Backstory: The snowmakers of New England ski country

Armed with 'Wizzards' and the laws of chemistry, snowmakers at New England resorts toil to create the 'perfect' snow.

from the March 14, 2007 edition

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Capen, who has been making snow for more than three decades, takes the praise in stride. "Yeah, they talk like we're gods. That's good. I guess we are," he says in his laconic style. "I know this: Stratton would not have opened this year without snowmaking."

Capen and Lacombe both approach the job with scientific precision. At Stratton, a computer tracks every compressor, pump, hydrant, and snow gun. Lacombe attends at least a couple of snowmaking seminars each year, and his crew is constantly testing new products – various additives, for instance, that allow snow crystals to form at lower temperatures.

The job is not without its difficulties. Crew members routinely work long shifts (midnight to noon and noon to midnight are typical). Machinery and equipment, subject to the vagaries of the weather, don't always behave as they should. The snow guns, for instance, are prone to "snozzles," a condition not unlike a nose that needs to be blown.

There are hazards, too. Capen has seen hoses explode and hydrants burst. At Wachusett, a hose once blew up in Mike Hayward's face, scratching his cornea. Sprained limbs from navigating steep and often slippery terrain in the dark are common.

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None of this deters Capen. "I wouldn't want to do anything else," he says. In the summer, he takes a month off to hay his fields and raise cattle. Otherwise it's Stratton and snowmaking, and he doesn't plan on leaving anytime soon. "It's a satisfying job," he says. "Fake snow holds up. It's more durable than what Mother Nature makes. [And] where else can you get paid to drive a snowmobile?"

With uncharacteristic animation, he displays the contents of his bulging chest pack: Leatherman, crescent wrench, two-way radio, vise grips, O-rings ... all the way down to the screw and two small nails that he digs out of the bottom. After laying everything out, he stores each item again and shrugs. "You never know."

But when a multimillion-dollar resort is counting on you, you'd better have it, just in case.

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