Posted By:

Rye Grover aka "Bread"

At Sugar Bowl, sustainability is part of how we care for the place we call home. As stewards of Donner Summit, we feel a deep responsibility to protect this mountain and ensure it continues to thrive for generations to come.

Over the past several years, we have taken meaningful steps toward becoming a more sustainable ski resort, with thoughtful changes that balance guest experience, environmental responsibility, and long-term resilience. From reducing waste and improving forest health to cutting emissions and supporting our community, this work is ongoing and rooted in care for the mountain we love.

Our Goal Towards Zero Waste

We have been working over the years to become a zero-waste resort, designed to significantly reduce trash while creating a cleaner, more beautiful mountain environment. At the Village Lodge, we have removed single-use packaging in favor of reusable, washable alternatives throughout our dining spaces, and we will continue to expand across the resort in the future. If you have noticed fewer trash cans around the Village Lodge this season, that change is intentional, as we appreciate our guests using reusable containers and packing out their own trash.

Replacing Disposables with Reusables

At the Village Lodge, all food and beverages are now served without disposable packaging. For example, a cookie comes on a plate instead of in a plastic bag, sodas are poured into glass cups instead of plastic bottles, and coffee is served in glass tumblers rather than paper cups. Utensils are metal, napkins are cloth, and every item provided to guests is designed to be reused.

Pack It In, Pack It Out

We have also adopted a pack it in, pack it out approach for single-use items brought from outside. If you bring snacks in disposable packaging, we kindly ask that you carry that trash back out with you.

Fewer Trash Cans

With fewer single-use items in circulation, fewer trash cans are needed. The result is a cleaner, more open resort that reflects our commitment to reducing waste and caring for our surroundings. This initiative begins at the Village Lodge, with plans to expand these practices across the resort over time. Our goal is to institute long-term changes to reduce single-use waste as much as possible.

Reducing Plastic Waste

Water refill stations located throughout the resort have already helped eliminate thousands of single-use plastic bottles. We encourage guests to bring reusable water bottles and mugs, and we also sell a variety of options in our retail stores. Plus, when you bring a reusable mug to Main Lodge, you’ll receive discounted coffee and cocoa! Taking advantage of these stations and discounts is a simple way to reduce plastic waste on the mountain.

Forest Health and Wildfire Resilience

Sugar Bowl has successfully completed fuels reduction work across nearly 200 acres of forested land to improve forest health and increase wildfire resilience. These efforts help protect both the landscape and the surrounding community. Watch our short video about our forest health efforts here.

Community Partners

We are grateful to our partners who made this work possible, including Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Truckee Fire Protection District Measure T, CAL FIRE, Sugar Bowl Academy, Feather River Forestry, and Deadwood Forestry, and many others. We also thank Truckee Donner Land Trust for ongoing forest management near the Royal Gorge XC trails.

Energy and Emissions

Our focus is to reduce our environmental footprint from the very top of the mountain all the way to the base area parking lots. Recent efforts include:

• Offering designated carpool parking to encourage fewer vehicles on the road
• Tracking emissions annually to set clear reduction targets
• Transitioning resort facilities to LED lighting
• Operating new Prinoth snowcats that meet Tier 3 emissions standards
• Sourcing food as locally as possible from the Sacramento basin, reducing reliance on trucking for our food & beverage program.

Future Plans for a Biomass Energy Plant

We are also in the feasibility design phase of a biomass energy plant that would convert underutilized forest material from local forest health projects into energy. This system is intended to help power lifts and buildings at the resort, turning forest stewardship into a renewable energy solution.

Advocacy and Community Engagement

Through partnerships with local nonprofits such as Excellence in Education, High Fives Foundation, Sierra Avalanche Center, and Donner Summit Avalanche Dogs, we have raised more than $20,000 to support community programs that strengthen the region we call home. We prioritize working with brands whose values align with ours, including Mons Royale, Arc’teryx, and Patagonia. These partners share our commitment to thoughtful supply chains and reduced packaging.

Looking Ahead

Sugar Bowl is committed to shepherding the next generation into a ski resort that is sustainable, resilient, and built with longevity in mind. While we are proud of the progress we have made, this work continues. We will keep refining our operations, expanding zero-waste practices, improving forest health, reducing emissions, and strengthening community partnerships to ensure a more resilient future for Sugar Bowl and Donner Summit.