| Thanks to global warming, the day may come when Albertans are forced to seek indoor alternatives to outdoor winter sports. Should Albertans be worried about global warming and its impact on winter sports in their backyard? It may well depend on their sport of choice.
Calgary resident Alf Skrastins, one of Canada’s leading and most experienced backcountry skiers, has been getting out more since the effects of global warming have swept across the Rockies. Five to ten years ago, Skrastins averaged 85 to 90 ski days a year. In the last five years, he’s averaged up to between 110 and 120 ski days annually.
"I’ve had more ski days partly because we’re not having as many cold snaps – the kind that keep you out of the mountains," says Skrastins. "We are also getting early season snow dumps. With the early snowfall this September, I got out for two full days, touring around Nakiska and Fortress," says Skrastins, who is also program director of the Outdoor Centre at the University of Calgary.
Crosbie Cotton, Director of the National Park Ski Areas Association says, "climate change has had no impact on us." Some ski-hounds may disagree and say that Sunshine, as well as a few other mountain ski resorts, have had some of their best snow seasons in the last few years. According to Cotton, the Rocky Mountain resorts are very well positioned even in the face of global warming. "We are very high up in the mountains compared to many of the other resorts that are at sea level. Should there ever be a lack of snow elsewhere due to climate change," says Cotton, "the mountain resorts would probably end up attracting visitors from all over."
Skrastins explains that one of the main observations that he and colleagues have made with respect to climate change is that it has had a split effect in the Rockies. There has been about the same or more snow at higher elevations – anything above 1800 metres – and a lot less below that threshold. "The same events that are causing snow to fall at higher elevations are causing rain to fall at lower elevations," he explains. "The snowpack at lower elevations doesn’t have a chance to build during the months of November and December as it used to in the past." In fact, many of the cross-country ski trails in the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park have been struggling with warmer temperatures.
"Because of this half-degree change, we are seeing a later start to cross-country skiing. We used to start our cross-country lessons in November, but in the last four or five years, we haven’t been able to start until around Christmas or early January," says Skrastins.
The Canmore Nordic Centre, Canada’s top training site for elite Nordic skiers, hasn’t turned a blind eye to its old infrastructure built for the 1988 Olympics, and the impeding effects of global warming. "We realized that the Centre wasn’t viable without snow making. Prior to the upgrade we only had six kilometres of trails covered by manmade snow, but we can now secure over 20 kilometres of trails for skiing competitions and recreational use," says Ron Henderson, manager of the centre.
Just this last year, the centre underwent a whopping $25 million upgrade to meet current international standards for cross-country ski competitions. Upgrades include a lighted ski-loop for recreational night skiing, 70 kilometres of groomed trails that range from easy to difficult and rely on natural snow, and 280 hydrant points along 20 kilometres of trails that will ensure excellent skiing conditions well into April. "We need at least -2 C to start making snow and we are usually operational as of mid-November for early season training," says Henderson.
According to Skrastins, the folks at the national and provincial parks should strongly consider the impacts of climate change and start grooming trails at higher elevations. "The Spray/Smith-Dorrien Valley in Kananaskis Country would be a good place to start as it typically gets lots of snow over a long season," says Skrastins. "Unfortunately, the government hasn’t made any plans to change where they groom trails."
As a side note, the Nordic site at the 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver will completely rely on Mother Nature. "It could be the last winter Olympics where Nordic skiers will compete on natural snow," says Tom Holland, Cross Country Canada’s director of high performance, "as there is a growing trend of using artificial snow for Nordic sites. Such was the case for the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and Torino, Italy."
Holland says that competitive cross-country venues are increasingly found at higher elevations and further north, but there are limits to how high athletes can train and compete. He’s also concerned that hard to access Nordic ski trails may eventually cause the phasing out of the sport altogether over the next 40 to 50 years. "One may still be able to ski around a stadium or through tunnels, but for the outdoor enthusiast, it’s not quite the same as skiing through the forest," he says.
There is good news for this coming winter. Canadians and tourists from around the world who want to experience real snowflakes under their feet, the north wind freezing their nose and toes, and embrace the freedom of the hills can still do so. Adventurers be warned, however, the backcountry may feel warmer and more inviting this winter but the dangers of avalanche haven’t subsided.
"The snowpack seems to be strengthening a bit earlier in the season and because of the warmer temperatures we’re getting less depth hoar," explains Skrastins. This means that the snowpack is more consistent throughout. However, he also warns that because of increasing rain events in November, January and February, a rain crust or ice layer can linger within the snowpack and act as a sliding layer as the snow builds up later in the season.
If you are going to explore the wonders of the backcountry or snowboard out of bounds for that alluring powder, do your homework first. Take orientation and avalanche courses to better prepare yourself, never travel alone, have all the necessary gear and know how to use it. As well, take avalanche bulletins seriously. It goes without saying that anyone heading into uncharted territory needs to expect the unexpected and respect Mother Nature’s mood swings.
Those relying on guidebooks for touring, ice-climbing and mountaineering should also check to see when the book was printed. Don’t rely on information that was written 10 years ago, as many of the routes may be quite different. Warmer temperatures over the last decade have already transformed Alberta’s wilderness. Let’s face it, global warming is no longer a theory, it’s a fact and it’s happening right now. How long do we have until our wondrous winterland disappears? Nobody knows for sure.
Concerned outdoor enthusiasts, however, must take action. Rededicate a fifth of your time spent playing in the wilderness to activities that will help reduce the impact of global warming and preserve the beauty and uniqueness of our parks. It’s only fair that those who use the wild spaces as their playground should also re-invest in their protection. There are plenty of organizations and clubs with a green mandate that will support you in doing your part.
The more of us who actively engage in protecting our natural heritage through personal and collective initiatives, the greater chance we’ll be playing in snow for another century, or more. |
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