The Summit Wins Golden Eagle Award

As we gear up for another epic ski season, The Summit at Snoqualmie proudly announces a significant achievement. In May, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) awarded us the Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence, the highest honor in the ski industry for environmental performance.

This prestigious award recognizes ski areas that lead the way in sustainability by taking a holistic, forward-thinking approach to reducing environmental impact and improving operations.

Our team takes immense pride in this recognition and feels even more inspired for what lies ahead. The award celebrates not just one initiative, but our entire approach to operating, building, and growing sustainably across the mountain.

As part of Boyne Resorts, we are advancing our ForeverProject 2030 commitments to establish our long-term commitment to sustainability and net-zero emissions. This award validates the hard work our team has poured into that vision and drives us to continue innovating with purpose.

Beyond the Lift

At the heart of our award-winning efforts is a new, comprehensive sustainability strategy focused on lift construction. It began with the Wildside project and continues this summer with the Edelweiss lift replacement.

While these projects increase uphill capacity, reduce wait times, and boost energy efficiency, their impact goes far beyond installing new chairs.

We reimagined every aspect of the construction process, from energy use and materials handling to waste management and building performance. We are building smarter, not just newer.

Smarter, More Efficient Buildings

With every lift project, we are raising the bar for energy-efficient building design. That includes upgraded insulation, LED lighting, and other enhancements that reduce energy consumption.

With over 140 buildings across our five-mile property, we are making steady, meaningful progress. For example, at the off-grid Edelweiss summit lift house, new insulation has reduced propane use by 10,800 gallons per season, lowering emissions and freeing up resources to reinvest in your experience.

Cleaner Fuel and More Efficient Heavy Equipment

As featured on the cover of the NSAA Spring 2025 journal, we now fuel heavy construction equipment with renewable diesel, reducing tailpipe emissions by approximately 50% and saving 30 metric tons of CO₂ during the Wildside project alone.

We are also expanding our fleet of Pistenbully 600 E+ hybrid snow groomers, which are among the cleanest and quietest machines available. These groomers produce:

• 20% less noise
• 20% fewer CO₂ emissions
• 20% lower fuel consumption

By combining hybrid technology with renewable diesel, we have significantly reduced our carbon footprint. Spot a green snowcat out on the mountain? That is one of our hybrids at work!

Giving Back Through Chairlift Sales

When we replace a lift, we do not discard the chairs; we sell them and donate the proceeds to local organizations. The Wildside project raised over $70,000, which we distributed to:

• Two local fire districts
• Three community schools
• Outdoors for All
• The Service Board
• Washington State Ski and Snowboard Museum

These contributions help our community thrive and allow cherished memories of chairlift rides to live on.

Lift Towers to Park Features

As a part of our reuse strategy, old lift towers and components have not been transformed into terrain park features. Instead of scrapping these durable materials they have been turned into rails, tubes, and other park elements you can ride.

Next time you are out at Summit Parks check out some of our new tubes made from repurposed towers and there are more on the way repurposed from Edelweiss!

The Wildside Impact

For the Wildside Realignment Project at Summit West, our sustainability-focused construction strategy was not just a mindset shift but delivered powerful results.

Our team diverted over 95% of project waste from landfills, with 10 tons of materials being reused or repurposed. Additionally, 88.33 tons of scrap metal and 93.1 tons of construction materials were recycled.

These efforts reflect our ongoing commitment to minimizing environmental impact at every stage of our mountain operations and have become the standard process for all construction projects.

This Mountain Belongs to All of Us

We are proud to share this award with you, our passionate guests, local partners, and fellow mountain stewards. Our team has worked hard to bring these projects to life, but your continued support, respect for the environment, and love for this mountain make it all possible.

Every time you ride, recreate, or simply show up with care, you are a part of our sustainability story.

Together, we can continue to lead the ski industry toward a cleaner, more resilient outdoor future, and we look forward to seeing what we achieve next, this winter and beyond!