At first flush, in a region where there does seem to be more than enough snow, the notion of putting in infrastructure for the purpose of making snow seems a little outlandish (http://www.rosslandnews.com/news/246392361.html).
But the Red Mountain Racers Society ongoing proposal for making snow at Red Mountain isn’t just about making snow. It’s about creating a whole new culture in Rossland, one that expands beyond the municipality’s borders.
Like the free shuttle bus service from downtown Rossland to Red Mountain, the proposal by the society to pull water from the city’s alternate reservoir, Star Gulch, to make snow could be another vital cog for the city’s economy.
In addition to the snow making infrastructure, the society would create an athlete’s training facility that will bring people from all over the world to ski and train during what is considered the shoulder season—a down time—in the Rossland economy.
It would be an economic boost, and it would put through up to 5,000 people in the fall in the city’s accommodation providers, restaurants and shops.
Hopefully the city will see fit to approving the proposal.