Overall facility emissions reduction goal includes thirteen EV chargers for the public as well as staff and visitors alike

Drone photo of Loon Mountain. Thirteen EV chargers at Loon Mountain make this resort a paradise for sustainability-minded drivers (Courtesy photos)

Martin Wahl

Not surprisingly, ski resorts are among the businesses most concerned about global warming, and some have taken significant measures to reduce their emissions and encourage visitors to do likewise. Providing 13 public EV charging stations at Loon Mountain, more than any other ski resort in Hampshire, is part of a larger company-wide project to achieve emissions reduction.

Charging two of the resort’s five Ford F-150 Lightning all-electric EV trucks

Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln is one of Boyne Resorts’ 15 destinations including Maine’s Pleasant Mountain, Sugarloaf, and Sunday River. Boyne’s extensive company-wide ForeverProject goals are to:

• Achieve net zero emissions by 2030
• Power all operations with 100% clean electricity
• Reduce reliance on fossil fuels through electrification and energy efficiency upgrades

To date Loon Mountain Resort has taken the following steps in addition to providing EV chargers: installed modern boilers and high-efficiency dishwashers at base lodges; converted all lighting to LED with motion sensors and timers to reduce energy use; and implemented composting in food and beverage areas resulting in diverting six tons of food waste during the last winter season. In addition, the resort has acquired five Ford F-150 Lightning electric trucks.

Emerging alternative fuels and technologies currently present challenges in maintaining the required level of efficiency and reliability in equipment such as snowmobiles and snow cats/groomers in a winter environment. To help achieve lower emissions in this area, the resort is acquiring for the upcoming season, with the financial support of the EPA’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant administered by New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services, a diesel-electric hybrid PistenBully 600 E+ snow groomer that cuts CO2 emissions by 20%.

The new groomer will also have SnowSat technology, including the LIDAR option for detecting snow depth up to 50 meters in front of and around it. By helping to pinpoint areas with more and less snow cover, SnowSat improves efficiency in energy management for many operations including snowmaking as well as grooming.

In addition to energy-related improvements, the resort promotes and engages in environmental activities including:

• Working with the U.S. Forest Service to manage ecosystems responsibly
• Conserving water through efficiency upgrades and recycled water use
• Educating guests and staff on sustainability and climate action
• Hosting annual team member mountain clean up events such as the annual Kancamagus Highway Clean Up
• Participating in the National Ski Areas Association Climate Challenge and Sustainable Slopes program and promoting the Skier Sustainability Code
• Advocating for local, regional, and national climate policies

We find it rewarding to get to know the measures Loon Mountain is taking as part of Boyne Resort’s overall plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions from its operations, and we are eager to learn about steps other resorts in G.E.T.’s readership area are taking to minimize their environmental impacts.