In the midst of the most severe snow drought in modern Western history, several ski resorts are innovating by implementing a sustainable method of artificial snow storage, ensuring its preservation until the next ski season.
This eco-friendly strategy, known as “snow farming,” entails creating snow under optimal conditions, stacking it up to three stories high, and using large insulating mats to safeguard it against sun and rain. This allows ski areas to utilize stored snow in the fall rather than depending solely on unpredictable weather.
While this technique is gaining popularity in Europe, it is now making its mark in the United States, especially as snowfall becomes increasingly erratic. Small ski resorts in states like Wisconsin, Idaho, and Utah are embracing snow farming this season, highlighting the pressing need for adaptive practices in the ski industry facing climate change.
“Warmer winters and diminishing snowfall may enhance the sustainability of skiing, particularly at certain resorts,” stated Nate Sheik, director of mountain operations at Bogus Basin Ski Resort near Boise, Idaho, where snow farming has commenced for a second consecutive season.
The Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, located near Salt Lake City and initially built for the 2002 Winter Olympics, is pioneering this approach. With Salt Lake City slated to host the Winter Olympics in 2034, maintaining consistent snow is vitally important for the area.
Soldier Hollow is set to host a cross-country skiing event again, but the success of this competition could rely heavily on snow trials, especially if this season’s conditions remain uncharacteristically poor.
“This is a contingency plan for the severe winter of 2034,” noted Soldier Hollow General Manager Luke Bodensteiner.
Bodensteiner, a participant in the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics, recalled this year’s unprecedented lack of snowfall as the worst in memory, arguing that hosting a major competition “would have been challenging if this coincided with an Olympic year.”
How to “Grow” Snow
Bodensteiner’s team invested approximately $300,000 in a snow management system from Finnish company Snow Secure.
This company provides white polystyrene mats that fold like an accordion, are about 2.5 inches thick, and can be deployed swiftly. These mats function as weatherproof insulation akin to that used in buildings, effectively covering snow piles the size of a football field.
Typically, customers employing this system wait for cold, dry conditions, use snow guns to generate snow, pile it high, cover it thoroughly with mats, and anchor the setup with weights.
“It’s like a battery; the greater the snow mass beneath that insulation system, the longer we can retain the cold air,” Sheik explains.
Snow Secure CEO Antti Rauslati noted that stored snow typically loses about 20% of its mass over the summer months. However, this innovative process allows ski resorts to produce snow in conditions where water droplets freeze more rapidly.
“If you create snow during colder months, you’ll see better snow quality,” he stated. “The process is faster, generates higher quality snow, and is more energy-efficient.”
While snowmaking has been a popular practice since the 1970s, it typically results in inefficient water usage during warmer periods, particularly at season’s end. Rauslati mentioned that creating snowfall under marginal conditions generally requires 70% to 80% more energy.
“Operating a snow gun at 27 or 28 degrees could yield a snow pile of about two feet under that snow gun,” Bodensteiner explained. “Conversely, if temperatures drop to the single digits, running the same snowgun could produce an eight-foot pile.”
Rauslati mentioned that some are concerned about summer temperatures in the U.S. hampering the system’s effectiveness; however, it has proven successful so far.
Last year, Bogus Basin was among just three regions in North America to pilot the Snow Secure initiative. Throughout summer, monitoring systems noted external temperatures reaching up to 119 degrees Fahrenheit, while the snow remained at an average of 37 degrees, Sheik remarked.
When workers removed the mats in October, they discovered that around 80% of the snow had survived. Despite experiencing the warmest November on record, Bogus Basin managed to open for business that month.
“We kicked off the season on snow we had saved,” Sheik highlighted, noting that without the snow protection system, a Thanksgiving opening would have been impossible.
Record Snow Drought
This winter has been particularly harsh for the western U.S.
By mid-March, all significant basins in the West had recorded their warmest or second-warmest winters ever, leading to significant snow shortages. The US Drought Monitor reported these troubling developments. A recent record heatwave eliminated much of the remaining snow, exacerbating concerns over wildfires.Water use is currently restricted in cities like Denver. States such as Colorado and Utah have reported record-low snowfall.
Due to these conditions, numerous ski resorts faced limited operations or remained closed. Many resorts ushered in early closures before April.
“The entire industry acknowledges that winters are becoming shorter and warmer,” Bodensteiner asserted.
Soldier Hollow was constructed in compliance with Olympic standards at roughly 5,600 feet above sea level—a relatively low elevation for ski areas in Utah—making it particularly vulnerable to climate fluctuations.
As a result of these conditions, Soldier Hollow is increasingly dependent on artificial snow production. The resort has invested in advanced snowmaking technology, including 20 mobile “fan guns” and 40 stationary robotic “sticks” for efficient snow generation.
“Roughly half of the season relies on artificial snow,” noted Bodensteiner.
He is optimistic that the snow farming trial will enable Soldier Hollow to become the first Nordic ski venue to open in the fall. Upgrades to snowmaking equipment are also planned. If the Snow Secure system succeeds, Bodensteiner envisions expanding its use.
“If we achieve the desired results, by the summer of 2033, we may have three or four of these snow piles around the venue,” he concluded.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
