Winter sports are very popular here in Michigan and in other states that receive snowfall. The only thing about snowfall is that there never seems to be enough! At least here in Michigan, it can be tough to rely on just the snowfall to meet the minimum requirements for the resort to be open. Resort owners had to get creative and think outside the natural realm. This is where air compressors have come into play. Air compressors can create artificial snow, thankfully allowing ski resorts to be open and allowing our winter hobbies to continue no matter the weather.
Not only is making artificial snow with the help of air compressors easy, but it is also as environmentally friendly as the use of compressors generally is. Usually, there are one or more ponds located at the bottom of ski resort mountains. For the times we are not gifted with enough snow to meet the minimum snow level requirements, we can pipe this water from the pond up to the top of the mountains. This is where compressed air works its magic as a mist through snow guns creating miniature snowballs that land on the slopes. Compressed air is not only used as a power to the snow guns, but it also turns the water into droplets making it possible to create snow in subfreezing temperatures. We don’t have to worry either about running out of water. As the snow melts from the mountain, it accumulates at the bottom into the pond, and it is returned to the snow guns in a cyclical effort to always have snow escalating to meet the level requirements.
But Wait! —There’s More!
There are other benefits to artificial snow than just meeting the level requirements and keeping our hobbies and businesses afloat. Artificial snow is considered a higher quality than natural snowfall. Artificial snow is thicker and rounder than natural snow. Although each snowflake is not unique and intricately beautiful; artificial snow packs a lot easier, and requires “less” snow to create the required level because of its density of it. Artificial snow made for ‘shredding the slopes’ is the perfect type of snow to enhance the sport for its dedicators. Making it less difficult for newcomers- and more fun for the advanced. This is only in addition to the fact that the weather is not always easy to predict and rely on. We could end up barely opening the slopes during some lighter winters, or we could have more accidents and injuries occurring from the difficulties of the different snow types. There’s no guarantee the natural snowfall could be fluffy and easily pack itself. Oftentimes, in Michigan especially, we experience warmer winters that melt snow quickly and could ultimately impact the snow level requirement. The snow could be more of a sleet substance creating multiple issues for the participants of such sports.
The downfall to making artificial snow though is the cost. No matter the size of the resort, it is an expensive process. The resort is paying for the compressor system itself, still, making it worth the time and money to invest in this method just to be able to open the resort on most days. Either way, the ability we have now to MAKE snow, is some pretty “Gnawrly” stuff dude!