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<br />An Alternative Approach to Snowmaking
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<br />By Hank Vandenberg
<br />
<br />olorado's ski areas spend millions
<br />'~'of dollars on snowmaking equip-
<br />me~t. They proudly point out that ar-
<br />tificial snowmaking equipment covers
<br />better than 20% of Colorado's total ski
<br />acres, A few ski areas, however, have
<br />gone even further in their quest for im-
<br />munity from nature's unpredictable
<br />weather patterns. Vail, Beaver Creek,
<br />and Purgatory ski areas use the un-
<br />conventional method of cloud seeding
<br />to increase snowfall.
<br />The technology of cloud seeding has
<br />oeen under development for some,
<br />time. A number of scientific test pro-
<br />jects have proven the viability of cloud
<br />seeding. We are no longer dealing with
<br />any of those phony "rainmakers" that
<br />used to travel through drought-
<br />stricken parts of the country, promis-
<br />ing to make rain fall out of a clear blue
<br />sky by means of rockets, cannons, and
<br />other assorted magical methods. To-
<br />day, ski areas like Vail, Beaver Creek,
<br />and Purgatory are spending money on
<br />cloud seeding based on objective cost-
<br />benefit studies.
<br />Vail has sponsored cloud seeding
<br />since the 1976-77 ski season. Accord-
<br />ing to Joe Macy, the Mountain Plan-
<br />ner for Vail Associates, cloud seeding
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<br />can add those critical extra inches of
<br />snow early in the season to allow Vail
<br />and Beaver Creek to open on or before
<br />schedule. "Seeding two or three storms
<br />can result in an extra four to six inches
<br />of snow," says Mr. Macy.
<br />Goud seeding is important enough
<br />to Vail Associates for them to pay
<br />Western Weather Consultants of
<br />Durango $50,000 per year to operate
<br />a cloud seeding system around Vail
<br />and Beaver Creek. The cloud seeding
<br />is done from the ground using propane
<br />generators that propel silver iodide
<br />particles into moisture-laden clouds.
<br />Since most moisture bearing clouds ap-
<br />proach Vail from the west and north-
<br />west, the generators are strategically
<br />located in such places as Eagle,
<br />Radium, State Bridge, Gypsum, and
<br />Wolcott, all about 15 to 25 miles to the
<br />west and northwest. Depending on the
<br />speed at which the clouds are moving,
<br />it takes about 15 to 25 miles for the
<br />silver iodide particles to become the
<br />cores of new snowflakes that are heavy
<br />enough to fall to earth.
<br />Modem cloud seeding does not per-
<br />form miracles. It cannot create
<br />moisture out of a blue sky. What it
<br />does do is help form ice crystals in
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<br />Above: A Western Weather Con:.ultants pro-
<br />pane generator in action. TheSI~ generators,
<br />strategically located, propel silver iodide
<br />particles into moisture-laden c1014'Jls tlult even-
<br />tuJllly become cores of new snowj'lillces. Right:
<br />Closeup of generator control palllel, showing
<br />the solution control and propa;"e valves to
<br />adjust the seeding rates. Below: Cloud seeding
<br />is an exact science and acclnate Wt'ather
<br />forecasting is a must. Here a forecaster is
<br />examining a satellite photo of cloud COl'er Ol'er
<br />Colorado.
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<br />clouds that are heavy in moisture. Just
<br />because there is moisture in a cloud
<br />does not necessarily mean that snow
<br />or rain will fall. In the caSl! of snow,
<br />the cloud's moisture needs to
<br />crystallize around some type of
<br />cataIytical particle. Clouds common-
<br />ly carry some natural catalyst that gets
<br />the crystallization process going. such
<br />as dust, sea salt, smoke, or volcanic
<br />ash. But at other times, clouds are defi-
<br />cient in Cl)'Stal-fonning particles, and,
<br />lest skiers watch from below as the
<br />heavy clouds simply pass over without
<br />dropping much of their valuable
<br />powder, some artificial particles must
<br />be introduced into the cloluds.
<br />
<br />COLORADO COUNTRY LIfE . JANUARY 1984
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