West Kelowna's Telemark Nordic Club in British Columbia, Canada, was forced to halt operations in early February.
The club cited warm winter conditions that destroyed trail integrity, highlighting the threat of escalating extreme weather events to businesses and communities, according to Capital News.
What's happening?
Club officials announced that the season would end prematurely, with operations ceasing as of Feb. 8.
Warm temperatures and minimal snowfall degraded trails, rendering skiing and snowshoeing conditions unsafe.
"After the last week of warm weather and lack of snow, the trails have deteriorated to the point where we are no longer able to provide a safe and enjoyable [cross-country] skiing & snowshoeing experience for our members and guests," the club stated in a press release.
Leadership characterized the conditions as an "unprecedented challenge," and credited staff for maximizing limited snow resources to maintain usable tracks for the duration of the season.
Visitor pass sales had plummeted to record lows this winter, creating major financial shortfalls for the nonprofit.
Operating restrictions on Crown Land limit both pricing flexibility and the funds that can carry over between seasons to weather poor revenue years.
Why is this concerning?
Around the world, outdoor recreation-based businesses are facing financial collapse when winter seasons fail, eliminating jobs and hampering local economies that depend on winter tourism.
Families also lose access to affordable recreation options that promote physical health and social connection.
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$200 or more 💰 Workers can be forced to consider unemployment or relocation, fragmenting communities built around outdoor traditions.
Warmer winters disrupt ecosystems and reduce snowpack, which directly threatens summer water supplies for everything from drinking to agriculture.
Officials left open the possibility of resuming operations should weather patterns shift to bring colder temperatures and more winter precipitation.
What's being done about extreme weather?
In their press release, club leadership stated they were pursuing fundraising initiatives and revenue diversification strategies to maintain their facilities and programs, even as conditions undermined their core operations.
Communities can work to explore policies that address warming trends that are working to intensify extreme weather.
Exploring the critical climate issues causing changes to winter weather enables informed participation in protecting outdoor recreation and local ecosystems alike.
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