Christmas - or at least snow - in July

By Trish Anderton on Tuesday, July 8, 2003.

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SKIING CONTRIBUTES MORE THAN A HALF-BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO NEW HAMPSHIRE'S ECONOMY.

BUT THE INDUSTRY'S REVENUES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VULNERABLE TO THE WEATHER.

NOW BACKERS OF A NEW TECHNOLOGY HOPE TO CHANGE THAT.

THEY SAY SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING COULD SOON BE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

NHPR'S TRISH ANDERTON REPORTS

IT'S 95 HOT, STICKY DEGREES IN PLYMOUTH.

THE KIND OF WEATHER THAT INSTANTLY PLASTERS YOUR SHIRT TO YOUR BACK.

THE KIND THAT GETS YOU THINKING ABOUT THE BEACH, OR AN AIR-CONDITIONED MOVIE THEATRE.

BUT THE MANAGERS OF TENNEY MOUNTAIN RESORT HOPE SOMEDAY SOON, WEATHER LIKE THIS WILL BRING THOUGHTS . OF SNOW.

Whoo! Ayyyyyyy! Ayyyyyeeeee!

ON A STRETCH OF HILL NEAR THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN, PEOPLE ARE LINING UP TO RIDE INNER TUBES DOWN A THIN, PRECIOUS STRIP OF SNOW.

TENNEY MOUNTAIN CALLS THIS THE GLACIER.

IT'S PRODUCED BY A NEW SNOWMAKING MACHINE THAT CAN OPERATE EVEN ON THE HOTTEST SUMMER DAY.

GENERAL MANAGER DAN EGAN.

006 105 the response has been really amazing. People are coming up just to see the snow, to watch it coming out of the gun. They can't believe there's snow in july.

CONVENTIONAL SNOWMAKING SYSTEMS SPIT WATER INTO THE AIR AND LET IT FREEZE.

THEY WORK only WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE.

THE NEW TECHNOLOGY FREEZES THE WATER INSIDE A REFRIGERATED BUILDING.

It?s A TALL, BOXY UNIT THAT LOOKS LIKE A TRACTOR TRAILER TURNED ON ITS END.

THE SNOW PULSES FROM THE BUILDING THROUGH A CLEAR PLASTIC TUBE AND BLOWS OUT ON THE SKI HILL.

THIS IS NOT THE DRY POWDER MANY SKIERS COVET.

BUT EGAN COMPARES IT TO ANOTHER BELOVED TYPE OF SNOW: THE LITTLE ICY BALLS THAT FORM ON SKI SLOPES IN WARM WEATHER.

008 25 this is very much like you'd find on a spring day. Its corn snow.

EGAN IS FAMILIAR WITH SNOW.

HE'S TRAVELED ALL OVER THE WORLD AS AN EXTREME SKIER.

Egan has since MADE the LEAP INTO SKI AREA MANAGEMENT.

HE BELIEVES HAVING SNOW all year round WILL MAKE MOUNTAINS LIKE THIS ONE MUCH MORE PROFITABLE.

tenney used to have one season. Now there's three seasons with the cashflow spread out. So it should be much stronger financially. And as you know in the summertime there's so many people at the mountains and lakes, and they're looking for something to do.

EGAN ENVISIONS HAVING A SMALL SNOWFIELD IN THE SUMMER, WHERE PEOPLE CAN COOL OFF FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.

IN THE FALL, AS TEMPERATURES DROP, HE PLANS TO OPEN A LONGER TRAIL FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE MOUNTAIN TO THE BOTTOM.

IN THE WINTER, WHEN THE SKI AREA IS IN FULL GEAR, HE'S HOPING TO OPEN A SORT OF BRANCH OFFICE TO REACH OUT TO A WIDER AUDIENCE.

Quite possibly very shortly you'll see us open in an urban location, with a snow park. It would be ramps, and jumps and tubing and toys, skiing and snowboarding, inside a baseball stadium.

EGAN ALSO WANTS TO TAKE HIS SNOW ON THE ROAD, CREATING TERRAIN PARKS THAT CAN BE MOVED AROUND TO DIFFERENT EVENTS.

006 50 ready to go, rache? Yep. Have fun!

THIS SUMMER'S SNOWMAKING GOT OFF TO A SLOW START.

A DOCKWORKER'S STRIKE IN NEW JERSEY DELAYED THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEW MACHINE BY A MONTH.

This past SATURDAY, SOME PEOPLE HOPING TO SKI OR SNOWBOARD WENT AWAY DISAPPOINTED.

THERE WASN'T ENOUGH SNOW.

BUT TEN YEAR OLD RACHEL LAVOY OF NEW BOSTON gave SUMMER TUBING TWO THUMBS UP.

006 00 you never get tired of it. Its really cool when you go down, and it makes it all cool.

CAN YEAR ROUND SNOWMAKING REALLY MEAN BIG BUCKS TO SKI AREAS?

SKI INDUSTRY ANALYST DAVE BELIN OF RRC ASSOCIATES IN COLORADO SAYS THE ABILITY TO BRING THE SNOW TO THE CONSUMER COULD HAVE AN IMPACT.

36 00 I think it might help people who want to try the sport but haven't made the commitment to go to the mountain and get gear. // It could generate some excitement that would continue through traditional ski season.

BUT BELIN SAYS DRAWING CUSTOMERS IN THE OFFSEASON IS A CHALLENGE.

35 105 I think people mentally check out of skiing when spring rolls around. They put away their goretex jackets and boots and don't really ... it has to be a more top of mind thing for them to participate in off season.

SUCCESS MAY DEPEND ON FANATICS LIKE ALISON HALE OF BRATTLEBORO.

HALE GREW IN NORTH CONWAY AND RACED FOR TEN YEARS.

SKIING IS ALWAYS AT THE TOP OF HER MIND, even at middle age.

I live from one ski season to the next . and (laughs) to be able to ski in the summer would make me so happy.

HALE CAME TO TENNEY JUST TO _LOOK_ AT THE SNOW. SHE SAYS SHE'LL BE BACK WITH SKIS ON, SOON.

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