(Opinion) Ski NH studies weather, workforce with UNH

Collaboration can ensure the Granite State’s ski industry remains vibrant and resilient

Jessyca Keeler

TOURISM

By: Jessyca Keeler

New Hampshire’s ski industry has long thrived on partnership — between mountains and communities, science and stewardship, education and enterprise.

One of the most enduring and impactful of these relationships is the collaboration between the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and Ski New Hampshire (Ski NH), which demonstrates how research, education, athletics and industry can work together to strengthen a vital part of the state’s economy and identity.

From snow and weather research to workforce development, innovation around industry challenges, and support for the next generation of skiers, this partnership benefits from a multifaceted approach — one that we are proud to continue.

A clear example of this partnership is the work of Dr. Elizabeth Burakowski of UNH’s Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. Her research and outreach on snow science, winter weather patterns and snowpack have been invaluable to an industry directly dependent on winter conditions.

Her contributions to the 2021 New Hampshire Climate Assessment helped provide important context about winter conditions in the state, including implications for outdoor recreation. Ski NH was proud to contribute to that assessment, ensuring the ski industry’s on-the-ground experience informed the broader scientific conversation.

This partnership has also translated research into meaningful public engagement.

Dr. Burakowski and I appeared together on a panel at the 2024 NH Tourism Summit titled “Marketing Through Adverse Weather Patterns,” blending scientific insight with practical communication strategies for tourism professionals navigating increasingly variable weather conditions. This conversation was particularly timely following New Hampshire’s warmest winter on record, along with a rain-on-snow flood event in December 2023.

Ski NH has also partnered with Dr. Burakowski on a survey of ski area operators and industry members designed to better understand industry perspectives on a changing climate. The goal was to better understand how internal industry perspectives compare with those of the general public nationwide — an important first step for an industry thinking seriously about how to approach planning, communication and long-term decision-making in a changing operational landscape.

The partnership with UNH also extends into workforce development and education. Since 2019, I have participated annually as a speaker in UNH’s Recreation Management and Policy Ski Industry Management class.

That connection has produced tangible results, including an intern who later became a Ski NH employee. We are now exploring potential ski industry certificate programs designed to attract students to industry careers and help current professionals expand their skills and advance.

UNH has also provided space for innovation around industry challenges. In 2021, New Hampshire’s ski industry was the focus of a Peter T. Paul Entrepreneur Center hackathon, where students developed creative, real-world solutions to issues ranging from workforce retention to waste reduction and growing participation in the sport. The event highlighted how academic creativity and entrepreneurial thinking can directly strengthen a legacy industry.

Finally, Ski NH has been a proud sponsor of UNH’s alpine and Nordic ski teams for many years. These student-athletes represent the state sport on a national stage and embody the dedication, resilience and community that define skiing in the Granite State. Supporting them is both an investment in young people and a celebration of the sport’s deep roots in New Hampshire’s culture.

Taken together, these efforts tell a larger story: UNH is an essential partner to the state’s ski industry. In a time of rapid change and growing complexity, this multifaceted collaboration helps ensure that New Hampshire’s ski industry remains vibrant, resilient and well positioned for the future.

Since 2014, Jessyca Keeler has served as president of Ski New Hampshire, a nonprofit association that represents over 30 alpine and cross-country ski resorts across the state.