Okemo, Mount Snow, and Stowe, VT, Upgrade Their Snowmaking Systems to Improve Efficiency

This summer and fall, in partnership with Efficiency Vermont, Okemo, Mount Snow, and Stowe completed significant snowmaking upgrades to improve the efficiency of their snow guns. These upgrades mean more snow, faster coverage, and a better start to the season, all while operating more sustainably. This directly supports their Commitment to Zero, Vail Resorts’ sustainability goal of achieving a zero net operating footprint by 2030. “At Okemo, we’re always looking for ways to improve the guest experience while reducing our environmental impact. These snowmaking upgrades allow us to cover key terrain faster and more efficiently, which means better early-season conditions and a more sustainable approach to operations,” Bruce Schmidt, COO / General Manager of Okemo Mountain Resort, told SnowBrains in an email.

Okemo upgraded nearly 300 snow gun nozzles before opening day on trails across the mountain, including Upper World Cup, Lower Chief, Countdown, and sections of the base area. “By upgrading snow gun nozzles across the mountain, we’ve significantly increased our snowmaking efficiency. This technology helps us build a strong base quickly, recover after weather events, and do it all while using less energy, benefiting both our guests and the environment.” Eb Kinney, Director of Mountain Operations, told SnowBrains in an email. 

The mountains did not add new snow guns; instead, they upgraded and replaced the nozzles on existing guns to increase efficiency. The upgraded nozzles improve the efficiency of that snow gun by up to 50%, allowing greater pumping capacity and faster terrain coverage. These upgrades were applied strategically on high-priority terrain used throughout the season to help build a strong base and cover terrain faster. The nozzle replacements span across the mountain at all three Vermont resorts and are not limited to specific trails. They are strategically placed in areas where they will benefit operations the most. These upgrades help the resorts open terrain faster and recover more quickly after freeze-thaws. However, season length ultimately depends on weather conditions.

• Related: SnowBrains Forecast: 1 Foot of Snow for the Northeast This Week

The idea behind snowmaking is simple: you spray water into cold air, and it freezes into snow as it falls to the ground. But there’s more to it than that. Engineers have spent nearly 70 years developing snowmaking machines, so modern snowmaking is remarkably effective.

These five things are key to effective snowmaking:

• Water – the main ingredient for snow.
• Compressed air – to both atomize the water and project it outward.
• Nucleators – small ice crystals or additives that initiate the freezing process. Without nucleators, the water could potentially supercool without freezing. They give the ice something to form around.
• Fall distance – the longer the water spends in the air, the longer it has to cool and freeze.
• A low wet bulb temperature – this type of temperature reading incorporates humidity and ambient air temperature to tell how cold the water droplets will get while in the air evaporating. Dry, cold weather is optimal.

Snowmaking is an integral part of the ski industry, and the ability to make snow when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate saves countless mountains. Around the world, resorts deploy an armada of snowguns, supported by teams of snowmakers, to maximize their seasons. Snowmaking allows ski resorts to start their season earlier, last longer, and survive. Thanks to these upgrades across these three Vermont resorts, they are making snowmaking smarter. Guests will feel the difference with deeper, more consistent base depths from opening day through spring, and the planet benefits from lower energy consumption and a reduced carbon footprint.