Best and Worst Eco-Friendly Ski Resorts
By: Jenny Bengen on 10 26, 2009

It’s almost ski season! If you’re a skier, you might have heard about the Ski Area Citizen’s Coalition, a group that creates an annual report on the environmental friendliness of ten different Western ski resorts in the U.S. Regardless, you’re hopefully interested to find out about the country’s most and least environmentally conscious ski resorts, right? Here’s a list, courtesy of the Ski Area Citizen’s Coalition:
THE BEST:
# Name Grade
1 (A) Squaw Valley USA - California 89.7%
2 (A) Aspen Mountain Ski Resort - Colorado 86.1%
3 (A) Buttermilk Mountain Ski Resort - Colorado 85.7%
4 (A) Sugar Bowl Ski Resort - California 82.3%
5 (A) Sundance Resort - Utah 82.2%
6 (A) Alpine Meadows Ski Area - California 82.0%
7 (A) Park City Mountain Resort - Utah 81.7%
8 (A) Bogus Basin Mountain Resort - Idaho 81.3%
9 (A) Aspen Highlands Ski Resort - Colorado 80.3%
10 (A) Powderhorn Resort - Colorado 79.4%
THE WORST:
# Name Grade
1 (D) Breckenridge Ski Resort - Colorado 41.5%
2 (D) Copper Mountain Ski Resort - Colorado 45.0%
3 (D) White Pass Ski Area - Washington 47.0%
4 (D) Sun Valley Resort - Idaho 47.4%
5 (D) Arizona Snowbowl - Arizona 47.4%
6 (D) Brundage Mountain Resort - Idaho 49.3%
7 (D) Crystal Mountain Ski Area - Washington 51.6%
8 (D) Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard - Nevada 53.9%
9 (D) Brian Head Resort - Utah 54.0%
10 (D) Silver Mountain Ski Resort - Idaho 54.8%
These ratings weren’t just random - they were based on 16 different factors (they added a handful more factors this year). Check out this article for more detailed information, as well as this page from the SACC website. Just something to keep in mind as you anticipate your ski season this year - there are ways to make hitting the white slopes are more green experience.
Photo: Joao Maximo






















