Alta, UT – In September of 2015, Ski Utah announced their partnership with Protect Our Winters in efforts to raise local and national awareness around the cause of environmental responsibility. In continuation of these efforts, Ski Utah, Protect Our Winters and Discrete, with support from Alta Ski Area and Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, will be hosting the first “POW Day” on January 13 in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
“This day exemplifies the mission of Ski Utah,” says CEO/President of Ski Utah Nathan Rafferty. “To have so many local and national partners come together to help support UTA and alternative transportation methods to our resorts with an environmentally conscious attitude is great.”
January 13 is not just another winter day. Based on over 50 years of snow data, this is statistically the snowiest day in Utah. To help praise “The Greatest Snow on Earth”, on this day Ski Utah will be encouraging skiers and riders to carpool, take UTA or ride-share to help lower CO2 emissions, reduce traffic congestion and increase the overall awareness around environmental accountability.
“We’re truly excited to be part of this inaugural POW Day carpooling event — to help address the air quality issues in the Salt Lake City metro area,” say Chris Steinkamp, director of Protect Our Winters. “It’s through events like this, that we’ll begin to change habits, showing everyone how easy and fun it can be, helping to make carpooling to the mountains second nature. Thank you to Ski Utah and all of the event partners for including us.”
With support from Mountain Accord, a significant donation will be gifted to Protect Our Winters for each skier who signs up to be a POW member, takes UTA and/or carpools on this day. In an effort to urge guests to take alternative transportation, Utah Transit Authority (UTA) will be supporting the efforts of the event by providing free ski service up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Alta and Snowbird on this day. Also, if you carpool with four or more people you will receive propriety parking at both Alta and Snowbird.
“It is so important for all users of the Central Wasatch Mountains to understand what it means to love these mountain to death,” said Laynee Jones, Program Manager for Mountain Accord. “Efforts like POW Day are vital in getting the word out for users to do their part in carpooling, riding the bus or becoming involved in Mountain Accord efforts.”
To reward participants of POW Day, founder of Discrete Clothing as well as a Protect Our Winters athlete, Julian Carr, has personally designed a limited edition POW Day hat to be gifted to all who take the free UTA bus or carpool/rideshare that day. Also, on-mountain that day, Protect Our Winters athletes like Carr and Forrest Shearer will be available to take a few runs with guests who sign up to be a member of Protect Our Winters at the designated tents at the base of both Alta and Snowbird.
“As a native of Salt Lake City, the POW day is the coolest thing Discrete and myself has ever been a part of,” says Julian Carr founder of Discrete. “Lets rid that inversion!”
If that wasn’t enough, please join Ski Utah, Protect Our Winters, Discrete, Alta, Snowbird, Mountain Accord, SNOCRU and Canyons Transportation at the Snowbird Tram Deck Plaza from 2-4 p.m. to learn more about environmental accountability from POW athletes, collect your limited edition SNOCRU POW water-bottle and a chance to win amazing prizes from participating partners.