Man-Made Snow at Riverside Park Ready for Use [VIDEO]

ST. CLOUD-- While recent snowfall has only dusted the ground, a local club has been making its own snow for the last couple of weeks.

The Nordic Ski Club of Central Minnesota has been making snow at Riverside Park for at least the last ten years. Trail coordinator Joe Teff says they do it all for the local ski teams.

We’re really using this snow so that the skiers at the high school level have a chance to learn how to ski before the season starts. Several places now in the twin cities make snow at the county level, so those teams down there are practicing. And then up north they have a tendency to get a little more snow than we get, so we’re kind of in the dead zone.

The snow-making process is labor intensive and requires a team of volunteers. A group of 10-15 people has been working on the project in six-hour shifts, including overnights. Teff says they get a little help from the St. Cloud Public Works Department.

The city supplies the water from a fire hydrant, and then we have the air compressor. The two - water and air - obviously make the snow under high pressure.

The ski loop and sledding hill are now available for use.