RESORT PROFILE
All of their new goals will
contribute to their overall goal of
becoming completely carbon
neutral by 2025.
pable of generating 8.26 kW of energy and provides approximately
95 percent of the energy that building uses.
As far as A-Basin management has determined, the solar
panel at the summit is the highest mounted one at a ski area
anywhere in the world and the second highest of any location
in U.S. (the solar panel installed in Hawaii’s Mauna Kea
Observatories is located about 13,800 feet high).
“Adding solar panels, as is the case with any project we
undertake up here, is a challenge because we’re up so high,”
Nathan said. “Installing solar panels on a building at almost
13,000 feet up definitely seemed like a challenge, but the
solar installers made it a pretty smooth process. The workers
installed them by hand and carried them up to the roof
and put them in place. Dealing with new snowfall has been
a challenge, because the snow can sit on top of the solar
panels. Sometimes you have to climb to the roof and shovel
off the snow.”
Most recently, A-Basin was able to begin sourcing 100 percent
of its snowmaking electricity use, about 20 percent of
the area’s total usage, directly from solar energy through Xcel
Energy’s Renewable Connect program. The large chunk of renewable
energy procured through this program, along with
Xcel’s commitment to adding more renewables to the Colorado
energy grid, will help continue to emphasize renewable
power at the ski area.
A-Basin has also worked hard to incorporate its sustainability
message into its kids’ lessons and programs with Ace’s
Wild Adventure. Situated in several areas across the mountain,
these educational signs offer information pertaining
to local plants, animals and mountain ecosystems in kidfriendly
terms. The areas correspond to collector cards that
kids can accumulate over the course of their ski or ride lessons
and challenge young skiers to cultivate a strong environmental
ethic with fun and easy sustainability efforts.
Sustainability recognition
Over the years A-Basin has been recognized for its sustainability
projects. In 2014, the National Ski Areas Association
awarded A-Basin with the Golden Eagle – Waste Reduction
award, recognizing the ski area’s strong waste reduction efforts
through recycling, composting and implementing reusable
dishware and cutlery.
In 2017, A-Basin received the Outstanding Business Recycling
Program award from the Colorado Association for Recycling.
The award is given annually to the Colorado business
best exemplifying both community leadership in and strong
commitment to innovation in their waste reduction efforts.
Moving forward, Nathan said A-Basin has some more exciting
initiatives planned. The company has set a goal of using
100 percent renewable energy and diverting 75 percent of its
PHOTO COURTESY OF ARAPAHOE BASIN SKI AREA (ASHLEY OJALA) 8 Jan/Feb 2019 | snowopsmag.com
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