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snow of tomorrow

Snow of Tomorrow | The art of making snow

...or to preserve for tomorrow

by Lisa Amenda • 12/06/2021
Snow farming makes the trail possible

Snow farming makes the trail possible

Olympia Region Seefeld

Snow farming makes the trail possible

Olympia Region Seefeld
Piste guns or snow farming sites - all there to herald the start of the winter season as early as possible. But what is behind these two methods and do we really need them?

At the start of this year's Snow of Tomorrow season, I asked myself whether we should make winter as we like it. Travel after it or, even more commonly, simply produce the snow when it suits us. Sure, that's easy too. If I want to go skiing in November and it hasn't snowed enough yet, then fortunately there are ski destinations that have already made provisions. Or should I say, have made provisions? Because most of these ski destinations are not directly under the pillow of Mrs. Holle, but have simply established other methods to adapt the snow to the tourist season. The keywords artificial snow or snow farming are probably popping up in your head right now. But what exactly do these methods do and why can we no longer do without them?

The well-known black sheep: artificial snow

Wet, icy, somehow different to ski on. That's how we know artificial snow. However, the technology and composition of artificially produced snow has changed significantly in recent years. Today, artificial snow is no longer what it used to be. It is no longer even called artificial snow, but "technically produced snow". Because there is not much artificial about it. In modern facilities, it is made from air and water. Nothing else. No extra chemicals. No environmental toxins. Just water and cold air. Just like in nature, only without the crystal structure known from snowflakes. The study by Nora Els, which she has already presented in Snow of Tomorrow, also confirms this. Only the chemical composition of the water differs from natural snow. This is due to the fact that the water in the reservoirs differs in detail from the water in the snow clouds.

However, artificial snow, sorry, technically produced snow, still has the reputation of being a water and energy waster. A study by the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF (SLF Davos for short) has more or less disproved this energy waster. In Davos, technical snowmaking accounts for just 0.5 percent of total energy consumption. In contrast, 32.5 percent is used by apartments. However, snowmaking systems do consume water: according to the SIS/DSV Advisory Board for the Environment and Ski Sports Development, 250 to 350 liters are needed for one cubic meter of snow, depending on the quality of the snow. However, the water is not lost: it is returned to the natural water cycle after the snow melts. In addition, technically produced snow can protect the vegetation on the slopes from damage caused by snow groomers, but also from late frost in spring. On the other hand, this snow cover can have an effect on the composition of the vegetation as it lasts longer on snow-covered slopes.

So let's summarize: Artificial snow is no longer the complete retort brother of natural snow. Of course, every technical application consumes resources and energy. Natural snow is always necessary. In Warth-Schröcken, for example, technical snow is used to guarantee a basic snow cover of around 30 centimetres on the slopes at the start of the season. The rest, however, has to be covered by natural snow. This is why snowmaking systems on existing slopes can guarantee a continuous snow cover and planning reliability, but should not be used to open up new areas.

Makes noise and forms the basis of the slope: the snow cannon

Makes noise and forms the basis of the slope: the snow cannon

Makes noise and forms the basis of the slope: the snow cannon

Yesterday's snow: or what is snow farming?

I've talked a lot about artificial snow and technical snowmaking, but technical snowmaking requires one thing above all else in addition to water: cold temperatures. However, it is not uncommon for temperatures in November to be more conducive to hiking and cycling than to making the first turns on the slopes. And yet tourist destinations are under pressure. After all, winter sports are not only a lifestyle and hobby, but also one of the most important sources of income in many regions. If temperatures are still too high for technical snowmaking in the fall, things quickly become tight.

Circumstances like this make people get creative. For example, a wide variety of techniques are being developed to bring snow over the warm summer months in a way that conserves resources and is as cost-effective and loss-free as possible. In Davos, for example, there was a huge pile of technically produced snow at the entrance to the Flüela Valley in spring 2008. Produced throughout the winter, it was no longer needed at the end of the season. Those responsible for the cross-country ski trail asked themselves how they could save the snow over the summer. The result was a joint project between the SLF, the municipality of Davos and the Davos Tourism Association, which examined the best methods of covering the snow over the summer. The test winner? Sawdust. Just a quarter of the snow melted under it and so Davos was able to build a 500-meter-long cross-country ski trail with the remaining snow in October 2008. Davos has continued this project every year since then - and is thus officially snowfarming.

Regions such as Livigno, Seefeld and Kitzbühel also use this form of snow management. The preservation of snow is not even entirely new: glacier fields have long been protected against summer temperatures with the help of fleece covers. At lower altitudes, sawdust is used as an additional layer of insulation.

While this is great for recreational athletes and allows us to hit the slopes earlier, snow can quickly become an essential resource for competitive athletes. This is because it is often the only way to run international competitions or training bases.

However, snow farming is not considered a panacea: In order to assess the ecological, social and economic balance of snowfarming projects, the total volume, the storage location and, above all, the location, time and method of spreading the snow must always be taken into account in each individual case. Long-term storage can also lead to damage to the soil and vegetation. This must be weighed up in each case.

Snow farming makes the trail possible

Snow farming makes the trail possible

Olympia Region Seefeld

Snow farming makes the trail possible

Olympia Region Seefeld

The snow of tomorrow is still tricky

So there are different ways to spread the snow in the right place at the right time. And yet winter sports remain a sensitive topic. Recreational sports enthusiasts don't necessarily have to race down the slopes and through the ski resorts in November; it would make much more sense to adapt to the prevailing weather conditions. On the other hand, of course, jobs depend on a "punctual" start to the season and top-class sport also depends on snow. Of course, the easiest and, above all, the smartest thing would be for us all to adapt. Skiers only go skiing when there really is snow, but still book their Christmas vacation in the ski resorts so that this economic sector in the Alpine valleys can be maintained and then go hiking or cycling there. Top-class sport can also postpone its season. But that will take time. It probably won't happen overnight. But it won't work to go on like this forever.

Snowfarming involves preserving snow under wood chips or sawdust

Snowfarming involves preserving snow under wood chips or sawdust

Olympia Region Seefeld

Snowfarming involves preserving snow under wood chips or sawdust

Olympia Region Seefeld

This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

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