The purpose of this project was to identify the potential impacts of low-snow winters due to climate change at Telluride Ski Resort (Telski), and the Telluride region (including Telluride, Mountain Village and communities within a 40 mile radius). Research and interviews center around the question "What if it doesn't snow?" Impacts and challenges have been identified for Telski, workers, businesses, governments, and the environment as well as how the effects of climate change might be reduced. A secondary purpose was to determine if Telski and the Telluride region might be vulnerable to climate change given its Southwest location.

A study titled The Economic Contributions of Winter Sports in a Changing Climate defines how "warming temperatures have impacted the winter sports industry since 2001"... and the "economic value of the ski industry today." (M. Hagenstad, E. Burakowski & R. Hill, 2018, p. 6) Skier visits average 55.4 million nationally (2001-2016). There is a strong correlation between skier visits during higher snow years (3.8 million higher than average snow years), and 5.5 million less during low-snow years. This report states that "The winter sports economy is important for the vitality of U.S. mountain towns" identifies the need for the winter sports industry to take the lead in advocating solutions to climate change. Colorado leads the nation in skier visits which generate 43,294 jobs and 2.56 billion in economic value (Hagenstad et al., 2018, p.6,13). Tourism and the ski industry are the economic drivers of the Telluride economy. Telski, workers, businesses, and governments depend on an operational ski resort in the winter.