As climate change continues to alter weather patterns across the globe, Michigan skiers are feeling the impact firsthand. Warmer temperatures and reduced snowfall have made it increasingly difficult to find quality skiing conditions, forcing many Michigan skiers to travel farther to hit the slopes.
Sydney Hoffman ‘26, an avid snowboarder, has experienced the challenges of skiing in Michigan firsthand.
“Climate change has impacted skiing, at least in Michigan, because last year I could barely get out on the mountains because there was no good snow,” Hoffman said. “It was sad because there are only so many opportunities to go skiing throughout the season, and when the mountains close to us don’t have snow, it pretty much ruins all chances to go.”
Skiers in Michigan are finding that to experience decent conditions, they often have to travel significant distances.
“In Michigan, you have to go all the way up to the U.P. to get some good snow,” Hoffman said. “Now, it’s much harder to find excellent skiing in Michigan. You have to go out West to get the best conditions.”
Michigan ski resorts have faced challenges in maintaining operations due to snow shortages, with some resorts closing earlier than usual in recent years. Science teacher Shelly Rothenbuhler has noticed this pattern.
“Skiing has been heavily impacted by climate change in Michigan. We have less snow than we used to years ago, and these snow shortages have led to early closures in resorts, which is disappointing,” Shelly Rothenbuhler said. “This is an issue students who ski and snowboard should be concerned about.”
Climate change has led to decreased snowfall, affecting ski resorts across the state. While artificial snow is supplemented by natural snowfall, some skiers like Maddie Swarthout ‘26 feel it lacks the same quality and consistency.
“I love going skiing every year, except it has changed from when I was younger,” Maddie Swarthout said. “I go up to Harbor Springs a lot because my grandparents are up there, and these past few years skiing hasn’t been as good. We are lucky this year as we got a good amount of snow, but I can tell it has decreased.”
“The ski resorts do a good job at producing fake snow, yet it is just not the same as the real thing,” Swarthout said. “It makes me really worry about the future with climate change and how much I’ll be able to go skiing.”
