Ski Season Opens In Georgia

[nsxt2000]

Atlanta is not know as the place to be for skiing, but it will be among the first to open a slope this season. This of course is not due to mother nature, but rather to a company that specializes in making snow. Stone Mountain is a subburb of Atlanta and has the largest body of exposed granite in the world. This is really a mountain - hence the name. With the finiancial packng of Coca-Cola, a 400 foot slope of snow is being massed, and this is no easy task. It requires using 38 gallons of water per minuite for 12 to 18 hours each day for the next month to be ready for the November 10th opening. That's a lot of H2O! The slope is part of a celebration at the foot of Stone Mountain in the park there.

One would think that with temperatures about 50 degrees above freezing there is no way to accomplish making a 400' mountain of snow. According to Snow Magic, the snow maker, that is no problem. The machines just keep ahead of the melting snow.

Not everyone agrees with this commercial use of so much water, especialy during a drought where water restrictions are in efect. While the area home owner can not water his lawn or wash his car, Stone Mountain Park with Coke's backing continues building it's slope.

Because of the drought, Georgia's Gov. Perdue declared October "Take A Shorter Shower" month. People who take shorter showers can save 3-7 gallons of water per shower. That adds up to approximately 2,000 gallons per person over the course of a year - or 52 minutes worth of snow making at Stone Mountain. Perhaps it is time to bring back the "Shower With A Friend" theme from the '60's!
-Mike S.

[nsxt2000]

Due to overwhelming negative publicity the Coca-Cola Snow Mountain near Atlanta has been stopped. As mentioned in the prvious post the 400 foot long Snow Mountain was to open soon and in fact the base had been laid. Georgia is experienceing a severe drought and residents were alarmed that so much water was being used for a commercial venture with a benefit for relatively few.

The project has been two years in the making with an investment of $3 - $5 million for snow making equiptment and related expenses. Approximately 7,000 tickets ranging in price from $22 to $30 had been sold already in anticipation of the event. Initially the parks position was that Snow Mountain was an "essential" part of the business and exempt from water restriction enforcement. The State disagreed and that combined with a backlash from citizens ended Snow Mountain.

This venture can be filed under "a good idea, but poor timing". I guess Atlanta area residents will now have to go to legitimate slopes to ski.
-Mike S.