Snow maintenance: Snow farming in Switzerland

In Switzerland, every October sees preparations for cross-country skiing in full swing. That means re-distributing large amounts of snow from last winter.

In Davos, in the Swiss Alps the first cross-country ski trail will soon open, covering four kilometres. This is only possible with snow that was produced last winter and stored over the summer.

Through the second week of October, those responsible have begun to clear the sawdust from the large snow deposits from last winter.

Sawdust deposits kept the snow in tact, as it slows the rate of snow melt, rather than using any chemicals. Covering the snow preserves about 80% of the snow volume over the summer.

The 30 cm layer of sawdust also provides excellent insulation for the snow underneath. It protects it from direct sunlight, but also evaporation from the wet sawdust requires and energy and produces evaporative cooling, so the snow remains cold.

As a result of Davos being pioneers in snow farming, the cross-country season can begun early regardless of autumn temperatures.

In addition to the Swiss cross-country locals, twelve national teams come to train on the Davos trail, owing to its challenging climbs and descents so keeping the snow intact is imperative.