Aspen Snowmass Implements 'Snow Secure' Technology to Combat Climate Variability
Aspen Snowmass, a Colorado ski area, has successfully implemented a Finnish snow storage system called 'Snow Secure' to preserve snow through warmer months. This technology, which involves covering millions of gallons of snow with massive insulated blankets, allowed a section of the terrain park to open in early October, an unusual occurrence for the season. Chris Miller, the senior vice president of sustainability at Aspen One, Snowmass’ parent company, described Snow Secure as a 'pretty basic technology' made from the same material used for home insulation in Scandinavia. The blankets, approximately 3 inches thick, were able to retain 85% of the snow beneath them, even after Colorado experienced its worst recorded snowpack followed by its hottest summer. Internal snow temperatures remained just above freezing, despite surface temperatures on the blankets exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This trial was planned before last winter's disappointing snowpack but proved particularly successful during an extrem...
