"There’s less snow and stricter rules, but skiers are adjusting in surprising ways."

"STEVENS PASS, Wash. — Skiing is an endangered sport, caught between a warming planet and a global pandemic. But there’s a boom in one corner of the ski world that’s being driven, at least in part, by a combination of climate change and Covid.

The unexpected upturn shows how skiers are adapting to the dual crises and how one winter sport is evolving as snow cover declines around the world.

Ski touring, or uphill skiing, a hybrid style that combines elements of cross country and downhill, has been popular in Europe for decades. In the United States, though, it’s traditionally been a sport for mountaineers and extreme athletes, who use the special skis to trek uphill and into the backcountry in search of untouched powder."

Lauren Jackson reports for the New York Times January 7, 2022. [2]