With all the changes that have been made to the resort through our Full Steam Ahead initiative, Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation is continuing plans to create a carbon-neutral mountain resort by 2030. Plans include sustainably diverting waste during construction processes, adhering to LEED certification requirements for all our new base area buildings, energy efficiency by way of being able to monitor and adjust energy output and water usage, and the transition from our teams over to using electric vehicles. Along with these state-of-the-art sustainable capabilities, Steamboat is also engaging in several other sustainability initiatives not directly tied to carbon emissions.

One emission reduction initiative the resort is currently working towards is the development of a beneficial vehicle electrification plan. We understand our operations have environmental impacts both locally and globally, and it is our commitment to continue pursuing decarbonization initiatives tied to the resort’s vehicle fleet.

During the 23/24 season, the resort began testing and implementation of an electric-drive snowmobile, the Taiga Nomad TS04.2 sled, for the Mountain Ops team.

Working with Taiga Motors Corporation out of Montreal, Steamboat, and a number of other Alterra-owned resorts have begun the process of testing and now substituting these new and sustainable machines. Steamboat, alongside other Alterra mountains, is making this change in hopes of expediting the goal of a carbon-neutral footprint by 2030. When asked about the takeaways from testing at over 15 Alterra destinations, the CEO of Taiga, Sam Bruneau said, “Not only are the Nomad snowmobiles contributing to reducing emissions but doing so while lowering operating costs and delivering uncompromising performance.”

The addition of these sleds will create a clearer path for carbon neutrality moving forward, but they have also had significant positive impacts on guest’s experiences on the mountain and operations overall. Eric Gadoua, Mountain Operations director at Alterra-owned Tremblant, contends that “While our guests have been loving their odorless and quiet ride, our operations team is equally impressed with their performance and reliability.” While this is a big step towards our goal, these new additions to the vehicle fleet aren’t our only ones.

In March, the resort was thrilled to test out two unique electric vehicles on the mountain. Tuesday, March 18, through Thursday, March 20, the Security & Transportation Team piloted an Optimal S1 Battery Electric Shuttle Bus. Powered by Proterra®, the industry’s safest and most stable high-voltage battery, the Optimal S1 offers best-in-class safety while providing exceptional mobility features.

This vehicle was utilized throughout daily operations in an effort to evaluate EV efficacy for our shuttle fleet. A huge thank you to Davey Coach and Optimal for providing the resort with the opportunity to demo over a three-day period.

Last but not least to our running list of new vehicles being demoed, this spring the resort brought in and tested a hybrid-electric snowcat, the PistenBully 600 E+ Hybrid-Electric Groomer. This specific snowcat is the current top-of-the-line snow groomer when it comes to fuel efficiency. The cat provides 16% more power than previous models, and reduces emissions and fuel consumption by 20%.

In addition to the testing and subsequent introductions of electric vehicles into our fleet, Steamboat is also in the planning phase for a newly redeveloped Gondola Transit Center. One of the focal points for this renovation of the current transit center is a state-of-the-art geothermal heating system that will allow the resort to keep this area snow and ice-free, all while not having any negative energy impacts or additional carbon output.

Stay tuned throughout the summer months and into next winter to see future developments with respect to these initiatives, as well as all of the other work being done to continue our commitment to doing good.