Wright, Lori

English

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
Media Relations Administrative Offices
12-5-2007
City Dwellers Look To Backyards When Deciding
To Head To Slopes
Lori Wright
UNH Media Relations
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more
information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
Wright, Lori, "City Dwellers Look To Backyards When Deciding To Head To Slopes" (2007). UNH Today. 824.
https://scholars.unh.edu/news/824
9/13/17, 11(55 AMCity Dwellers Look to Backyards When Deciding to Head to Slopes
Page 1 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/dec/lw05slopes.cfm.html
 
City Dwellers Look To Backyards When Deciding To
Head To Slopes
Contact:  Lori Wright 
603-862-0574
UNH Media Relations
December 5, 2007
EDITORS AND REPORTERS: Researchers Cliff Brown and Lawrence Hamilton are
available for interviews. Brown can be reached at 603-862-0765 and
cliff.brown@unh.edu. Hamilton can be reached at 603-862-1859 and
lawrence.hamilton@unh.edu. The full journal article is available for download at
http://pubpages.unh.edu/~lch/Hamilton_et_al_IJOC.pdf.
DURHAM, N.H. – City dwellers are less likely to head to the slopes when their backyards are
bare, even if New England ski resorts have many feet of packed power and ideal skiing
conditions, according to new research from the University of New Hampshire.
The new research is published in the December issue of the International Journal of
Climatology in the article, “Ski areas, weather and climate: time series models for New
England case studies.” The researchers are Cliff Brown, professor of sociology at UNH;
Lawrence Hamilton, professor of sociology at UNH; and Barry Keim, former professor of
geography at UNH and New Hampshire State Climatologist who is now at Louisiana State
University.
The researchers found that the New England ski industry is directly impacted by the “backyard
effect,” which means that urban snow conditions significantly affect skier activity. Snow in
urban backyards can be as important to ski businesses as snow in the mountains, according to
the researchers.
Because snow and weather follow deeper climate trends, the research also has implications
for understanding the potential consequences of climate change and how it could impact the
New England ski industry. Since 1970, Northeast winters have warmed by an average of 0.70
°C/decade.
“Ski areas, emblematic of winter tourism, provide the economic engine for many rural regions.
Their importance extends beyond employment and revenues of the ski area itself. Real estate
booms in second homes and condominiums, and in migration by retirees and others, raise
housing prices and transform communities in fundamental ways. Tax revenues, businesses,
and the needs for infrastructure and social services change as well. If climate shifts directly
affect ski areas, their indirect impacts ripple as well,” according to the researchers.
The researchers studied two of the nation’s oldest alpine resorts, both in New Hampshire:
Cannon Mountain in the northwestern White Mountains and Gunstock Mountain Resort near
Lake Winnipesaukee.
9/13/17, 11(55 AMCity Dwellers Look to Backyards When Deciding to Head to Slopes
Page 2 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/dec/lw05slopes.cfm.html
With the assistance of resort personnel, researchers obtained records of daily attendance
through seven winter seasons at Cannon and nine winters at Gunstock. Weather and snow-
condition indicators include daily snowfall, snow-depth and temperature for Boston, and
Lakeport and Bethlehem, NH.
They found that attendance at the ski areas is more influenced by snowfall in Boston than at
the resorts themselves. For example, a one centimeter increase in the previous day’s snow-
depth at Bethlehem, near Cannon, increases the predicted attendance by 11
skiers/snowboarders. On the other hand, a one centimeter increase in the previous day’s
snow-depth in Boston increases predicted attendance somewhat more, by 18 skiers, even
though Boston snow might have no bearing on Cannon-area conditions.
“If this backyard effect reflects ignorance, then education is the cure – skiers could be
persuaded that great skiing exists in the mountains, even when their backyard is bare. The
backyard effect might also partly reflect subtler dynamics, such as people who feel less like
skiing, or perceive more activity choices, when conditions are not wintry near home,” the
researchers said.
Weekends and holidays also play a crucial role in ski resort attendance. The highest spikes in
attendance on weekends and holidays occur at different times from one year to the next,
however, because they are influenced by snow conditions and weather.
The results are particularly interesting in light of the continued investments made by ski
resorts in snow-making infrastructure. “Snowmaking costs millions, but has become a
competitive and climatic necessity in many places. Smaller, less capitalized resorts, and those
in marginal climates, have trouble making the necessary investments – a factor in their high
failure rate, and the industry’s consolidation into a smaller number of larger resorts,” the
researchers said.
Links of Interest
Current Study
· “Ski areas, weather and climate: time series models for New England case studies”
http://pubpages.unh.edu/~lch/Hamilton_et_al_IJOC.pdf
Previous Research
· “NH Skiers Facing Downhill Slide Of Diminishing Ski Areas” (news release)
http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2006/nov/lw09ski.cfm?type=n
· “Warming Winters and New Hampshire’s Lost Ski Areas: An Integrated Case Study” (journal
article)
http://pubpages.unh.edu/~lch/ski_warming.pdf


