We Paid a Visit to the World’s Most Sustainable Ski Resort

Like most of its European peers, SkiWelt comes with all of the amenities you’d expect from a world-class ski destination: 90 lifts, 80 mountain huts and nearly 175 miles of groomed slopes. What makes it unique, though, is all the blood, sweat and money the ski resort has invested into sustainability over the last 20 years, from solar lifts to green groomers and efficient snowmakers. 

As the largest interconnected ski area in Austria — a consortium of nine villages that collaborate on lift tickets, services and experiences — SkiWelt is often overlooked by foreigners for iconic destinations in France, Switzerland and Italy. But that’s a mistake. Beyond expansive terrain and an average snowfall over nine feet, guests get to ski with the knowledge that they’re supporting the sport’s greener future.

With the entire resort powered by renewables and a litany of other green innovations, SkiWelt has won over a dozen awards for its sustainability efforts. Even the small details have been refined and improved, like free buses to cut down on cars, free car-charging with a lift ticket and energy recovery from chairlift braking. Here’s what I learned during an all-access pilgrimage to the ski resort.

Hydropower

For more than 20 years, SkiWelt has been run entirely on renewables, with the vast majority of energy coming from hydropower. With 17 reservoirs and a power station about 12 miles away, the resort actually makes more power than it needs. But they put this power to good use: New chairlifts and gondolas utilize energy-recovery systems that feed power back into the grid when braking.

Snowmaking

Every slope at SkiWelt has been measured down to the exact centimeter in the summer, allowing the resort to move snow much more precisely in the winter. Every groomer has a GPS system onboard and uses it for a snow-depth measurement, deciding where snow is still needed and where it can be borrowed from. All told, this saves over 25% in snowmaking resources, like water and energy.

Water

SkiWelt pumps water from its 17 reservoirs to create snow in the winter. These reservoirs are integrated into the landscape, naturally refiling in the spring when the snow melts and rains come. Thus, the water in the valley is recycled organically. This cycle keeps the water pure and the native slope plants alive. Plus, many mountain huts use renewable biomass instead of fossil fuels for heating.

Travel

With a nonstop bus to Munich, SkiWelt is able to eliminate emissions from thousands of cars annually. Additionally, night trains to Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm and London reduce longer road trips, further mitigating the negative byproducts of skiers making their way to the resort. SkiWelt also offers shuttle buses from all accommodations to the slopes, reducing emissions at the resort itself.

Solar

In 2008, SkiWelt built the first solar-powered lift in the world. At the time, for comparison, in the entire Austrian state of Tyrol, where SkiWelt is located, there were only three electric cars. Many of the resort’s lifts and facilities now have solar panels, creating a collective system that generates around 12,000 kilowatt hours per year — enough to produce a surplus to feed back into the grid.

Ski-Touring the Southern Wallowas, the “Swiss Alps of Oregon”

Backcountry yurts, snowboard charcuterie and not another soul in sight

Groomers

To make their groomers more efficient, SkiWelt has implemented several updates, starting with the GPS system for snow depth and measurement. Additionally, the synthetic fuel used in their machines burns cleaner than conventional fuels; and the groomers will soon transition to a diesel substitute made from waste products.

Charging

Across the nine resorts that make up SkiWelt, there are 27 charging stations for electric vehicles, which encourage guests to drive EVs on their trip. As a bonus, guests who buy lift tickets are able to charge their cars for free. Most of the vehicle fleet at SkiWelt is electric, too, further reducing the impact of the resort. Collectively, SkiWelt sets the standard for sustainability in the ski industry, reducing their own impact while setting up incentives and options for guests to do the same.

What to Pack

• Scott SEA 108 Skis: One of the most versatile, fun and stylish pair of skis to launch this year, the new SEA was designed for a playful style of skiing, in the park, off pillows, slarving turns and everything slushy. That said, I still found them capable of charging downhill and holding an edge when necessary, on and off piste.

• Salmon Radium Pro Sigma Goggles: With a super-wide field of view and impressive anti-fog technology, the new Radium Pro goggles are great on storm days and beach days alike. The lenses are easy to swap and the fit is so comfortable I almost forget they were on my face all day.

• Peak Design Outdoor Backpack: Launched last year, the Outdoor Backpack has become my go-to for every type of trip, from skiing to work to photo projects on other continents. Designed to handle a wide variety of adventures, the backpack has ample pockets and expandable design that allows me to pack my gear in an almost endless amount of ways. Everything down to the smallest detail has been perfected.

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