Vail says all North American resorts have reached 85% renewable electricity

Vail Resorts owns Park City Mountain and Canyons Resort. Photo: Vail Resorts

BROOMFIELD, Colo. — In a press release on Wednesday, Vail Resorts, which owns Park City Mountain and Canyons, said its 34 North American sites have now reached 85% renewable electricity.

In its 2020/21 EpicPromise Progress Report, Vail said they are “on track to reach zero net emissions by 2030.”

The company enabled a large-scale wind farm, called the Plum Creek Wind project, in 2020 that is allowing it to reach the 85% mark. They said once the Elektron Solar project comes online, that number is expected to rise again.

“Vail Resorts has remained dedicated to protecting the environment, supporting our employees, and investing in our mountain communities, even amid unprecedented challenges,” said Kirsten Lynch, new chief executive officer at Vail Resorts.

“With the release of our fourth annual EpicPromise Progress Report, Vail Resorts achieved industry-leading sustainability progress, expanded access to the outdoors for those who may not have otherwise had the opportunity, and supported our employees through unexpected challenges and continued education. Our company’s core values serve as our roadmap as we continue to advance our bold goals together, toward a healthy, inclusive and more sustainable future.”

The company said 9.8 million pounds of waste were recycled and composted last season, and total waste was reduced by 483 tons compared to the year before.

At Park City Mountain, employees collected everything from quality used lumber, construction materials, pallets, furniture, trail maps, and trail signs for the new Employee ReStore, which opened in FY 2021.

The ReStore is a donation-based second-hand shop for items that would otherwise be sent to landfills, open only to employees. So far, the ReStore has diverted about 4,000 pounds of material from landfills and generated over $500 in donations for the Foundation.

Vail announced its net-zero commitment in 2017.

In April 2021, Vail Resorts joined over 400 companies urging the Biden administration to commit the U.S. to an emissions reduction target of at least 50 percent by 2030.

In June 2021, alongside Alterra Mountain Company, Boyne Resorts, and POWDR, Vail Resorts announced the Climate Collaborative Charter, the ski industry’s first unified effort to combat climate change with shared commitments around sustainability and advocacy.