Fearing climate change, NH ski industry makes capital investments in snowmaking

Despite facing an active drought, New Hampshire ski areas are off to a good start to the season, as recent snowfalls and temperature drops have helped. 

While the drought was a concern for skiers in New Hampshire, Ski NH—a statewide trade association that represents more than 30 ski areas in the Granite State— said the state is well-equipped to deal with abnormal weather conditions, and that the drought wasn’t something that totally threw off plans for the upcoming ski season. 

New Hampshire’s ski industry has the ability to adapt to weather fluctuations, said Jessyca Keeler, president of Ski NH. 

“Not every year is the same. Some are wetter years, where the temperatures are warmer,” said Keeler.“We’ve also seen more frequently where the winter kind of starts later in the season, it takes longer for the ground to freeze, or for the temperatures to [get optimal for] snowmaking.”

In New Hampshire, the ski season brings in millions in revenue each year, and the Granite State ranks fourth in the country in terms of ski area revenue per resident. 

On an average, skiers in New Hampshire spend about $280 million in lodging, travel costs, restaurants and retail in just the ski season, as per latest available data from 2017-18. 

Preparing for climate change

To deal with fluctuating winter weather conditions, many ski areas in New Hampshire have invested in artificial snowmaking. This year, many ski areas made advancements in capital investments for snowmaking capabilities, in addition to improving lifts, equipment, and more. 

“Newer systems allow ski areas to make more snow in less time using less energy, which is really important,” Keeler said. “Sometimes we’re just looking at shorter windows of opportunity to make that snow.”

These ski areas include Loon Mountain Resort, which has announced the installment of 100 new semi automated snowmaking hydrants; Pats Peak, which  is bringing in technology to produce snow even at marginal temperatures; and Cranmore Mountain Resort, which  is expanding two separate snowmaking systems to produce higher quality snow. 

Last year, another ski area, the Gunstock Mountain Resort, embarked on a $4.8 million investment journey, with almost $1.6 million dedicated to improving snowmaking facilities. 

“ Because of the investments in snowmaking, we’ll be able to provide that great product for skiers and riders this winter,” Keeler said. “The infrastructural strategy is making sure that this ski experience remains unaffected this season.”

The contribution of the ski industry remains significant  to New Hampshire’s economy even in low-snowfall years. In addition to the ski industry being a profitable one, and providing gainful employment—there were 7,485 jobs and $200 million generated in labor income in the 2017-18 season—to many across the state, skiing remains an integral part of New Hampshire’s culture. 

“It’s a huge part of our culture,” Keeler said. “The first ski areas were formed in the mid 1930s, so we’re talking almost 100 years.”