Colorado’s snow drought deals a major blow to recreation

In November, as the ski season was about to start, residents of Aspen looked up at the ski hill from town and saw nothing but dirt. By the end of winter, Colorado had recorded record low snowpack. “It was impossible to ignore,” says Hallie Zander, news director at Aspen Public Radio. The lack of snow didn’t just ruin ski vacations—it set off a cascade of economic and ecological consequences that are still unfolding months later.

The snow hangover and its ripple effects

A bad winter in a snow-dependent economy doesn’t end when the season does. Zander explains that low snowpack means rivers run lower and warmer than usual. The state of Colorado has responded with voluntary fishing closures, asking people not to fish because the stress of catch-and-release can kill fish that are already struggling in warmer, shallower water. Rafting companies have fewer places where they can safely operate trips. Both industries are taking a direct hit.

Zander also learned a new term through her reporting: “the snow hangover.” This describes the phenomenon where people who normally book their winter vacations in the summer decide to wait after a bad season, unsure whether to gamble on next year’s snow. It’s still too early to tell if that’s happening this summer, but local businesses are watching closely.