Scientists predict shorter ski seasons as snowfall becoming 'more volatile'

He's got his skis and poles ready to go, and he's even pulled out his ski suit for a photo.

However a new report has put a dampener on his snow spirits.

"I'm not surprised at the conclusions that the report has made because over the time that I've been up in the alps, I've seen that the seasons have been getting more volatile," he said.

The vice president of the ANU Snowsports team has been skiing since he was in year seven.

"Sometimes we've had very good seasons followed by very bad seasons," he said.

Australia's ski season could be half its current length by 2050, according to a new report from ANU and Protect our Winters.

New modelling shows the average ski season could be between 44 and 55 days shorter based on a medium to high emissions scenario.

According to researchers, the Australian snowpack is at a 2,000-year low, with snow cover reducing by 30 per cent between 1954 and 2012.

The length of the ski season has already contracted by 17 to 28 per cent across most Australian alpine resorts.

Some ski resorts would be forced to close down if the snow line recedes to the predicted levels.

The report argued that the Australian Alps -which run across NSW, the ACT and Victoria - are the "canary in the coal mine" across the global alpine tourism sector.

Even the best case emissions scenario, the ski season will be 28 days shorter by 2050.

Climate changes in the alps will have literal flow on effects elsewhere, with the snow run off providing up to 29 per cent of the water flows in the Murray-Darling Basin.

That will in turn hurt the production of hydroelectricity in the national park, the report noted.

Less snow will also reduce the mountains' ability to store carbon, and remove protection from the high country's delicate ecosystems.

ANU researcher Ruby Olsson said the alps are considered one of Australia's most at risk regions in regards to climate change.

She said the report has highlighted the need to pressure the government to continue the renewable energy transition.

"We need to keep our emissions trajectory within that low emission scenario and give resorts the best possible chance of adapting and thriving," she said.

"I am quite optimistic, I really love the Australian Alps, and I know a lot of other people do, too. I have this hope that we will be able to reduce our emissions.

"But regardless of how we go with emission reduction, some level of adaptation will be needed."

An increasingly short season puts pressure on ski resorts and skiers alike. The tourism industry has already been struggling with poor seasons, after taking a severe financial hit during Covid.

Mr Kashkarov said he thinks more people are already heading overseas to ski and snowboard, where the snowfall is more consistent.

"But even some of those areas, for example, in the past season, I've heard from friends that have gone to Canada or Europe that the seasons aren't what they were expecting," he said.

Ski demand in Australia has only grown, adding additional pressure on resorts, with visitors complaining last year of long lines at lifts.

Victorian and NSW resorts contribute more than $3 billion to state economies, according to the report.

Mr Kashkarov said the snow sports club has had issues finding reasonably priced accommodation in the past few years, with a shorter season increasing competition for a bed in the mountains.

He said he'd like to see more action to switch Australia on to renewables, so he and his classmates can continue skiing.

"[It's about] not giving up and continuing to try to improve our future outlook for future generations to be able to enjoy the snow as we do and have in the past."