Ski Areas Research Articles

THE EFFECT OF REMOVING MAN-MADE JUMPS FROM SNOW-PARKS ON THE RISK OF SEVERE SKI-PATROL REPORTED INJURIES SUSTAINED BY SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS

BackgroundEvidence indicates that snow-park (SP) injuries are more severe than injuries on regular slopes. This prompted two major ski areas in the province of Québec, Canada, to remove all man-made...

RISK FACTORS FOR BODY REGION SPECIFIC INJURIES IN SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS

BackgroundLittle is known about risk factors (e.g., wrist guards, binding adjustment, equipment ownership) for body region specific skiing/snowboarding injuries.ObjectiveIdentify risk factors for body region specific injuries and severe injuries in...

HELMET USE AMONG SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA

BackgroundThere is little information on ski/snowboard helmet prevalence at ski areas in southern Alberta, with no published reports on correct helmet fit or helmet standards.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of helmet...

Adapting to climate change: perceptions of vulnerability of down-hill ski area operators in Southern and Middle Finland

Climate change is likely to affect the tourism sector, particularly areas, such as snow-based tourism, that are directly dependent on climate and weather conditions. Especially vulnerable are low-lying ski areas. This study identifies the climatic factors that are crucial for economically successful operation of low-lying ski areas in Southern and Middle Finland and contemplates how these factors are seen to change with climate change. The study then analyses the preferences for and perceptions of adaptation strategies of downhill ski operators in terms of the adaptation measures they can implement or are willing to take. The findings indicate that climatic conditions set preconditions for the operation of the ski areas, but short-term operational prospects and inter-annual variability in weather conditions rather than foreseen changes in climatic conditions guide the operational decisions of the ski area operators. A key adaptation strategy to respond to uncertain snow conditions is artificial snowmaking, which lowers the vulnerability of the areas to the impacts of climate change too.

Does artificial snow production pay under future climate conditions? – A case study for a vulnerable ski area in Austria

The prospects of increasing temperatures, a growing frequency of snow scarce winter seasons and rising energy prices raise questions about the future profitability of snowmaking. Therefore, we carry out a cost–revenue analysis of snowmaking based on projected daily snowmaking hours and visitor numbers until 2050 for a case study site in Austria. The results show that ski area operators are at risk of facing a substantial increase in total energy costs due to expected rising electricity costs, although the total amount of snowmaking hours is projected to slightly decrease because of shrinking feasible time for snowmaking (considering current snowmaking infrastructure). In the long run ski visitor numbers are projected to decline due to decreasing overall snow depths. Overall, the profitability analysis of skiing operations reveals that price increases in ski lift tickets, slightly higher than observed in the recent past, will be inevitable in order to keep skiing operations profitable in future.

How successful is the resolution of land-use conflicts? A comparison of cases from Switzerland and Romania

Land-use conflicts are complex disputes that involve heterogeneous parties as well as environmental and social impacts that are often difficult to resolve. The measures and definitions of success in land-use conflict resolution still need further research. We investigated four cases of land-use conflicts in two countries, Switzerland (CH) and Romania (RO): a connection between two ski areas (CH), a ski track in a national park (RO), a residential project in a sensitive natural area (CH) and a residential project in an area with poor urban facilities and planning (RO). We developed a framework to assess the cases, and used it to address the following research questions: ‘How successful is the resolution of land-use conflicts in these four cases?’ and ‘Which factors contribute to success or failure?’. The assessment was based on criteria and subcriteria related to conflict management and conflict-solving conditions. To identify the criteria and subcriteria that contributed most to successful resolution and to rank the cases we used the Analytic Network Process. Our results showed that Switzerland was more successful in the resolution process than Romania due to more emphasis on sustainability and equity. The low scores of the Romanian cases resulted from the poor implementation of spatial plans and poor enforcement of environmental regulations, little interest in environmental protection and a preference for quick economic returns, and little importance attached to public participation in the decision-making process. For conflict-resolution to be successful our findings indicate that it is important to foster not only economic aspects but also long-term ecological benefits and to take into consideration people's needs. This study should help planners as it identifies key elements for the successful resolution of land-use conflicts to achieve the best use of land.

Dny na monoski 2013 – Příklad propagace APA pro širokou veřejnost

Actions implemented in the four ski areas in Bohemia and Moravia had two main objectives. The first was to attract skiing especially those people with disabilities who have never ski on monoski to create the positive attachment to the sport, or other incentives to operate. The second objective was to present monoskiing to public. First, through media campaigns on the web, on billboards and radio. Either directly in the ski areas that gave them the opportunity to experience firsthand skiing monoski interested from the healthy skiers. All costs were covered by the APA Center and event partners. The whole series of events met with great success for both target groups and is already seeing the requirements for repeating events in at least the same, if not more widely. The biggest challenge is to connect with the commercial sector, which in the case of adapted physical activities is not very common phenomenon.

