Warm weather in Alaska highlights risk climate change poses to future Arctic Winter Games

As delegates and volunteers return home from this year's Arctic Winter Games in Alaska, officials and coaches are thinking about what climate change might mean for the future of the event.

Don White, a longtime snowshoe coach for Team Yukon, said warm temperatures at this year's Arctic Winter Games in Alaska impacted his team's equipment.

Temperatures above freezing on a couple of afternoons led to melted snow soaking through the mukluks of some competitors.

"When it gets warm out they just turned into sponges," he said. 

Warm temperatures weren't the only weather related challenge this year. A windstorm hit Alaska's Mat-Su valley before the games and blew the record snow the area had received off of some of the ski and snowshoe courses. Organizers had to physically move that snow back to the courses so athletes could compete. 

Some people involved in the games have suggested that future events should be held in February instead of March as a result of climate change. 

Tim Horsman, a mission staff with team Alberta North, was one of those who suggested organizers explore the idea. 

"It was just sort of to generate conversation, but it has been warm here," he said. 

He said if the games were hosted in northern Alberta instead of Alaska, it would've been a similar story. 

"We have above average temperatures right now," he said, adding there also isn't much snow. 

John Rodda, president of the Arctic Winter Games international committee, said this is something he's heard.

He said that the organization plans to discuss the subject with stakeholders over the next six to eight months.

"We're all focussed on the long term sustainability of the games," he said. 

"We understand that this is something that's going to have to be