In a recent post, we talked about the cold hard climate facts that skiers and snowboarders face in the very near future. But how much weight should we give the individual observations of snowboarders who say their snowpack is disappearing? Actually, quite a lot.

Here’s the straight skinny on climate change, how it’s impacting winter sports economies and how professional winter athletes may be part of the solution:

What makes a perfect ski day?  Whether you are an easy-going recreational skier or a nationally ranked pro, it can be summed up pretty simply -- beautiful mountains, soft, pristine new fallen snow, and the rush of flying through the powder at speed.  Skiers and snowboarders, here is what you should know: Most of what you love about skiing is going to change dramatically because of climate change.