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Vermont Edition

Sustaining ski season in a changing climate

By Mitch Wertlieb,
Aleah Papes
Published January 13, 2026 at 5:18 PM EST
Cross country ski tracks on Honey Hollow trail.
Sophie Stephens
/
Vermont Public
Cross-country ski tracks on Honey Hollow Trail in Bolton. Today on Vermont Edition, we're examining the sustainability of one of Vermont’s biggest tourist draws in a time of climate change.

Ski season is not immune to the impacts of climate change. This seasonal activity and other outdoor leisure activities will require adaptation to withstand warming Northeast winters.

Dr. Caitlin Hicks Pries, associate professor of biological sciences at Dartmouth College, discusses her research on the surprising ecosystem impacts of snow loss. The Appalachian Mountain Club has also been studying how winter climate change is affecting outdoor leisure pursuits in the region, and their director of research Dr. Sarah Nelson shares what they've learned.

We also hear from Dick Dreissigacker, co-director of Craftsbury Outdoor Center, on the center's unusual strategy for securing early-season snow.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Tags
Vermont Edition Climate & EnvironmentWinterSkiing
Mitch Wertlieb
A graduate of NYU with a Master's Degree in journalism, Mitch has more than 20 years experience in radio news. He got his start as news director at NYU's college station, and moved on to a news director (and part-time DJ position) for commercial radio station WMVY on Martha's Vineyard. But public radio was where Mitch wanted to be and he eventually moved on to Boston where he worked for six years in a number of different capacities at member station WBUR...as a Senior Producer, Editor, and fill-in co-host of the nationally distributed Here and Now. Mitch has been a guest host of the national NPR sports program "Only A Game". He's also worked as an editor and producer for international news coverage with Monitor Radio in Boston.
See stories by Mitch Wertlieb
Aleah Papes
Aleah Papes joined Vermont Public as an announcer in October 2024. Raised in the suburbs of New York City, she studied theater and comparative literature at Northwestern University, and later got a master’s degree in journalism from NYU. She has called Vermont home since 2020.
See stories by Aleah Papes