Climate Change Impact Assessment of Ski Tourism in Tyrol

Climate change poses a serious threat to the highly snow-dependent ski tourism industry. In this paper the potential impacts of climate change on ski areas in Tyrol (Austria, Italy) are investigated. A ski season and snowmaking simulation model ‘SkiSim2’ was applied to 111 ski areas. Model results suggest that all ski areas could ensure a 100-days season until the 2030s to the 2040s (high/low emission scenario) assuming a 100% snowmaking coverage and state-of-the-art snowmaking system. The Christmas holidays are a particularly sensitive season period, where already in the 2020s some ski areas do not fulfil economic thresholds. A warming greater than 3°C would force most ski areas to close their business not considering developments in snowmaking technology and economic thresholds of snowmaking costs. Regarding the snow demand to ensure a 100-days season independent of any technological limits, snow production would have to be multiplied by up to a factor of 4. It is questionable whether all ski areas will be able to afford the increasing snowmaking costs and therefore the most vulnerable regions should rethink their touristic positioning.

The Sensitivity of Austrian Ski Areas to Climate Change

Climate change is expected to have severe impacts on Austrian ski areas. This paper aims to address the limitations of existing studies by incorporating snowmaking in a sensitivity assessment with warming scenarios of up to 4°C conducted for 228 ski areas. A set of three indicators is used: the 100-day rule, a Christmas indicator and a season opening indicator. In the reference period 1961–90 the 100-day rule is fulfilled in 96% of the ski areas. A warming of 1°C, 2°C and 4°C would reduce this share to 81%, 57% and 18%, respectively. Ski operations over Christmas and New Year holidays, however, can be guaranteed only in 77% (reference period), 57% (+1°C), 33% (+2°C) and 9% (+4°C) of the ski areas. The most affected ski areas are located in Upper and Lower Austria and Styria. In a +2°C scenario, more than half of the ski areas would need to at least double the amount of technically produced snow. The model results demonstrate the importance of snowmaking as an adaptive tool to deal with climate variability and change, but also show the physical limits of current snowmaking technology.

Mountain hares Lepus timidus and tourism: stress events and reactions

Summary Winter tourism in the European Alps has developed rapidly over the past few decades, leading to the expansion of ski resorts, growing numbers of visitors and a massive increase in snow sport activities such as free‐ride skiing and snowboarding, backcountry skiing and snowshoeing. Wildlife is often disturbed by these largely unpredictable activities, and animals may have limited opportunities to adapt. Mountain hares Lepus timidus are affected by this increase in alpine tourism, but their physiological and behavioural reactions to tourist activity are still unknown. We measured the levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) in wild mountain hares living in areas that had no, medium or high levels of tourist activity during winter in 2011. Furthermore, we compared the changes in GCM excretion, behaviour and food intake of six captive mountain hares following predator challenge experiments from early to mid‐winter. Our field results showed that GCM excretion is positively correlated with increased tourism intensity. In the predator challenge experiments, hares spent less time resting and grooming (including re‐ingesting faecal pellets) during and after the stress treatments. These stress events lead to higher energy demands due to flushing, increased GCM levels, and disrupted the energy intake that hares derive from faeces. We conclude that mountain hares living in areas with frequent human winter recreational activities show changes in physiology and behaviour that demand additional energy in winter, when access to food resources is limited by snow. Synthesis and applications. To bring down the frequency of stress threats for mountain hares, we recommend that managers keep forests inhabited by mountain hares free of tourism infrastructure and retain undisturbed forest patches within skiing areas. Other species such as black grouse Tetrao tetrix and/or capercaillie Tetrao urogallus are also likely to benefit from such management activities because they share similar habitat requirements with mountain hares.

Injury Patterns in Recreational Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding at a Mountainside Clinic

The purpose of this study was to examine the demographic and injury characteristics of skiing and snowboarding at a mountainside clinic. Prospectively collected data of all acutely injured patients at the Big Sky Medical Clinic at the base of Big Sky Ski Area in the Northern Rocky Mountains were reviewed. A total of 1593 patients filled out the study questionnaire during the 1995-2000 and 2009-2010 ski seasons. Injury patterns by sport, demographics, and skill level were analyzed and compared over time. The mean overall age was 32.9 ± 14.9 years, 35.4 ± 15.2 for skiers and 23.6 ± 9.5 for snowboarders (P < .01). The knee accounted for 43% of all skiing injuries, the shoulder 12%, and the thumb 8%. The wrist accounted for 18% of all snowboarding injuries, the shoulders 14%, and the ankle and knee each 13%. Beginner snowboarders were more likely to present with wrist injuries compared with intermediate (P = .04) and advanced snowboarders (P < .01). Demographic and injury patterns did not significantly change over time. At this mountainside clinic, the most frequent ski injuries are to the knee and shoulder, regardless of skill level. Beginning snowboarders most frequently injure their wrists whereas shoulder injuries remain frequent at all skill levels. Knowledge of these injury patterns may help manage patients who present for medical care in the prehospital setting as well as help in designing targeted educational tools for injury prevention.

