Mulching in the Mountains

As the snow melts and the wildflowers bloom, the Albion Meadow transforms into one of Alta's most vibrant and colorful landscapes—a fragile ecosystem we work so hard to protect each summer. During peak wildflower season in July and August, it's hard to imagine that only a few months later we would mow portions of this same meadow.

Mowing and Mulching

You might wonder why we cut down the vegetation we work so hard to protect—we promise we aren't cutting back. When temperatures drop and the wildflowers have shed their seeds, we'll use their clippings as mulch to spread along Alta's revegetation sites.

Mowing provides two major benefits to the mountain—it allows our skiers earlier access to groomed runs and it creates golden mulch.

Mowing groomed runs in Albion Meadow | Photo: Anna Lee

Some for now, some for later

Before being sealed away for the winter, clippings will spend a few weeks drying out in the sunshine to prevent moisture build-up. When summer rolls around, we'll spread mulch across new and existing revegetation sites.

AEC crew gathering mulch clipping to be stored over winter | Photos: Jen Melton

Clippings that don't make it into storage are loaded into truck beds and taken to revegetation sites on the mountain for some extra TLC before winter arrives. Armed with pitchforks and armfuls of mulch, we carefully distribute mulch in disturbed areas—promoting healthy regrowth and stabilization.

This year, clippings gathered from Albion Basin were spread along the Summer Road and Erosion Gullies in the Supreme area.

AEC crew member spreading mulch Erosion Gullies | Photo: Anna Lee

Harvesting Gold

While our largest mulching projects use clippings from the mowing process, we also spread hand-cut vegetation over disturbed areas. These efforts promote regrowth in even the hardest-to-reach spots. This process can be implemented earlier in the seeding cycle than the larger mulching efforts, allowing us to seed quickly from nearby areas where the seeds from similar environments are well-suited to thrive.

It's important to make the most of the tools and resources available to us. Mowing is a multi-beneficial process that supports both the skiers and the land.

Left: Hand-cut mulching the High Traverse | Right: Hand-cut mulching a wetland disturbance on Mambo

With Alta's rich variety of native plant species, the mountain is a true goldmine for mulching material, helping us care for the environment while preparing for the ski season ahead.