups are concerned. Bosses at USFS seek approval of logging, drilling, mining on public lands to be quicker. They want to increase the productivity of National Forests and Grasslands, value Nation’s grazing heritage and National Grasslands, increasing […] Brains Rouchelle Gilmore | July 8, 2020 2 Comments
The United States Can Reach 90% Renewable Energy With No Added Cost by 2035 Many scientists and academics have argued over how long it would take the United States to reach 100% renewable energy production. It is extremely hard for a fossil fuel-based economy to completely convert to renewables, which is why it is more important to focus on how much of our production can be switched instead of figuring out when we can […] Alex Camerino | June 23, 2020 2 Comments
Blasts Cause Mining Companies To Help Update Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act Plans to destroy dozens of sacred sites in Western Australia as part of a major mine operation are on hold. Following backlash over the Rio Tinto’s blasting of two 46,000-year-old sacred Aboriginal caves in the Pilbara in late May. WA’s Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt said on Twitter last week the blast was a “terrible outcome,” resultant from legislation that […] Brains Rouchelle Gilmore | June 12, 2020 2 Comments
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