Sun Valley will host a two-day climate summit next month bringing together ski resort leaders, mountain-town officials, nonprofits and businesses to discuss wildfire resilience, clean energy, transportation and other challenges facing mountain communities.
The 2026 Mountain Towns 2030 Climate Summit is scheduled for Oct. 13-14 in Sun Valley, Idaho, during the 90th anniversary year of Sun Valley Resort. Organizers describe the gathering as a forum for mountain, resort and rural communities to share strategies that are already working and develop new approaches to climate resilience.
The ski industry will have a significant presence.
Alterra Mountain Company, Boyne Resorts, Vail Resorts and POWDR are listed as partners for the summit, along with local governments, utilities and climate-focused organizations. Sun Valley Resort will serve as the event’s base camp.
The summit is expected to feature more than 100 speakers and more than 50 deep-dive sessions focused on climate and resilience issues affecting mountain communities and resorts. Organizers say sessions are designed around practical solutions rather than broad policy discussions alone.
Topics highlighted by MT2030 include wildfire resilience, forest restoration, clean energy, financing, climate adaptation and community planning. The organization says its broader mission is to connect local governments, ski resorts, businesses and community leaders so successful solutions can be shared across mountain communities.
Among the featured speakers are author and climate strategist Katharine Wilkinson, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean, American Forests CEO Hilary Franz, Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry and Utah State University professor Rob Davies. Climate Town host Rollie Williams is scheduled to return as the summit host.
For ski areas, the discussions come as operators continue investing in snowmaking, energy systems, wildfire mitigation, transportation and other infrastructure intended to make mountain operations more resilient.
The summit also includes the 2026 Climate Action Awards, recognizing communities, projects and individuals involved in climate work. Nominations remain open through Sept. 17, with winners scheduled to be announced during the Sun Valley gathering.
