Hi, I’m Jesse Ritner.
I’m a historian of the modern United States, a public historian, and an Assistant Professor of History at Georgia College & State University. I write about snow, skiing, climate, and the workers who keep outdoor economies running.
I have written for both academic and non-academic audiences. I am involved in a number of organizations, including serving as a member of the Science Alliance with Protect Our Winters and as an Editor at Network in Canadian History and Environment.
Writing published in
The Washington Post · Utah Historical Quarterly · The International Journal of the History of Sport · Protect Our Winters · NiCHE · Edge Effects · Hardpack Magazine · Technology Stories · Not Even Past
In progress
Snowguns
How Snowmaking, Carbon Emissions, and Cheap Labor Built the U.S. Ski Industry
Jesse Ritner
The book
How climate adaptation built the American ski industry
Snowguns examines the central role of climate adaptation in the development of the U.S. ski industry. Snowmaking let resorts promise winter on schedule. It also bound them to rising carbon emissions, relentless growth, and a low-wage workforce that rarely appears in ski history.
The research behind it won the 2023 Joel Tarr Envirotech Article Prize from the Society for the History of Technology, for “White Gold: Snowmaking, Resort Growth, and Skier Experience in the U.S. East, 1945–1971.” I am also writing articles on Native American history, Mexican American history, avalanches, and settler colonialism.
Recent writing
Essays, op-eds, and articles for readers in and out of the academy.
Utah Historical Quarterly · Winter 2026
Avalanche!: Reimagining Skier Snow Relationships
NiCHE · April 22, 2026
NiCHE · February 18, 2026
Stunning Scenery, Climate Consequences, and the Winter Games
The Washington Post · February 8, 2022
The Beijing Olympics’ Snow Problem Is More Serious Than You Think
Oral history project
Have you worked 30+ years in outdoor recreation?
As lead researcher for the Outdoor Recreation Workers Oral History Project, conducted with the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies, I’m recording the stories of ski patrollers, instructors, guides, and others across the West. I’d like to hear yours.
Where to start
Writing
The book, peer-reviewed articles, op-eds, and book reviews on skiing, climate, and the U.S. West.
Public history
39 oral history interviews, editing at NiCHE, digital archives, and history for public audiences.
Teaching
Courses on U.S. history, environmental history, and gaming nature at GCSU and beyond.
A little more about me
I grew up just outside Philadelphia, PA, and have since lived in Saratoga Springs, NY; the Roaring Fork Valley, CO; Austin, TX; and, most recently, Macon, GA. Outside work, I’m a passionate skier, backpacker, and aspiring climber.
Get in touch
For press, speaking, oral history interviews, or research questions.
