NH ski areas adapt to climate change with advanced snowmaking technology
NH ski areas adapt to climate change with advanced snowmaking technology
https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-ski-areas-climate-change-snowmaking/70887485
Publish Date: 2026-03-30 17:54:00
Source Domain: www.wmur.com
New Hampshire’s ski areas are crucial to the state’s winter tourism, but climate change is threatening their future.Winter recreation thrives during snowy winters, but when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, snowmaking allows ski areas to stay open and profitable. Open since 1935, Black Mountain is New Hampshire’s oldest ski area, and in 1957, the state’s first snowmaking system began.”It was very home-built, pumped out of the creek, just a little bit of pipe, some pretty interesting early snow guns, and definitely changed the trajectory of skiing,” said Erik Mogensen, the owner of Black Mountain.Mogensen said snowmaking technology has improved over the past 50 years, with the biggest change being snow guns using less air. Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go
JACKSON, N.H. —
New Hampshire’s ski areas are crucial to the state’s winter tourism, but climate change is threatening their future.
Winter recreation thrives during snowy winters, but when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, snowmaking allows ski areas to stay open and profitable. Open since 1935, Black Mountain is New Hampshire’s oldest ski area, and in 1957, the state’s first snowmaking system began.
“It was very home-built, pumped out of the creek, just a little bit of pipe, some pretty interesting early snow guns, and definitely changed the trajectory of skiing,” said Erik Mogensen, the owner of Black Mountain.
Mogensen said snowmaking technology has improved over the past 50 years, with the biggest change being snow guns using less air.
Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go
“Air and water mix together to create snow, and we’ve really been working a ton with snow gun manufacturers and New Hampshire Electric Co-op to use less air,” Mogensen said. “Less air, less money, same amount of snow.”
These advanced snowmaking systems come with a cost, and that’s where NHSaves has stepped in. The state’s electric utilities collaborated to offer…
