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Climate change makes the future of Nordic skiing uncertain

A group of cross country skiers glide along the freshly groomed trails at Cabin Creek Sno Park near Easton, Wash., on Dec. 19, 2021. When COVID-19 hit in the winter of 2020, many escaped cabin fever by hitting the ski trails and Nordic skis quickly became the new toilet paper – they were hard to find and sold out in stores. The ski boom has continued as the pandemic makes winter outdoor recreation appealing, but climate change means its future is uncertain. (AP Photo/Martha Bellisle) Snow-making equipment sits along the trails awaiting cold temperatures at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, site of the 2002 Winter Olympics, in Midway, Utah. Climate change has made the future of cross country skiing and biathlon uncertain as temperatures rise. World Cup and Olympic cross-country ski and biathlon venues have the ability to make and store snow so they can offer a white ribbon of trails that snake through the trees. But many smaller venues don't have that luxury. (AP Photo/Martha Bellisle) Clouds move over newly groomed cross country ski tracks at the Cabin Creek Sno Park near Easton, Wash., on Dec. 19, 2021. When COVID-19 hit in the winter of 2020, many escaped cabin fever by hitting the ski trails and Nordic skis quickly became the new toilet paper – they were hard to find and sold out in stores. The ski boom has continued as the pandemic makes winter outdoor recreation appealing, but climate change means its future is uncertain. (AP Photo/Martha Bellisle) FILE - Sweden's Frida Karlsson, center, takes a fall during the WSC Women's Skiathlon 15km cross country event at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, Feb. 27, 2021. Climate change is forcing many race organizers to rely on artificial snow for competitions. They use creating a ribbon of white with grass growing along the side. Some skiers and biathletes say machine-made snow is more dangerous and crashes more common because it has a higher moisture content and becomes icy and hard. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File) Mark Waechter, owner of Nordic Ultratune, a ski retail and repair shop in Winthrop, Washington, stands with a new batch of skis that arrived for the 2021-22 winter ski season. When COVID-19 hit in the winter of 2020, many escaped cabin fever by hitting the ski trails and Nordic skis quickly became the new toilet paper – they were hard to find and sold out in stores. The ski boom has continued as the pandemic makes winter outdoor recreation appealing, but climate change means its future is uncertain. (AP Photo/Martha Bellisle) A group of cross country skiers glide along the freshly groomed trails at Cabin Creek Sno Park near Easton, Wash., on Dec. 19, 2021. When COVID-19 hit in the winter of 2020, many escaped cabin fever by hitting the ski trails and Nordic skis quickly became the new toilet paper – they were hard to find and sold out in stores. The ski boom has continued as the pandemic makes winter outdoor recreation appealing, but climate change means its future is uncertain. (AP Photo/Martha Bellisle) A cross country skier glides along the freshly groomed trails at Cabin Creek Sno Park near Easton, Washington on Dec. 19, 2021. When COVID-19 hit in the winter of 2020, many escaped cabin fever by hitting the ski trails and Nordic skis quickly became the new toilet paper – they were hard to find and sold out in stores. The ski boom has continued as the pandemic makes winter outdoor recreation appealing, but climate change means its future is uncertain. (AP Photo/Martha Bellisle)
Climate change makes the future of Nordic skiing uncertain