Ski resorts around Boone depend on machine-made snow, due to the lack of natural snow produced in the eastern U.S., said Brad Moretz, general manager of Appalachian Ski Mountain.

App Ski Mountain can convert six million gallons of water in a day into snow, Moretz said. The resort uses both automated and manual machinery.

The product used to convert water into snow has been tested to see if it’s damaging to the environment.
App Ski Mountain uses a product called Snowmax, a protein-based product added to the water in small amounts which allows for snow-making at higher outside temperatures, Moretz said.

The ratio of Snowmax is very low at only, “a few parts per million,” Moretz said.

Michael Flowe, Appalachian alumnus,  did research for his capstone project to determine if the additives of local ski resorts, including App Ski Mountain, had any environmental impact.

“He never found results that would support the hypothesis that artificial snow may have measurable chemical influences on local streams,” said Chris Thaxton, professor of environmental science. “However, his data does support the idea that general ski resort land use has a similar impact on local streams commonly attributed to urbanization, in general.”

JB Rudisill is a freshman physics major and an avid snowboarder. He’s been snowboarding since he was eight years old.    

“Any snow is good snow,” Rudisill said. “It brings in riders – it brings in business.”

Appalachian Ski Mountain will likely open  Nov. 16, and will probably produce fake snow, Moretz said.

“If we depended on natural snow, the season would be sporadic,” Moretz said. “Without it, it wouldn’t allow for a sound business model.”

Story: JOSHUA FARMER, Senior News Reporter
Photo: JOEY JOHNSON, Staff Photographer