Innovations & Improvements in Snowmaking Systems Across the Globe Improve Sustainability As ski resorts across the globe face increasingly unpredictable winters, snowmaking has become an essential tool for maintaining reliable ski conditions. Unfortunately, snowmaking comes with an environmental impact from its heavy water and energy use. A 2023 study by University of Waterloo, Canada, and the University of Innsbruck, Austria, estimated that it takes on average of 1,033 cubic meters of water […] Industry News Julia Schneemann | September 22, 2025 0 Comments
Brain Post: How Snow Guns Work 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. Let’s take a look at how snow guns work. Related: Has Summertime Use of Snow […] Brains Tanner Blake | September 22, 2025 3 Comments
[VIDEO] Arapahoe Basin, CO, Prepares Snow Guns as Temperatures Drop View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arapahoe Basin Ski Area (@arapahoe_basin) Arapahoe Basin Ski Area in Colorado has begun positioning its snow guns, signaling that the start of the snowmaking season is almost upon us. Related: Brain Post: How […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 9, 2025 0 Comments
Italian Ski Resort Fires Up Snow Guns to Keep Guests Cool Amid Summer Heat Located at higher elevations, ski areas typically have cooler temperatures than the surrounding lowlands due to decreased atmospheric pressure. Generally, for every 1,000 feet gained in elevation, a drop in temperature of 3.6°F can be expected, although weather conditions and humidity can change this lapse rate. For this reason, mountainous areas can offer relief for those looking to cool off […] Industry News Brent Glogau | August 18, 2024 0 Comments
[PHOTOS] Arapahoe Basin, CO, Fires Up Snow Guns The race to open has already started. Arapahoe Basin is often a front-runner for being one of the first resorts in North America to spin its chairs, and it looks like it is getting ready to be a contender this year again—the snow guns are out and firing. Related: Brain Post: How Snow Guns Work Hot on the heels of […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 23, 2023 0 Comments
Climate Activists Damage Snow Cannons in Europe Reports have been coming in from across the Alps for several months now of climate activists repeatedly damaging snow cannons in European ski resorts. In Swiss and French ski resorts, such as Villars, Les Diablerets, Verbier, Les Gets, and La Clusaz, damage to snow cannons has been reported across December and January. Sometimes confessions were posted on militant websites, and […] Industry News Julia Schneemann | February 13, 2023 0 Comments
Loveland and Arapahoe Basin, CO, Prepping Snowguns to Start Snowmaking in 2-Weeks Loveland Ski Area and Arapahoe Basin, CO, are getting ready to take advantage of the falling temperatures by getting their snowguns ready to start firing. Both resorts intend to open in mid-October and will begin snowmaking for real in the next couple of weeks or so. Loveland yesterday shared a video of crews testing snowguns, and A-Basin COO Alan Henceroth […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 14, 2022 0 Comments
New Zealand Ski Areas Begin Prepping Snow Guns as Winter Nears Winter in New Zealand is coming. A cold snap is expected to bring severe weather and possibly the first significant snowfall of the year for the South Island this weekend, The New Zealand Herald reports. Ski areas are getting ready. So far, May has been unusually warm. However, a puff of colder air will allow snow to fall over […] Industry News SnowBrains | May 19, 2022 0 Comments
Arapahoe Basin, CO Snowmaking Team Ready to Go Arapahoe Basin, CO chief Alan Henceroth told us in his blog this morning that the snowmaking team is ready to go––they are just waiting for the temperature to drop. Our Snowmaking Team is ready to go. They have been testing and working on their equipment all summer. The fan guns are in place on the hill. The snowmaking reservoir is […] SnowBrains | October 1, 2021 0 Comments
Loveland Ski Area, CO, Fires Up Snowguns for Testing | 22 Days Until Snowmaking Begins Loveland Ski Area, CO, is getting ready to take advantage of the falling temperatures by getting their snow guns ready to start firing. The resort intends to open mid-October and will begin snowmaking for real in 22-days. Related: Colorado Ski Resort Opening Dates for Winter 2021/22 Wild Mountain, MI, who started their lifts turning on 19th October, won last year’s […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 9, 2021 0 Comments
Has Summertime Use of Snow Guns Become Essential for Saving the Tahoe Ski Industry? On August 14th, the Caldor Fire began near Little Mountain in El Dorado County, and by the 16th, it had grown to 764 acres. On the 31st of August, it has grown to 191,607 acres and has actively burned for 17 days. According to Cal Fire, only 16% of the blaze is contained and has destroyed 669 buildings in its […] Fire Joseph Puetz | August 31, 2021 14 Comments
