Ski resorts try 'snow farming' to save manmade snow for next year

Amid the West’s snow drought, several ski areas are storing up manmade snow and saving it under mats for next ski season — a process known as "snow farming."

Amid the West’s worst snow drought in modern history, several ski areas are attempting a novel approach: Storing up artificial snow and preserving it until next ski season.

Known as “snow farming,” the practice involves making snow when conditions are ideal — in cold, dry weather— and piling it two to three stories high, then covering the mound with a large, insulated mat to shield it from sun and rain. When a ski resort wants to open in the fall, it can spread the snow back over runs, rather than relying on the weather.

The technology is more common in Europe but finding a foothold in the United States as snowfall has become less reliable. This year, small ski areas in Wisconsin, Idaho and Utah are trying their hand at snow farming — a sign that new, work-intensive interventions are becoming a necessity as the ski industry grapples with climate change.

“It’s going to extend the viability of skiing, especially for some of the resorts that are going to be on the margin as we have warmer winters and we get less snow,” said Nate Shake, the director of mountain operations at Bogus Basin ski resort near Boise, Idaho, where snow farming is underway for a second season.

Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, a venue near Salt Lake City originally built for the 2002 Winter Games, is trying the approach for the first time. Finding a way to maintain reliable snow is especially critical for the area because Salt Lake City is scheduled to host the Winter Olympics in 2034.