Earth Protect Blog

By Alan Henceroth and Geoff Buchheister

Guest Commentary

Hitting the road before dawn, quietly waiting in the cold to nab one of the first chairs up the mountain, all in the hope of capturing that exhilarating sensation that only skiers and snowboarders know — when the stars and snowpack align to deliver a feeling you can’t find anywhere else.

More and more we’re seeing our parking lots include a new type of car, one that will help ensure that this legacy belongs not just to the skiers and snowboarders of today but also to the next generation.

Skiers and riders are driving from Denver in a number of different types of clean cars and charging up at A-Basin and Aspen. We see everything from higher-end Teslas and Rivian trucks to plug-in hybrids such as Rav 4s, Kias, Subarus and, of course, the small (and quite affordable) full-electric models such as Chevy Bolts in our parking lots. This shift to electric vehicles is critical for the future, as is the Colorado Clean Cars rule in front of the state’s Air Quality Control Commission.

From our resorts at Aspen Snowmass and Arapahoe Basin, we see firsthand that the worsening effects of the climate crisis are threatening our outdoor economy. Winter is changing. Compared with 1980, the number of frost-free days in Aspen has grown by about a month. At A-Basin, record-breaking winter seasons have followed historically dry and snow-free periods.

That’s why our resorts have worked for years to confront the climate crisis that is warming the planet and changing winter. We address the impacts we create on our own properties through waste reduction, renewable energy, and transportation initiatives, among others. But it would be inexcusably naive to think those hyper-localized actions will be enough to protect the snow blanketing ski and snowboard trails across the Rocky Mountains, the continent’s most imposing mountain range.

That is why it is so crucial for the state to expand and strengthen its existing Clean Cars program by approving new standards that dramatically will boost electric vehicle adoption and reduce pollution over the coming decade.

If approved by the state, the Colorado Clean Cars rule would require some 80% of new vehicle sales in Colorado to be electric models by 2032. This would mark crucial progress toward achieving the state’s climate goals — and, by extension, protecting some of our most treasured resources from the climate crisis.

The policy will help steer the supply of electric vehicles to Colorado by making the market for them predictable and guaranteed. And by showing leadership in clean transportation and adopting the strongest clean-cars rule possible, Colorado will position itself as a prime recipient of federal incentives that finance additional charging infrastructure and smarter grids.

Colorado is among the states with the most electric vehicles on the road, and consumers are expected to embrace them further. The number of available models is suddenly skyrocketing, and a combination of federal and state incentives have made Colorado the most affordable state in which to buy one.

Battery technology continues to improve — you can get from Denver to Aspen on a single charge in many models — and federal and state programs are sparking huge growth in convenient and affordable charging networks across the state’s roads. Private organizations also are adding charging capacity quickly. At A-Basin — where new EV charging stations in the front row of the parking lot, free for A-Basin pass holders, incentivize skiers to take their EV for trips to the mountain — plans are in the works for expanded charging infrastructure to keep up with guests’ demand.

As the CEOs of international brands and renowned outdoor recreation destinations, we see climate change as the existential problem that it is. We’re also rabid, lifelong skiers who can’t imagine a life without days spent joyously cavorting with mountains, gravity and snow.

To meet our climate goals, cement Colorado’s place as a national leader and protect the outdoor industry that defines us, Aspen Snowmass and Arapahoe Basin urge Colorado to adopt the strongest possible Clean Cars rule.

Alan Henceroth is the chief operating officer of Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, and Geoff Buchheister is the chief executive officer of Aspen Skiing Company.