Colorado’s iconic alpine ski resorts are used to wild changes in weather — from massive blizzards to snow droughts in the 1970s that left hills bare in February.

But how will they handle the long-term warming trends expected from climate change?

Higher temperatures will become more common at the beginning and end of the season, scientists say. Those warmer temperatures will result in rain increasingly replacing snowfall in the fall and spring, especially at lower elevations. Snow will melt faster in the spring, chipping away at late-season ski days. Changes are already noticeable outside the core winter months.

In a three-part series, The Denver Post is exploring the impact of climate change on the world-renowned ski industry that brings billions of dollars to Colorado. We spoke with climate scientists, skiers, industry groups, giant ski corporations and small independent resorts about the future of snow sports in Colorado. We examined scientific studies to learn more about projected impacts to our snowpack and explored state lobbying records to see how ski companies are engaging in the political conversation around climate change.

Here’s what we learned.

Colorado ski season could be several weeks shorter by 2050 as climate warms

Average temperatures across Colorado have already risen 2 degrees since 1980. We spoke with climate scientists to find out how continued climate change will affect Colorado’s mountain snow, including impacts to early- and late-season skiing and changes to the quality of snow.Read more►

With less-reliable powder days, Colorado ski resorts invest in snowmaking, push preseason pass sales

Colorado’s ski resorts are already preparing for a less predictable future — and the potential loss of millions in lift ticket revenue. To weatherproof their income, the companies are investing in snowmaking and promoting pass and ticket sales before snow begins to fall, among other strategies.Read more►

Colorado’s ski resorts face an existential threat — and a growing call for climate action

The big ski companies all agree that climate change is a threat to the multibillion-dollar industry. But the volume of their calls for policy change has varied. While some Colorado-based companies see it as their responsibility to loudly advocate for the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, others have taken a quieter approach.Read more►

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