In regard to the well-written article by Linda Goodspeed entitled “An Executive Survey” in the September issue of SAM, let me point out that 41 years ago Snow Trails, Ohio, opened for business on 100 percent man-made snow. We were the first in the world to base our operation on machine-produced snow and, since then, many have followed. Snow out of pipes revolutionized the ski industry.
No, we weren’t the first to make snow, but no one else had their operation entirely dependent upon it. Since then, “banana belt” ski areas opened up in the Midwest and Southeast. In the early sixties, we had visitors from all over the world come to see how we did it.
Metropolitan day areas like Snow Trails (we’re open seven days and nights a week) that rack up 85- to 100-day seasons, and have huge rental and instruction operations, create a lion’s share of the new skiers for the industry. Next time you’re on a quad in Colorado, just ask the guy or gal next to you where they first began enjoying the slopes. There’s a better-than-even chance they’re from the banana belt and started skiing or boarding on the man-made snow of a small metropolitan day area.
David L. Carto
Snow Trails, Ohio
