Ski Travel: Six Eco-Conscious Ski Resorts

Want to minimise the carbon footprint of your next ski trip? Jordan Tiernan highlights a few of the resorts leading the way for sustainable winter travel.

Zermatt, Switzerland

Known for its car-free resorts and some of the largest glaciers in the Alps, Switzerland has been a leader in the environmental debate for decades. And Zermatt, we’d argue, is one of its finest examples. Dropping off your car at Täsch – or, better yet, arriving here by train from Geneva – you then board a stunning mountain railway that winds up the valley with typical Swiss efficiency and deposits you in this picture-perfect alpine town. 

Zermatt makes use of specific electric vehicles (and a slick bus network) to get around, helping to reduce air pollution and generally keeping the streets pedestrian-and-bike friendly. The whole resort is tightly packed, with lifts heading in all directions, so access to one of the many mountain areas requires only a short bus ride or walk. As well as eliminating gas guzzlers, Zermatt has invested heavily in renewable energy sources as a sustainable way to keep their lifts turning. Solar panels cover many of the lift stations, making the most of their sun-bathed alpine locations, while hydropower provides a substantial boost to the local grid.

Skiwelt, Austria

Austria’s largest interconnected ski resort, SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental is the winner of plenty of environmental awards and can lay claim to the world’s oldest solar-powered ski lift: the Brixen ‘Sonnenlift’ (Sun Lift). Opened in 2008, the Sonnenlift is covered in large 
photovoltaic panels that provide around 12,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity every year – in fact it provides a small surplus of energy which is pumped back into the grid.

These days, SkiWelt powers all 83 of its lifts from renewable energy. Sustainable heating has also been tackled, with the resort using a heat recovery system to warm both the lift stations and restaurants. Meanwhile, the resort’s extensive snow-making system is among the most efficient in the world. It’s all based on clever use of GPS that maps every contour of the mountains during summer. This allows the snow-making team to know the exact depth of the snowpack beneath each piste and ensure that they’re not making too little, or too much, snow.

Pyhä, Finland

Heading further north, Pyhä Ski Resort in Finland has the ambitious aim of becoming the world’s cleanest ski destination. Situated in Lapland, the area already benefits from some of the cleanest air on earth, but sadly it’s also on the frontline of the climate crisis, having experienced warming nearly three times faster than the global average. Pyhä is working hard to combat this trend. The resort initiated an environmental responsibility programme in 2008 which has led to an impressive 90% reduction in direct CO2 emissions, and since 2011 it has been carbon-neutral. 

“Pyhä has the ambitious aim of becoming the world’s cleanest ski destination”

The programme was expanded in 2019 to encompass environmental, social, and financial dimensions, most notably investing a remarkable 75% of profits into operational development. Finally, Pyhä has taken a ‘Scottish’ approach to their snowmaking. By flanking their pistes with fences, they are able to catch snow that would’ve otherwise been blown away and spread it across the runs, reducing the need for snow cannons.

Chamonix, France

As the Mer de Glace – the largest glacier in France – continues its rapid retreat above Chamonix, this legendary alpine town needs no further reminder of the urgent need for climate action. Indeed, the locals are determined to use their own experience as a lesson to the world, with a new 53 million euro gondola planned to take people from Montenvers to the foot of the Mer de Glace. 

Here, they can witness first hand the speed and effects of global warming at a ‘Glacier and Climate Interpretation Centre’ – set to be complete by the end of 2023. In terms of day-to-day skiing operations, Chamonix has recently introduced an innovative climate and energy action plan that aims to reduce the carbon emissions of its piste bashers (the only part of the resort’s infrastructure that is still reliant on fossil fuels). 

Public transport has also received welcome investment, helping to ferry skiers and snowboarders up and down previously hard-to-access parts of the valley (we’re looking at you, Vallorcine). This commitment to sustainability has earned Chamonix the prestigious ‘Flocon Vert’ (Green Snowflake), an award designed to shine a light on mountain destinations that are doing their best in the fight against climate change.

Saas-Fee, Switzerland

Surrounded by some of the biggest and meanest 4,000-metre peaks in the Alps, Saas-Fee also stands taller than its peers as the first resort to achieve full carbon neutrality. This is thanks in part to its longstanding ban on cars at village level (a policy implemented way back in 1951), relying instead on buses and electric taxis. The resort is also powered by a hydroelectric plant, while particle filters have been fitted to all chimneys in an effort to trap any nasty chemicals released from wood-burning heaters.

The town’s eco-consciousness hasn’t gone unnoticed, either. Winner of the gold ‘Energy City’ label in 2021, Saas-Fee has set a benchmark for all other ski resorts. This prestigious European award goes to municipalities that develop a sustainable energy policy, and requires recipients to complete 75% of their measures before receiving certification – including disposal of rubbish, climate education, green buildings and eco-friendly mobility.

Scottish Resorts, UK

While their efforts at solar power or traffic reduction might not match those of the continental resorts above, we couldn’t tackle the subject of eco-friendly skiing without mentioning the fantastic resorts we have available on our own doorstep. With rail and public transport access – and certainly no need to fly – a ski trip within the British Isles is a great way to get your winter fix while minimising your carbon footprint. 

The five Highland resorts of Glencoe, Glenshee, Cairngorm Mountain, Nevis Range and The Lecht are all worthy of a visit. One of them (Nevis Range) receives the majority of its power from hydro and achieved Carbon Neutral Status in 2021; it is now targeting zero waste.

“A ski trip within The British Isles is a great way to get your winter fix”

Keep an open mind, an adaptable plan and an optimistic outlook on an otherwise ‘iffy’ weather forecast, and Scotland can provide some truly epic conditions without crossing the Channel.

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