2019 - 2020 Far West Skier's Guide - 56

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alternative for transportation between Alpine Meadows and Squaw
Valley. The planning process will include the completion of a traffic
study to help determine the frequency and schedule of shuttles.
Squaw Valley Ski Holdings and Troy Caldwell have worked extensively with the mountain planners at SE Group to design a gondola
that ensures stewardship of the high alpine environment whose natural beauty is integral to the overall Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows experience. The project will be subject to review and permitting under
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The planned Base-to-Base Gondola
will be carefully designed to minimize the overall footprint and potential visual impacts to the adjacent Granite Chief Wilderness, as well as,
maintain the scenic beauty of the area. Specifically, materials and
equipment for the gondola would be selected using blending coloration
and low reflectivity. The gondola will also be designed to allow the cabins
to be completely removed from the line during non-operational periods.
As part of the Base-to-Base gondola project, Gazex Inertia Exploders would be required in zones at Alpine Meadows that traditionally require hand charges or artillery for avalanche mitigation, in
order to eliminate the hazard of direct artillery or indirect shrapnel
impacting the lift. The Gazex Inertia Exploder is a remotely controlled
avalanche mitigation system that uses compressed gas to create a concussive blast, triggering controlled avalanches before they become a
hazard. Four gas shelters and eight exploders are incorporated into
the current project plan for the Base-to-Base gondola.
Article/illustration information from Snow Brains

n Idling cumulatively wastes more than 10 billion gallons of
gasoline each year.

ENVIRONMENT/CONSUMER ADVOCACY

Idling Tips
n You can reduce idling by using remote starters wisely. Don't
turn your vehicle on before you are ready to leave.
n You can reduce idling by turning off your vehicle as soon as
you park in a ski area lot. The car will stay warm enough while you
get geared up.
n Don't idle while waiting in drop off and pick up areas.
n Park your car and put those legs to work rather than sitting
in drive-thrus!
Information from National Ski Areas Association

Outdoor Business Climate Partnership

Environmental and Health Considerations
n Vehicle exhaust is one of the leading sources of air pollution.
Emissions from vehicles contain Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which are prime ingredients in the
formation of Ozone and Particulate Matter (PM).
n The CO2 emissions associated with idling accounts for
roughly 1.6 percent of the total U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
n If we were able to cut idling time in half in the U.S., through
education and outreach, the result would be preventing between 7 and
26 million tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year.
n Stopping unnecessary idling improves air quality and the
respiratory and cardiovascular health of people in our communities,
particularly among children.
n Children, whose lungs are still developing, breathe more rapidly and inhale more pollutants per pound of body weight than adults.
Children's asthma symptoms increase as a result of car exhaust.
Asthma is the third leading cause of hospitalization for children under
the age of 15. Asthma is also the most common chronic illness in children and the cause of most school absences.
n While sitting in an idling vehicle, drivers are exposed to
higher levels of vehicle pollution than when the vehicle is in motion
because exhaust enters the cabin. Exposure to most vehicle exhaust
is much higher inside vehicles than at the roadside.

The National Ski Areas Association, Outdoor Industry Association, and SnowSports Industries America have banded together to
create the Outdoor Business Climate Partnership as a way to amplify
their collective voice in Washington as they advocate for bipartisan solutions to reduce our carbon footprint. The outdoor recreation industry brings over $887 billion to the U.S. economy, and provides over 7.5
million jobs each year. Climate change is the biggest threat to outdoor
industry businesses, and to the millions of participants in outdoor activities. The Outdoor Business Partnership recently joined over 76
companies on Capitol Hill to advocate for immediate and bipartisan SAFETY UPDATE
climate action, specifically, putting a price on carbon.
Top Reasons To Wear a Helmet When Skiing
Information from National Ski Areas Association
When you were growing up you probably didn't see that many
people on the slopes wearing helmets. It wasn't something that was
Idling Gets You Nowhere!
common until the last decade or so. However, new understanding of
The Environmental Charter, adopted by ski areas across the coun- the many ways that the brain can be injured has led to more people
try in 2000, emphasizes the impacts of transportation on air quality of all ages wearing helmets.
and climate change. Ski areas are attempting to do their part, but we
Some people say that wearing a helmet is pointless because it
as snowsports participants play a huge role in this area. Vehicle idling won't stop all head injuries. That's true, wearing a helmet won't stop
impacts air quality, climate change, and our own health.
a head injury if you fall when you're skiing/riding. However, wearing
a helmet can increase your chances of surviving a head injury without
Idling Facts and Tips
any serious brain damage. Helmets can save your life on the ski slopes.

Operational Considerations
n Vehicles are a lot different today than they were just 15
years ago. Today's engine manufacturers typically recommend a warm
up time of five minutes or less.
n When you adopt alternatives to long-duration idling, you
save money on fuel expenses and reduce engine maintenance costs.
n Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel than restarting your engine.
n Idling causes spark plugs to become dirtier more quickly.
This can cause an increase in fuel consumption by 4 to 5 percent.

There are also other reasons why you should wear a helmet
such as:
n Maintaining Body Heat
When you're out in the cold you lose a huge amount of body heat
through your head and that makes you colder. If you have a well fitted
helmet on you can retain that body heat which will make you warmer
throughout the day.
n Protecting Your Face
A helmet that fits your head properly and is secured with a chin-

56 Far West Skier's Guide 2O19 - 2O2O / Visit the Digital Edition at www.fwsa.org.

http://www.fwsa.org

2019 - 2020 Far West Skier's Guide

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2019 - 2020 Far West Skier's Guide