At Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge, we support our community and the natural environment. We reduce the impacts of our business. We conserve natural resources. We are stewards of our precious forest land.
Our total commitment to environmental responsibility is our Peak Pledge.
Climate Challenge
Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge joins our ski industry partners in participating in the National Ski Areas Association’s Climate Challenge. We collectively challenge ourselves to inventory our carbon emissions, set reduction goals and plan for projects that will help us achieve those goals.
Incorporate sustainability into all aspects of our resorts
Lead by example, and educate employees and guests about sustainability
Place collaboration over competition when it comes to sustainability
Advocate for climate protection
We will address the following priorities in our operations:
Climate Change: Action & Advocacy
Track, target and reduce carbon emissions; support climate policy that will result in broad-scale carbon emission reductions, promote energy innovation, and support the transition to a clean energy economy.
Energy
Implement energy efficiency measures, increase the use of renewable energy, and support decarbonization of the grid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change impacts.
Waste
Manage waste in a manner that reduces or eliminates greenhouse gas emissions and protects natural resources.
Transportation
Promote transportation initiatives that ease congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including support of electric and low emission vehicles.
Education & Outreach
Take a leadership role in sustainability education and outreach.
Supply Chain
Source energy, materials and services with low or no carbon footprint and encourage suppliers to decarbonize.
Water
Value water as a natural resource by using it as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Design & Construction
Design and construct facilities and trails to minimize impacts and complement the natural landscape.
Forest Health & Habitat
Be responsible stewards of fish and wildlife habitats and managing the forests and vegetation that support ecosystems, exceptional public recreation opportunities, and carbon sinks for greenhouse gasses.
Advocacy & Engagement
We strive to support local organizations that bring a positive impact to our shared community and environment.
NSAA Climate Challenge
How did we measure our greenhouse gas emissions?
We reviewed our direct emissions - from buildings, vehicles, and heavy machinery, as well as our indirect emissions - from the electricity that we purchase and the waste that we send to the landfill.
What did we learn?
The greatest contributors to our carbon footprint:
Diesel to fuel snowcats, heavy machinery and snowmaing compressors
Propane and electricity to power our buildings and facilities
What’s next?
By 2030, we pledge to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 30 metric tons of CO2.
We can achieve our goal by investing in fuel-saving and energy-efficient upgrades across Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge, and by taking a closer look at our coperations to find additional opportunities for improvement in the coming years.
NSAA Sustainable Slopes
We are lucky to be part of a vast community of skiers and riders across the United States – more than 10 million. We share an appreciation for outdoor spaces, and an awareness of how it impacts our livelihoods and our communities. We can be leaders in climate action and advocacy by engaging our networks in conversations about expanding clean energy options, advancing climate legislation, and growing a more sustainable economy. You can join us by supporting groups that make sustainability a priority.
Learn about and support sustainability initiatives at ski areas across the country, through the National Ski Areas Association’s Sustainable Slopes Program: nsaa.org/sustainableslopes
Purchasing Power
We purchase our employee uniform hats from bigtruck®, a trucker hat brand based in Truckee. As a Certified B Corporation®, bigtruck® prioritizes their long-term commitments to community, employees, customers, and the environment.
“We at bigtruck® look to work with the best partners we can. Being a Truckee-based company and living and playing in the Sierra Mountain playground allows us to live by our “fun first” standards. When we had a chance to partner with Sugar Bowl on some employee hats, we jumped at the opportunity. Not only do we have amazing synergies with our Sierra resort partners, but we have a special attachment to Sugar Bowl! How they operate the resort, treat employees, and offer a gold standard experience to every guest that visits them is very special. At bigtruck® we feel every new hat offers a new adventure, just like each time you ski Sugar Bowl.
Cheers from bigtruck®
James Clifford, Head of Brand”
Great Basin Institute
Sugar Bowl provides subsidized summer housing for Great Basin Institute field researchers. The Great Basin Institute is a conservation organization that brings together regional partners to facilitate environmental research projects. We are proud to support a local organization committed to conservation and community engagement.
Energy & Emissions
Energy & emissions information coming soon.
Forest Health
The threat of wildfire destruction is extant in our region, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our community is prepared.
Firewise USA
The Sugar Bowl Village is a Firewise community and a member of the broader Placer County Fire Safe Alliance, since 2019.
As a member community, we conduct annual defensible space audits around all community buildings, including Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge buildings, and help our fellow community members to maintain fire safety compliance.
Summer 2022 Forest Health Project
Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge partners with and receives support from Wilderness Forestry – a local forestry group committed to defensible space and wildfire preparedness projects in California and Nevada. Together in summer 2022, we will clear 72 acres of brush, low tree branches and dense tree growth from the nearby forest.
Waste Reduction
To to reduce our landfill waste, we are committed to expanding our waste management efforts, through responsible disposal of recyclables, organic waste, hazardous waste, and maximizing the use of a product.
Reducing Single-Use Plastics
Sugar Bowl | Royal Gorge is committed to eliminating single-use plastics in dining spaces. We have replaced plastic beverage bottles with aluminum beverage cans and our to-go containers are made of compostable paper.
We encourage employees and guests to use reusable beverage containers whenever possible and have invested in seven water refill stations located in public spaces around the resort. Since their installation in November 2021, we have saved approximately 110,000 16-oz. plastic bottles from going to the landfill.
The Green Team
The Green Team
Every few weeks in the spring and summer we set aside two hours for all employees to step away from their regular work assignment and come together to grab a trash bag, gloves, and a picker and go out to “green up” a section of Sugar Bowl’s grounds.
This week, our year-round employees joined forces to carry out another successful “green up” event at Sugar Bowl. Our Human Resources Director, Diane Binder, led the charge to remove trash from the resort and nearby roadways. Diane explains the green team’s mission:
“Every few weeks in the spring and summer we set aside two hours for all employees to step away from their regular work assignment and come together to grab a trash bag, gloves, and a picker and go out to “green up” a section of Sugar Bowl’s grounds.”
“Sugar Bowl’s Core Value #1 is to love and respect nature and the outdoors. Our employees care deeply about the environment and take pride in our mountain being a responsible organization in terms of environmental and sustainability goals. These “green up” events are just one small part of our overall sustainability efforts and great reminder that everyone, regardless of department or job, plays a role in helping to make a positive impact in our community.”
From new employees to senior management, everyone came out to help the effort!
How much trash did the team remove?
“This past “green up” was a huge success. Our team members found a lot of really large and heavy items (rolls of carpet, wooden boards, sheets of metal, etc.) We had three full loads in the back of a pick-up truck of items that were picked up disposed of properly.”
Hauling the trash away in trucks to dispose of it properly.
Is participating in a green up event fun, gross, tiring or all three?
“FUN! Our employees enjoy switching up their day to do something different, challenging, and fun. It also helps foster a sense of community and teamwork. Temperatures were in the high 80’s at the “green up” so aside from fun, it was really warm and a bit exhausting due to the heavy items but the team embraced the challenge!”
Anyone missing an office chair?
What was the funniest or most interesting item of trash found?
“My personal favorite at this “green up” was a plush navy blue office chair with wheels that was rolled out from a ditch. However It was a little too gross for anyone to sit on.”
How can other people find out more information about hosting their own “green up” events?
‘It truly doesn’t take much effort aside from coordinating a day, time, and location. Once you have some clean up supplies which are relatively cheap and a few drinks and snacks as refreshments for the teams’ hard work you are good to go. The most important thing is just to make the effort to prioritize these types of events.”
Thanks to our team members who participated in this event. A friendly reminder to all — reduce waste wherever possible and be sure to place refuse into the appropriate recycle/trash container.