Snowlastalgia by Maryland Institute College of Art

Snowlastalgia is an informational website that outlines the projected effects of climate change on downhill skiing.

”Snowlastalgia” is inspired by the term “solastalgia”, which combines the Latin word for comfort—“solacium”—and “-algia”, —the Greek root for pain—to capture the complex feeling of “being homesick while still at home”. Australian philosopher Glenn Albrecht is first credited with coining this term in relation to our growing global climate anxiety—namely, we’re already nostalgic for the disappearing world we are currently living in. Skiers, snowboarders, and all manner of snow-reliant athletes feel this solastalgia acutely every winter—how many more years will I be able to enjoy this sport? How many more seasons will my local resort be open? Will there be enough snow in the future to pass this tradition on to my grandchildren?

As an amateur skier, I’m hoping to answer these questions and investigate the relationship between climate change and skiing not only for myself, but also for other American downhill athletes. While we are actively seeing the change in our winters, both on the mountain and in our backyards, many of us don’t know how dire the projections are for the future of our sport. By visualizing the projected snowfall, number of viable skiing days, and skier turnout alongside economic impact, I hope to show the possible impacts of climate change, as well as some guidance for how we can try to help make a difference for the future.