Climate change perceptions and responses in Scotland's ski industry

The negative impacts of climate change for the ski industry have been well documented. However, research has largely focused on key ski markets in North America and Continental Europe. The study presented in this paper addresses climate change perceptions and responses in the more marginal ski destination of Scotland. Using a qualitative, interpretivist methodology, this paper contributes through a local-scale, single-site study of a ski area where technical adaptations are not utilised and which therefore relies on business responses to climate change. Findings suggest that while local weather is perceived to be a large and unmanageable risk to the industry, and a downward trend is identified in terms of snow reliability, these risks are not perceived to be connected to the wider anthropogenic climate change discourse. Waiting for knowledge to increase before taking adaptive action appears to be the most popular business strategy; however, autonomous adaptation is taking place in the form of business diversification, which mitigates against risks including, but not limited to, climate change. This paper concludes that experiences and perceptions of climate change will be highly localised and as a result so too will adaptive behaviours. Marginal ski destinations such as Scotland will be facing a range of non-climatic impacts which will contribute to their contextual vulnerability to climate change and capacity to adapt.

Water quality and biotic community composition of a highland stream influenced by different human activities

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of different human activities on water quality and benthos composition in the Ošetnice Stream that is located in the Western Carpathian Mountains. During the whole period of our monitoring, the high concentrations of dissolved oxygen and low content of organic matters were determined. Upstream part of the Ošetnice Stream is affected by long term building activities concerning railway tunnels and by the motorway along the stream that is in winter chemically treated to assure negotiability. Ski area situated close to the stream was used 110 days during the monitored period. Average daily visit was 590 persons. In winter, when road salting was used, concentrations of chlorides, sodium and calcium were noticeably increased in the stream tributaries which had an impact on monitored water parameters. Water quality assessment using macrozoobenthos and phytobenthos indices revealed the environmental state in a range from moderate to good. Decrease of salmonid community in the stream corresponds to start of road use in the year 2002. Salt applied in winter period to ensure road negotiability affected significantly water chemistry of the monitored stream. Deterioration of environmental conditions is mainly due to human activities; nevertheless self-cleaning ability of the stream is high and ensure a fast degradation of pollutants. Thus the biotic communities (except fish) of the Ošetnice Stream have to adapt to changes of the environment within the year.

The Characteristics of the Ski Domains from the Romanian Carpathians

Most of the Romanian ski tracks have been equipped in the mountain areas, at altitudes lower than 1500 m, in the proximity of human areas. The most relevant indicator of the development of ski lands in Romania is given by the total length of the ski tracks which, in 2010, was 168 km. Without any further references to other constituents of the tourism infrastructure from this field, one can say that the Romanian ski area is characterised by an insufficient development of ski tracks. In the Romanian Carpathians, the average density of the ski tracks is about 2 m/km, with important variations in different mountain areas. The most equipped and developed ski domain from Romania (26% from the total length of the ski tracks) is located in the Curvature Carpathians area, in the territory of Prahova and Brasov counties. The development of this area was initiated and supported during the Communist regime through the layout of several mountain resorts of national importance within which the length of the ski tracks is noticeable. The main factor that influenced the development of the ski lands in this area is related to the proximity of the capital city, but also of several important towns, such as Brasov, Ploiesti and Pitesti that have provided the resorts with a large and constant flux of tourists. In the years to come, the development prospects of this field are considerable taking into account the growing interest shown by the Romanian tourists in the practice of winter sports, but also the availability of the local authorities towards earning European funds in order to lay out new ski tracks equipped at European standards

Skier demand and behavioural adaptation to climate change in the US Northeast

Ski tourism has been identified as particularly vulnerable to climate change. Supply-side studies project shortened season length and increased snowmaking requirements, which may jeopardize revenues and increase operational costs. Demand-side impacts have received surprisingly little attention considering tourists can easily adapt their behaviour to climate variability by altering their destination (spatial substitution), frequency of participation (temporal substitution) and by changing leisure activities altogether (activity substitution). This study used a survey (n = 1167) to examine demand-side adaptation of skiers in the US Northeast to past climate conditions and hypothetical future scenarios. Findings suggest that demand is not likely to decrease proportionate to the projected decrease in supply, and future changes in participation may be similar to that seen during marginal snow seasons in the recent past. Thus, a geographical market shift (i.e. greater market share for the ski areas that remain operational) is anticipated under future climate change conditions – at least in the short term.

