4 minute read
Make It Snow! | Lapham Peak Maintains Winter Traditions In The Face Of Climate Change
Jonna Mayberry
Jonna Mayberry is a public information officer in the DNR’s Office of Communications.
Wisconsin has long been a haven for winter sports enthusiasts. But in recent years, the southern portion of the state has faced significant challenges preserving the typical winter wonderland.
With short, milder winters and less predictable snowfall, the winter sports industry has pivoted to using more machine-made snowfall to maintain winter traditions.
A study by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that nearly 88% of ski areas in the National Ski Areas Association utilized snowmaking machines. The same study highlighted the economic impact in Wisconsin between high and low snowfall years. A low snowfall year can lead to a 36% drop in skier visits.
Snowfall Feat
Snowmaking machines, often called snow guns or snow cannons, were first invented in the early 1950s. They are designed to produce snow under controlled conditions, blowing tiny water droplets into the air and letting them freeze and fall to the ground. These machines are indispensable for ski resorts and trails nationwide.
The Kettle Moraine State Forest-Lapham Peak Unit uses machine-made snow for cross-country ski trails, pumping water from a pond to snow guns that shoot out the snow. About 1.5 miles of trails have snowmaking capability and are included in Lapham Peak’s 2.5 miles of lighted trails for night skiing.
“Snowmaking for the cross-country ski trails at Lapham Peak was started in 2006,” said John McCarthy, a member of the Friends of Lapham Peak Unit’s snowmaking committee since its inception in 2005.
In the beginning, making snow at Lapham Peak was no small feat, according to information from the Friends of Lapham Peak Unit. Workers used “snow guns, a pump and a plastic swimming pool to make snow for the first time in 2006, just to show that it could be done,” documents note.
Seasonal Coverage
Snowmaking at Lapham Peak was developed out of necessity at the property.
“Low snowfalls, winter rain and warm temperatures have been around since before snowmaking was developed for the trails at Lapham Peak and are the reason why it was developed,” McCarthy said.
“We have followed the same basic plan since the beginning of the project: making snow in early December to have it last all season (into March).”
The idea is to have at least 85 days of groomed trails for cross-country skiing at the property each winter — a goal that has taken much construction. That’s 7,230 feet of water supply piping, 33 hydrants, 7,830 feet of electrical lines and 32 electric pedestals, to be exact.
The Friends are also building a new lodge at the Lapham Peak skiing trailhead to serve skiers and other park users year-round.
“There have been many years when the snowmaking trails at Lapham Peak were the only skiable trails in the region for most of the season,” McCarthy said.
“The 2023-24 season was exceptionally bad, requiring that we make additional snow throughout the season.”
Making snow is a big task, but at Lapham Peak, they’re working hard to preserve the winter magic, even if it must be conjured up by humans.
Learn More
Find details on the Kettle Moraine State Forest-Lapham Peak Unit on the DNR's website.
