MIDDLEFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) — With the warm weather the past two days in Connecticut some may be wondering if we will have a white Christmas.
There is one ski area in the state which can guarantee it.
Powder Ridge Mountain & Resort in Middlefield, the southernmost ski area in the state, took matters into its own hands to ensure a white Christmas.
“We just brought in the Demac Lenko KTI Snow Pro 260,” said Sean Hayes, the owner of the Powder Ridge Mountain & Resort.
They affectionately call it the snow factory, as the machine can make snow in 80-degree weather.
“It’s exactly the same principle as the air conditioning in your house but we are not cooling the air just the water,” said Adrianno Peek, an employee at KTI Das Original.
Hayes said after large plates freeze the ice they then heat up and huge sheets of ice drop off of them into an auger below.
From there the chopped ice travels through tubes and onto the side of this mountain where it is piling up.
“A harder more resilient snow type product,” Hayes said.
A multi-million dollar investment he believes will pay off.
“Last year was the worst winter season that we had in our history, so we knew we had to make a change,” Hayes said.
He said the snow factory can cover an entire football field with up to 6 inches of snow in just 24 hours.
Hayes said that means the snow tubing hill will be open by Black Friday along with a whole winter festival complete with vendors, ice bars and lighted tunnels.
“Guaranteed every weekend in December,” Hayes said.