Manufactured Snow - When Mother Nature Needs a Hand

The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouverduring the winter months. Ski resorts, instead of
demonstrated the importance of manufactured snowtreating it as an embarrassing secret, take pride in
when Canada, ironically, endured the warmest winterthe number of snow cannons and the capacity they
in a century. Without manufactured snow, thehave of producing snow to keep their skiers happy.
Olympic events would have been severely hampered.While the manufactured snow used on indoor ski
Apart from keeping ski resorts from going bareslopes did not have to endure the reputation of dry
during peak season, snow cannons and manufacturedslopes, where the material once used in the process
snow makes it possible for year-round skiing.would damage skis and was tough on skiers On the
The ability to manufacture snow by manipulating thedownside, making snow is costly in the amount of
temperature of air as it mixes with water, or bywater consumption and the amount of energy
simply using finely-chopped ice, has encouraged moreneeded to keep the snow cold. Unlike when used on
people to participate in winter sports. Both Franceactual ski slopes to augment the amount of natural
(SnowHall) and Germany (Alpin Centre, Bottrop) claimsnow, indoor slopes need to be covered in their
to have the longest indoor slopes in the world, but itentirety and constantly maintained. It's definitely
may be a hollow boast. From Bahrain to Las Vegas,worth checking ahead and looking for ski deals in
indoor ski slopes are springing up around the worldresorts that usually have a good chance of a decent
and with them the ability to build bigger and better.snowfall otherwise you may be disappointed in the
Beginning skiers to Olympic athletes are no longercoverage if manufacturing snow is not an option.
hampered by practicing and using their skills only