Connect with us

Local News

Despite a dry winter, an Iowa ski resort keeps its slopes snow-covered

Published

on

Honey Creek, Iowa – This year’s snow totals in the metro are below average. Nevertheless, by creating their own snow, Mt. Crescent Ski Resort in Honey Creek, Iowa, is sustaining the ski season.

“We have received one inch of snow in the metro thus far this season,” First Alert 6 weekend meteorologist Bo Fogal stated. “We should normally be much above that by this time of year in late January, but we are about 12 inches below that.”

However, if polar jet streams migrate into the Midwest, relief might be on the way. “There will be rain if the temperatures stay as warm as they have,” Fogal stated. “It will turn into snow if it cools down and falls below freezing. It seems as though every tiny element could have an impact.

Even though there isn’t any snow falling right now, Mt. Crescent is operating normally. By making their own snow, the ski area has gotten around Mother Nature.

“Last year, we had the good fortune to install a new snowmaking system,” Mechanical & Maintenance Operations Technician Dan Borgaila remarked. “We can make snow up to about 27 degrees, so we don’t have to have freezing cold temperatures.” “Brand new pumps and new pipes all the way up the hill allow us to make snow in warmer temperatures.”

Borgaila tells First Alert that early in the season, six machines generated a lot of snow, which gave crews a three-foot starting point.

Borgaila remarked, “That keeps that snow cold.” “Keeps it freezing, protects it from the ground, and protects it from the warm weather above.”

About 400 to 1200 gallons of well water mixed with compressed air are pumped out of cannons per minute. Depending on how many machines are operating, man-made snow is applied to the slopes.

According to Dan, the resort used this technique to maintain the whiteness of the grounds. Compared to natural snow, man-made snow is substantially denser.

“We have three inches left if we have a foot of natural snow after we drive on it with our snowcats,” Borgaila stated. “So, we use our machines to create a foot of snow in the interim, and after we drive over it, about a foot of snow remains.”

Crews use a snow cat dragging a tiller to manicure the trails in order to maintain the freshness of their product. The snow is broken up and mixed by the tiller.

“We could try to flip it over, push it around, and blade it,” Borgaila remarked. “Therefore, it’s a good base and good product for people to ski on because we have nice fresh snow that we are taking below and flipping back on top.”

Dan reports that business has remained consistent. Including season pass members, the resort sells between 500 and 700 tickets every day on average. However, they have had some really busy weekends in previous years.

According to Borgaila, “We have seen almost a thousand, which is probably a really busy day, and that every parking lot is full and we are pretty slammed.”

The resort will close for skiing at the end of the busy season and reopen for hiking in March.

 

Advertisement

Trending