‘Labor of love’ motivates scrappy nordic ski club in North Cascades 

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Salmon Ridge Sno-Park is the main trailhead to access some 14 miles of forest roads maintained by the Nooksack Nordic Ski Club for groomed skiing, plus many more miles of ungroomed backcountry trails. Founded in 1992 by a group of Whatcom County cross-country enthusiasts, the volunteer club has cultivated a small but mighty nordic community in an unforgiving setting that receives snow and rain in seemingly equal measure. A UW Climate Impacts Group report is mentioned. 

How climate change will impact recreation in the Pacific Northwest

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As the seasons change in Washington state from winter to spring, you can almost hear the collective cheers at the promise of warmer weather and sunnier days. For some, though, this time of year also marks the dreaded end of winter fun, as snow starts melting on the Pacific Northwest’s tallest peaks. But how will climate change affect outdoor recreation, not only during these transitional periods but throughout the year? And what can we expect in the coming years and decades? Dr. Amy Snover is quoted.

“The future isn’t written, meaning we don’t know exactly what will happen. We have already set some climate change impacts in motion, but how bad it is on the ground here in the Northwest depends on how quickly we act to reverse it.” 

– Dr. Amy Snover

CIG’s Director Discusses Warming & the Future of PNW Snow

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CIG science was featured in a recent article by CrossCut focusing on skiing and snow making in Washington state. Our research shows that the average length of the snow season will decrease by up to 46 percent by the 2040s, compared to historical averages. We will also experience more precipitation falling as rain. For the ski industry, this means a need to plan for ways to produce “human-made snow”.