City Dwellers Look To Backyards When Deciding To Head To Slopes

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices12-5-2007City Dwellers Look To Backyards When DecidingTo Head To SlopesLori WrightUNH Media RelationsFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationWright, Lori, "City Dwellers Look To Backyards When Deciding To Head To Slopes" (2007). UNH Today. 824.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/8249/13/17, 11(55 AMCity Dwellers Look to Backyards When Deciding to Head to SlopesPage 1 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/dec/lw05slopes.cfm.html City Dwellers Look To Backyards When Deciding ToHead To SlopesContact:  Lori Wright 603-862-0574UNH Media RelationsDecember 5, 2007EDITORS AND REPORTERS: Researchers Cliff Brown and Lawrence Hamilton areavailable for interviews. Brown can be reached at 603-862-0765 andcliff.brown@unh.edu. Hamilton can be reached at 603-862-1859 andlawrence.hamilton@unh.edu. The full journal article is available for download athttp://pubpages.unh.edu/~lch/Hamilton_et_al_IJOC.pdf.DURHAM, N.H. – City dwellers are less likely to head to the slopes when their backyards arebare, even if New England ski resorts have many feet of packed power and ideal skiingconditions, according to new research from the University of New Hampshire.The new research is published in the December issue of the International Journal ofClimatology in the article, “Ski areas, weather and climate: time series models for NewEngland case studies.” The researchers are Cliff Brown, professor of sociology at UNH;Lawrence Hamilton, professor of sociology at UNH; and Barry Keim, former professor ofgeography at UNH and New Hampshire State Climatologist who is now at Louisiana StateUniversity.The researchers found that the New England ski industry is directly impacted by the “backyardeffect,” which means that urban snow conditions significantly affect skier activity. Snow inurban backyards can be as important to ski businesses as snow in the mountains, according tothe researchers.Because snow and weather follow deeper climate trends, the research also has implicationsfor understanding the potential consequences of climate change and how it could impact theNew England ski industry. Since 1970, Northeast winters have warmed by an average of 0.70°C/decade.“Ski areas, emblematic of winter tourism, provide the economic engine for many rural regions.Their importance extends beyond employment and revenues of the ski area itself. Real estatebooms in second homes and condominiums, and in migration by retirees and others, raisehousing prices and transform communities in fundamental ways. Tax revenues, businesses,and the needs for infrastructure and social services change as well. If climate shifts directlyaffect ski areas, their indirect impacts ripple as well,” according to the researchers.The researchers studied two of the nation’s oldest alpine resorts, both in New Hampshire:Cannon Mountain in the northwestern White Mountains and Gunstock Mountain Resort nearLake Winnipesaukee.9/13/17, 11(55 AMCity Dwellers Look to Backyards When Deciding to Head to SlopesPage 2 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/dec/lw05slopes.cfm.htmlWith the assistance of resort personnel, researchers obtained records of daily attendancethrough seven winter seasons at Cannon and nine winters at Gunstock. Weather and snow-condition indicators include daily snowfall, snow-depth and temperature for Boston, andLakeport and Bethlehem, NH.They found that attendance at the ski areas is more influenced by snowfall in Boston than atthe resorts themselves. For example, a one centimeter increase in the previous day’s snow-depth at Bethlehem, near Cannon, increases the predicted attendance by 11skiers/snowboarders. On the other hand, a one centimeter increase in the previous day’ssnow-depth in Boston increases predicted attendance somewhat more, by 18 skiers, eventhough Boston snow might have no bearing on Cannon-area conditions.“If this backyard effect reflects ignorance, then education is the cure – skiers could bepersuaded that great skiing exists in the mountains, even when their backyard is bare. Thebackyard effect might also partly reflect subtler dynamics, such as people who feel less likeskiing, or perceive more activity choices, when conditions are not wintry near home,” theresearchers said.Weekends and holidays also play a crucial role in ski resort attendance. The highest spikes inattendance on weekends and holidays occur at different times from one year to the next,however, because they are influenced by snow conditions and weather.The results are particularly interesting in light of the continued investments made by skiresorts in snow-making infrastructure. “Snowmaking costs millions, but has become acompetitive and climatic necessity in many places. Smaller, less capitalized resorts, and thosein marginal climates, have trouble making the necessary investments – a factor in their highfailure rate, and the industry’s consolidation into a smaller number of larger resorts,” theresearchers said.Links of InterestCurrent Study· “Ski areas, weather and climate: time series models for New England case studies”http://pubpages.unh.edu/~lch/Hamilton_et_al_IJOC.pdfPrevious Research· “NH Skiers Facing Downhill Slide Of Diminishing Ski Areas” (news release)http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2006/nov/lw09ski.cfm?type=n· “Warming Winters and New Hampshire’s Lost Ski Areas: An Integrated Case Study” (journalarticle)http://pubpages.unh.edu/~lch/ski_warming.pdf

https://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1823&context=news

City Dwellers Look To Backyards When Deciding To Head To Slopes

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire

UNH Scholars' Repository