Using snow machines to deal with climate change
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The Trockener Steg skilift station in Zermatt, where preparations for the coming winter season begin in September. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
The work yard on the Trockener Steg skilift station. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
The Theodul glacier at 2,851 metres, under the Trockener Steg skilift station. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
Diggers and dumper trucks on the edge of the glacier, starting to prepare the pistes. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
Raoul Briner, the "snowman" of Zermatt skilifts, monitors the progress. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
Briner explains the diagram of the snowmaker. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
A view of the Matterhorn from the ski station's control centre. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
The snowmaker's home. The machine creates snow via a vacuum process. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
The 11-metre high snowmaker on the Trockener Steg skilift station. It is the first of its kind to be used to make snow in a ski resort. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
The giant snow machine can also make snow at temperatures above freezing. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
The dumper truck brings gravel to the ski station. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
A tourist taking in the scenery - unawares of the industrialised landscape? Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
There is still no snow under the Trockener Steg T-bar. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
The first artificial snow of the season, made by the Snowmaker. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
Progress has been made at the Trockener Steg T-bar. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo -
It's still green and autumnal around Zermatt and the Matter Valley. Marvin Zilm / 13 Photo
Snow - becoming a rare commodity in the Alps as a result of climate change - has meant snowmaking has become a big business. Marvin Zilm’s photographs document how heavy construction machinery and a giant snow machine converted rugged landscapes in Zermatt into a ski paradise.
It’s been almost 30 years since ski resorts in the Alps started using snow cannon. Environmentalists failed to block their use.
There are now an estimated 19,000 snow cannon dotted around the Alps. These have an obvious disadvantage: they only work at sub-zero temperatures. But in Zermatt, a so-called “All Weather Snowmaker“ has been in operation since 2008 and can churn out snow even when it’s 30 degrees Celsius. It's the first of its kind in Switzerland.
Manufactured in Israel, it is 11 metres high, weighs 30 tons and was originally developed to cool South African diamond mines. It was discovered that the by-product was snow. That made it an obvious choice for industrial snowmaking in the Alps.
The Zurich photographer's images show the workings of the machine.
(Images: Marvin Zilm/13 Photo, Text: Andreas Keiser/swissinfo.ch)
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