Emergency department reported head injuries from skiing and snowboarding among children and adolescents, 1996–2010

ObjectivesTo evaluate the incidence of snow-sports-related head injuries among children and adolescents reported to emergency departments (EDs), and to examine the trend from 1996 to 2010 in ED visits for...

Impact of snow variability on the Swiss winter tourism sector: implications in an era of climate change

With its numerous mountain regions and its well developed winter tourism infrastructures, Switzerland is a country whose tourism sector is known to be sensitive to snowpack variability. With climate change—which is predicted to have negative impacts on snow depths and duration—the need for accurately assessing the sensitivity of winter tourism consumption to changing snow conditions is reinforced. Taking advantage of newly available data on visitation rates at Swiss ski areas, we analyze the effect of snow conditions on skier visits using standard panel data regression techniques. We assume the magnitude of this effect to be conditional on the level of snowmaking investments. Higher snowmaking investments should lead to a lower sensitivity. Our results validate this hypothesis and also shed light on the competitive interactions between lower and higher lying ski areas located in the same tourism region. In fact, our results show that better snow conditions in the former reduces visitation rates in the latter. Eventually, we find that ski areas benefiting from sunny conditions tend to have, ceteris paribus, more skier visits. This suggests additional impacts if climate change were to modify sunshine duration in mountain regions.

Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids with up to 22 carbon atoms in snow and soil samples from a ski area

The use of fluorinated ski waxes as a direct input route of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) to the environment was investigated. PFCA homologues with 6–22 carbon atoms (C6–22 PFCAs) were detected in fluorinated ski waxes and their raw materials by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Snow and soil samples from a ski area in Sweden were taken after a skiing competition and after snowmelt, respectively. In both snow and soil samples C6–22 PFCAs were detected, representing the first report of PFCAs with up to 22 carbon atoms in environmental samples. Single analyte concentrations in snow (analyzed as melt water) and soil ranged up to 0.8μgL−1 and 5ngg−1 dry weight, respectively. ∑PFCA concentrations in snow and soil decreased from the start to the finish of the ski trail. Distinct differences in PFCA patterns between snow (prevalence of C14–20 PFCAs) and soil samples (C6–14 PFCAs dominating) were observed. Additionally, a PFCA pattern change from the start to about two third of the distance of the ski trail was found both for snow and soil, with a larger fraction of longer chain homologues present in samples from the start. These observations are probably a result of differences in PFCA homologue patterns present in different types of waxes. The calculated PFCA input from snow affected by the skiing competition was smaller than the PFCA inventory in soil for all chain lengths and markedly smaller for C6–15 PFCAs, presenting evidence for long-term accumulation in soil.

Monitoring of Solid Particulate Airborne Samples from Mountain Snow in Some Sites of the Alps, Italy

In the last decades, few days a week, several city centres in Italyare closed at vehicular traffic in order to limit the presence of particulate matter, often exceeding the limits set by law [1,2]. The particulate matter have an impact on human health [3,4], in the cultural heritage and natural environment deterioration [5,6]. Many studies have been the carried out in air monitoring in urban areas while the targeted surveys to assess the impact on air quality of snow dispersion for ski activities are rare. Thanks to the Autonomous Province of Trento it has been possible to sample the snowpack in some ski areas inItalyand thanks to stratigraphic profiles it has been possible to observe variations of the chemical composition over time. Natural contribution is strictly related to winds and currents movement, for this reason a deep knowledge of these factors can help in the determination of the prevalent trajectories during the year [7,8]. During a penetrometeric and stratigraphic profile on Presena glacier, the main nivo-meteorological features, air temperature and temperature inside the different layers of the snowpack have been measured. Some snow samples has been collected and analyzed by SEM-EDS, ICP-MS and IC. These qualitative and quantitative analyses allow to obtain chemical and mineralogical composition to define the emitting source.

Patterns of winter tourism activity in the Bucegi Mountains – the Prahova Valley (the Southern Carpathians)

The Bucegi Mountains and the Prahova Valley represent the most important destinations for winter tourism activities, of great heritage value in the Southern Carpathians Romanian Carpathians. A number of resorts have developed here over time, currently enjoying great popularity among those keen on such activities. This article aims at presenting, on the one hand, the natural features (terrain factors and climate variables) favourable for winter tourism activities, and on the other, our results concerning the statistical analysis of the accommodation infrastructure, ski amenities and tourist flow. The expansion of the ski area and the development perspectives of the existing infrastructure as much as the local, regional and national authorities’ interest represent the premises for hosting the winter edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival, in 2013 and the Winter Olympic Games in the year 2020 in the outlined area.