Alta, UT Report: Fake Snowstorms Are Making It Softer, Smoother, & Funnerer Brought to you by Alta Ski Area Report from December 2nd, 2020 The snow guns at Alta are cranking around the clock right now due to very cold temps and a hard-working crew. Last week, the groomers were getting a touch firm due to no new snow and skiers scrapping them around. This week, the snow guns are making the […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | December 3, 2020 0 Comments
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, CA Fire Up the Snow Guns | Only 1-Month Until Opening Day Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, CA, fired up the snowguns on Thursday to test their snowmaking systems on the slopes of both Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows plans to open on November 25, weather and conditions permitting. Related: Ikon Pass: Seek the Open Road – California The first dusting of human-made snow could be seen on the […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 19, 2020 1 Comment
Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, and Vail, CO Begin Making Snow for Real | The #RaceToOpen is On Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, and Vail Resorts in Colorado have all taken advantage of cooler temperatures and the few inches of snow that fell yesterday by firing up their snow guns for real. “The natural snowfall mostly stopped by early evening yesterday. The temperature dropped with an overnight wet-bulb low of 15 F. The snowmakers had all the fan guns spinning. […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 14, 2020 0 Comments
Arapahoe Basin, CO Have Snow Guns Ready To Go | It Won’t Be Long… The weather forecast might say warm and dry, but that doesn’t mean that thoughts aren’t already turning towards winter. Arapahoe Basin, CO are priming their snowguns and snowmaking equipment, ready to pounce as soon as snowmaking conditions are here. Related: PHOTOS: Arapahoe Basin, CO Began Winter 2019/20 Yesterday with Savage Last Minute Announcement! Regularly the first resort in North America to […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 25, 2020 0 Comments
Italy Using Snow Guns to Disinfect Towns in Preparation for Relaxed Lockdown Measures Firefighters and health workers have come up with a novel solution to fight the spread of coronavirus in the Italian Alps; they’re using snow guns to spray disinfectant around the local villages. Related: Brain Post: How Snow Guns Work This week in Val Gardena in Northern Italy, firefighters used their hoses to fill a giant tank with diluted hydrogen peroxide, […] Industry News SnowBrains | April 27, 2020 1 Comment
Looks & Feels Like Mid-Winter At Big Sky Resort, MT: 237% Of Average Snowfall Good afternoon from snowy Big Sky Resort! It looks and feels like mid-winter today, with temps just starting to climb above zero, snow guns blazing, and natural snow covering Lone Peak. With 51” of total snowfall this month, Big Sky has received 237% of average snowfall, making this the third snowiest October in the past 20 years. Big Sky saw […] Conditions Report SnowBrains | October 31, 2019 1 Comment
BOOM! Arapahoe Basin, CO Fires Up the Snow Guns for First Official Snowmaking of Winter 2019/20 Arapahoe Basin, CO kicked off the #RaceToOpen this morning when they fired up the snow guns for their first official snowmaking day of the 2019-2020 season. Related: What Ski Resort Will Open First This Year? #RaceToOpen The snow guns were turned on at the High Noon intermediate run. A-Basin hasn’t announced its opening date yet but it’s expected to be […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 2, 2019 0 Comments
Arapahoe Basin, CO Made Snow This Morning! “We turned ’em on this morning. The wet bulb temperature dropped below 28 F. This isn’t a big snowmaking session, but it is a snowmaking session. Getting the system going is a small step, but a very important step. We like to test the gear and work out any kinks. These actions are important to help us be ready when […] Conditions Report SnowBrains | September 22, 2019 0 Comments
Tokyo Summer Olympics 2020 to Use SNOW GUNS to Keep Spectators Cool Ever since Tokyo was awarded next year’s summer Olympics back in 2013, concerned officials have been trying to figure out how to keep spectators cool in the summer heat. Tokyo regularly sees temperatures hit 95ºF in the summer and to prevent spectators suffering from heatstroke it looks like they’ll be using snow to keep people cool. Related: 4 Reasons You Should […] Olympics SnowBrains | September 13, 2019 0 Comments
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