The future of skiing could be snow-less

In the coming years, snow-skiing in swim trunks may be less of a viral social media post and more of a reality.

Snowpack season (the number of days with snow on the ground) has decreased by more than 15 days since 1955, according to the EPA. One recent study predicts that by 2050, the demand to produce artificial snow for ski seasons will increase between 55%–97%.

As a result, many mountains are increasingly being forced to open later and close earlier each year.

Enter: Dry skiing, a way to ski year-round that’s grown in popularity in recent years. It involves building a sloped, synthetic surface that mimics hard-packed snow by using concentric conical stems to provide grip.

Artificial skiing has been around since the 1950s, when Canadian-born ski jumper Jacques Brunel patented the first "Artificial Skiing Mat." But it’s been gaining popularity more recently.

• There are currently 1,000+ dry slopes across 50 countries.
• 👆 This includes the one pictured above in Copenhagen, a power plant/recreational building combo featuring a hiking trail, rock-climbing wall – and a ~1,300-ft-long ski hill. It opened in 2019, and attracts ~10,000 visitors/year.

👀 Looking ahead…Analysts say dry slopes might be the answer to future-proofing ski resorts – especially ones in lower altitudes.