Raising the Bar: Celebrating Our Achievements and Looking Forward to a Greener Future

We operated our SnowPod prototype during the entire 2022-2023 ski season with recycled snowmelt collected in a man-made ditch beside the Green Weaver ski trail. To our knowledge, this was the first time recycled snowmelt was used to make fresh snow. The prototype operated flawlessly, even when temperatures plummeted to -30 degrees F.

During the season, we recorded enough recycled snowmelt flowing in the ditch to blanket the entire trail in the days following warming periods.

With the arrival of spring, the water flow surged, hitting a staggering 1,000 GPM during a particularly intense melt in May. This deluge brought a fair share of debris, filling our twin weirs with sand, silt, and rocks. Some of our outdoor water measurement devices took a hit and will need to be repaired. A key lesson for us is to look for locations that are not as vulnerable to falling debris for future installations.

June 11th, 2023

November 12th, 2022

In the spring, we were approached by two ski areas, that expressed an interest in using our technology to build a snowmaking system for new trails. We have been working to develop detailed plans and cost estimates for this, with the goal of signing a Letter of Intent in the next several months, if we are successful.

The SnowPod system requires far less energy than traditional snowmaking methods, as it eliminates the need to pump water uphill from a large water source like Saddleback Lake. Also, the system operates independently from a ski area’s legacy system, boosting the resort's snowmaking capacity at a fraction of the cost. The higher capacity will also help resorts recover more quickly from rain or melt events.

As we gear up for the 2023-2024 season, we remain committed to our mission of revolutionizing the snowmaking process, marrying efficiency with environmental consciousness.