Sugar Bowl Ski Resort is owned and managed by a passionate group of people that love the mountains and are committed to maintaining the natural beauty for generations to come. Its goal is to help set a superior standard for the industry and the community by consistently implementing environmentally sound policies and practices.
Sugar Bowl Environmental Mission
- Conserve natural resources and when feasible, implement alternative, environmentally friendly sources of energy.
- Employ policies that reduce waste of all materials.
- Plan, design, and complete projects using practices that have the least impact on natural surroundings and habitats.
- Engage in short and long-term restoration and mitigation of surrounding landscapes.
- Reduce, and whenever possible, eliminate water and air contaminates.
- Encourage guest and employee participation in our environmental mission by making available the appropriate tools, training, and educational opportunities.
Sugar Bowl's Response to NSAA's "Sustainable Slopes"
- Became the first ski resort in California to convert to 100% of energy requirements to Wind Power through the purchase of Green Energy credits.
- Implemented a resort wide recycling and recovery program for office paper, cardboard, plastic drink containers and aluminum.
- Recycles used motor oil, solvents and antifreeze.
- Cash incentives to promote employee carpooling and shuttle bus ridership.
- Subsidies paid to promote the Truckee Trolley connection to the Summit community.
- Employee clean-up days.
- Surface and ground water quality monitoring program.
- Parking lot storm water runoff collection, oil separators and sediment ponds utilization pursuant to our Storm Water Pollution Protection Plan.
- On hill revegetation, winterization and stabilization projects.
- Elimination of all oil burning heating systems and associated storage facilities.
Waste Reduction and Recycling
In 2006, Sugar Bowl reached a milestone of 300% improvement in recycled materials since it began aggressively pursuing a waste reduction efforts 6 years ago. Sugar Bowl has begun working with Sierra Cost Management to further its efforts in conservation including:
- Installing additional beveage container collection bins in all public areas and at major events.
- Diverting all batteries, fluorescent bulbs, cell phones, printer cartridges and other universal waste to centrally located collection buckets.
- Restricting the purchase of disposable food service items to compostable or #1 or #2 plastic
- Initiating training for all employees and homeowners regarding new reclycling and conservation programs.
Reducing Traffic Flow…and Emissions
Great effort is made to help reduce traffic flow to the resort and promote high occupancy vehicle travel. Efforts include an employee and public shuttle service from Truckee and Donner Summit, investment in keeping open old Highway 40 to reduce miles travelled, and carpooling incentives for day visitors.
100% Green Energy!
In partnership with 3 Phases Energy Sugar Bowl is now supporting California wind farms by purchasing renewable energy to offset 100% of its energy use. This purchase helps keep greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere. To learn more visit: "Renewable Energy" press release
Water Quality & Erosion Control
Sugar Bowl has seeded the run-off prone areas of the ski hill and re-vegetated the base area with native wild flowers. Preserving water quality at the resort is a priority; water on the mountain is protected using straw bales, waddles, re-vegitation & silt fencing. Snowmaking activity is conducted in a manner that protects minimum stream flows and is sensitive to fish and wildlife resources. Snowmaking is performed with the utmost care and conservation using water from Sugar Bowl's own Lake Mary. This lake is maintained and stocked to ensure marine health.