Finland’s Levi Ski Resort Preparing Snowmaking System for the Season

The 2026-27 ski season is quickly approaching in Finland, and Levi Ski Resort — one of the first to open non-glacier skiing in Europe — is undergoing major preparations ahead of the winter weather. The preparations begin with the resort’s snow guns, which are currently undergoing inspection to ensure each gun is ready before the freezing temperatures arrive.

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“Each snow gun is going through and being checked to make sure it works as it should,” Levi Ski Resort Trail Manager Jouko Majava said in a Facebook post. “After maintenance, the snow guns are tested with water at the same pressure used for snowmaking.”

With each inspection, the resort makes sure every part of a gun is in tip-top shape. Their nozzles are cleaned, bent parts are replaced, and each gun is tested with pressurized water. The resort has a total of 336 automatic snow guns and 23 mobile snow guns, and inspecting each one takes some time. But for Levi and ski resorts all across the world, ensuring each gun is working properly and ready is key to maximizing snowmaking when temperatures are right.

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With Levi’s opening date set for October 2, 2026, it will join fellow Finnish resort Ruka as the first two non-glacial ski resorts to open in the Northern Hemisphere. Despite Levi’s massive snowmaking capabilities, the temperatures in Finland will not allow the resort to build an artificial snow base by the time October rolls around. Because of this, Levi is using a different strategy to make their October opening dates work: snow farming.

Last spring, before the snow melted off at the end of the season, Levi stockpiled its snow into a massive mound insulated under protective coverings designed to survive the summer. That snow is what Levi uses to open in October. The resort spreads the snow across the front face of the mountain, grooms it, and opens it for the resort’s skiers and snowboarders.

While it seems like a tall task to keep snow frozen during long summer months, the technique works shockingly well. Back in the spring of 2025, Levi stored close to 300,000 cubic meters, with a good amount of it surviving through the warmth. In the early parts of the season, the farmed snow works perfectly when the resort operates with limited terrain. It also helps when the ideal snowmaking temperatures arrive, giving the artificial snow a base to sit on to stay frozen.

• Related: Levi Ski Resort, Finland, Wraps Up Ski Season After 220 Days

Since adopting its snow farming technique, Levi has had some of the longest ski seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. Last season, Levi closed after 220 days of skiing on May 10, 2026, and saw a record-breaking 599,000 skier visits.

When the resort opens on October 2, Levi’s slopes will host both alpine and cross-country skiing. Levi Glacier, Front Slope Park, and the mogul track will be open on the slopes, and the Glacier Express, North, and Front Slope conveyor lifts will spin for its guests.

Although the first few weeks of Levi’s season will be spent on farmed snow, preparing its snowmaking guns is critical for when temperatures reach ideal snowmaking temperatures. Delays in firing up snowmaking guns due to issues can leave the resort’s base weaker and can ultimately lead to a shorter season if multiple guns have technical problems. To combat this, Levi is making sure its guns are ready to go now, while it still has time before temperatures drop.

With Levi’s season less than a month away, the 2026-27 ski season is truly just around the corner. The resort’s farmed snow will soon be ready to go, and so will the resort’s snowmaking system when appropriate temperatures come. When October 2 finally comes, Levi and Ruka will both host skiers on their slopes, marking the beginning of the best time of the year.