we spread it out using specialised piece machines which push the snow around. when it gets mixed up it's a lot easier to push. are you predicting you'll be making snow throughout the season, or are you hopeful you might be able to turn it off at some point? we make snow up until our opening day. from then on we proceed untiljanuary and then it depends on the scottish climate. and when you feel some of this snow, if we pick it up here, it looks exactly like natural snow. how does it feel to ski on? when it comes out of the snow factory it's essentially a ice flake, which doesn't have a lot of cohesion. by the time you get to ski on it, it's been mixed with other man—made snow from snow guns and hopefully some natural stuff, which makes it bind and makes a good skiable surface. and so what do you hope about the future proofing of the industry, where you are able to make snow at higher temperatures like this? snowmaking is key to the future of snow sports here in scotland. we have a variable climate on some of the lowest slopes where we operate. it provides a good run down to the base station.