Scotland’s Season Starting Thanks To All-Weather Snowmaking Machines
Scotland’s Season Starting Thanks To All-Weather Snowmaking Machines
Published : 16-Dec-2023 03:16
Although there's some natural snowfall in the forecast after a very warm and windy few days, it looks like Scotland's ski season will get underway in the week before Christmas thanks to all-weather snowmaking machines.
After years of very unpredictable snow cover challenging their operating plans, all five Scottish centres invested in all-weather snowmaking machines such as the TechnoAlpin SnowFactory to ensure they have at least some snow to offer visitors through the season, even when mother nature doesn't play ball.
Glenshee, which usually creates a short run, ay they plan to open this Wednesday, 20th December, with Cairngorm (pictured above this week) using there's to cover nursery slopes, on Friday 22nd December.
"A big thanks to our SnowFactory providing a helping hand," a resort spokesperson said.
Scotland did have a very cold November and early December with roads closed by snow around ski centres at times, but it has turned warm, wet and very windy in recent days, although colder weather and snow is forecast later this week.
Of the other three centres, Glencoe has already started using its SnowFactory but for sledging, not skiing or boarding. Their access chairlift also provides uplift to ski tourers seeking high altitude snow patches outside the ski runs.
The Lecht have not announced an opening date et but have announced an opening event for a new terrain park between Christmas and New Year so are presumably using their SnowFactory to make snow for that.
Finally Nevis Range near Ben Nevis and Fort William, the only centre that doesn't have a SnowFactory, having invested in an alternative all-weather snowmaking system which doesn't seem to have worked, says they'll open whenever natural snow cover is good.
In a lengthy online statement the centre said it had not made money on snow sports for over 15 years and lost £5m in the past five years so was having to be careful in future, with changes including no longer selling season tickets, no longer running their own ski school, and only offering rentals at weekends.
"It's no secret that the weather over the last five years has made snowsports an extraordinary challenge. We haven't made profit on the ski season for over 15 years – we do this because we love it and because it is who we are! That said the losses for winter have increased to unmanageable levels. Last year the loss by April was over £1m and we experienced similar issues the year before, add in Covid winters and we find ourselves in a situation where the winter period has lost £5m in five years," an online statement from the centre explains, however confirming that, "Our approach to core opening hours is simple – if the conditions are good enough to open – we will be open!"
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