Finnish Ski Resort Set Open October 3rd Thanks To Snow Stashed From Last Winter
Exciting news out Finland where Levi Ski Resort is making good on their “7-Month Snow Guarantee” which ensures over 200 days of skiing and cross-country skiing for their guests each year. Thanks to their cutting edge snow farming practices, Levi is set to open on October 3rd, 2025:
“Mother Nature does her part, and Levi Ski Resort does the rest to deliver a seven-month winter season. Levi’s arctic winter is unparalleled, as is Levi Ski Resort’s snow expertise. The secret behind Levi’s snow lies in cutting-edge technology, world-class snowmaking, snow storage innovations, and our highly skilled staff, along with a touch of luck with the weather conditions.
Snow farming is an environmentally friendly method of recycling and reutilizing snow from the previous season which decreases the need to make snow during the warmer conditions in the beginning of the season. Snow framing provides substantial savings in terms of both water and energy when snowmaking begins.
Snow farming was introduced to Levi in 2016 in order to ensure that there would be enough snow for World Cup Levi after the previous year’s competition was canceled. Levi learned a lot from the first year of snow farming and decided to focus more closely on the practice. Since 2016, various materials have been tested as snow pile covers to minimize the loss of preserved snow including covering the snow with sawdust, one of the oldest techniques used for preservation, but it proved challenging in windy conditions.
Today Levi protects snow piles using both fleece-style geotextile blankets and a new preservation technology developed by Snow Secure that utilizes the Finnfoam insulation material used in construction. The new method based on Finnfoam insulation allows Levi to reduce melting down to 10–20 percent, whereas with traditional technologies the loss of snow was approximately 30–50 percent.
Endless Winter @ Levi
The snow storage system was originally developed to ensure the hosting of the Alpine Skiing World Cup competitions in 2016. Levi’s determined development work in snow storage also paved the way for an earlier start to the skiing and cross-country skiing season. The winter season now begins in early October on the Front Slope and the preserved snow XC trail, thanks to stored snow. More slopes and XC trails will be opened as soon as conditions allow, as their snowmaking and opening require consistent freezing temperatures and winter conditions.
Preserved snow is made with snow cannons in cold conditions in January-February, minimizing water and energy use. In spring, the snow is collected into covered snow piles to wait through the summer, reducing the need for snowmaking at the start of the season. We have also invested in the latest preservation technology covers, which significantly reduce the loss of recycled snow. Before a permanent and thick natural snow cover arrives, the slopes are snowed, aiming to make no more snow than necessary. Levi Ski Resort has over 300 automatic snow cannons that operate only under optimal conditions.
Levi Ski Resort’s Glacier: Preserved snow peak innovation
The latest development is the “Glacier,” which enhances the preservation process. In the summer of 2022, a new chairlift was built on the Front Slopes, and the slope base was leveled. The Glacier slope’s snow storage area maximizes the amount of recycled snow and minimizes the melting rate, creating a good base for winter natural snow and new artificial snow.
Levi Ski Resort is a pioneer in storing snow, and we have developed optimal tools and techniques for the snow preservation process in collaboration with various stakeholders. Favorable arctic weather conditions, a high-tech snowmaking system, and years of work to optimize snow storage ensure perfect slopes and performance venues throughout the winter season, as well as snow certainty for the Levi World Cup.
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