As the world warms, there is less natural snow in the NC mountains. But ski resorts are prepared with a man-made option.
>> YOU HAVE TO LOVE THAT DETERMINATION. THAT'S A TREAT STORY. >>> I HAVE BEEN HAVING FUN WATCHING THESE FOLKS SKI MIND HE. CLIMATE CHANGE IS THREATENING A WARMING EFFECT. WE ENTITY TO SEE IF SEE IS SKI RESORTS ON THIN ICE. >> UP ON THE MOUNTAINS, A FROSTY WIND IN YOUR FACE. YOU CAN FEEL ALL THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS HAVE MELT AWAY. ONE PROBLEM GLARES LIKE SUN ON SNOW. A CHANGING CLIMATE. AT SUGAR MOUNTAIN RESORT PEOPLE WERE KEPT WAITING. >> IT WAS A BUSINESS ROCKY WITH THE LACK OF SNOW FALL. >> THE SLOPES STILL MANAGED TO OPEN NOVEMBER 15th WHICH IS ABOUT NORMAL. THEY WILL STAY OPEN THROUGH MOST OF MARCH. SUGAR MOUNTAIN RELIES ON SNOW MAKING MACHINES BUT IT STILL HAS TO BE COLD, MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES IN THE 30s FOR THE MACHINE MADE STUFF TO FLY. >> I KNOW HERE OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS WE HAVE SEEN WARM WINTERS. WITH VERY SEEN WINTER LIKE SEASONAL SEASONS WITH OVER 90, 100 INCHES OF SNOW. >> FOR A PLACE THAT DEPENDS ON SNOW CLIMATE CHANGE COULD BE A GAME CHANGER BUT OPERATORS OF THE SKI RESORTS TAKING THE LONGVIEW, SEEING DECADES OF GOOD SKIING ON THE HORIZON. >> CONDITIONS PROBABLY THE BEST VERY EXPERIENCED IN SEVERAL YEARS. >> MARKETING DIRECTOR FOR BEACH MOUNTAIN WHICH OPENED NOVEMBER 20th. AGAIN ABOUT NORMAL. >> THE ONLY THING I HAVE NOTICED IN MY TENURE HERE IS REALLY JUST GETTING CLIMATE CHANGES AND WEATHER. >> BOTH BEACH MOUNTAIN AND SUGAR MOUNTAIN HAVE SHUFFLED BIG MONEY INTO SNOW MAKING EQUIPMENT. >> WE HAVE MADE OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INOF INVESTMENT. IF WE PROCEED DISTRICTED WE OF INVESTMENT. >> HEAPS OF SNOW CAN BE MADE IN SHORT SPURTS OF TIME AND ONCE ON THE GROUND IT STICKS EVEN THROUGH WARM SPELLS. >> WE LIVE BY THE WEATHERW. HE ARE JUST LIKE FARMERS. >> FRED WORKED AT BEACH MOUNTAIN BACK IN THE 70s. HE NOW OWNS FRED'S GENERAL MERCANTILE. >> THE WEATHER GOES THROUGH CYCLES NO MATTER WHAT. I HAVE NOTICED THAT. YOU KNOW IN THE YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE. SO THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE. >> I -- WE SEE THE SPORT GROWING. >> A GROWING SPORT EVEN IN A WORLD GROWING WARMER. BRIAN MIMS. WRAL NEWS. AVERY COUNTY. >> LOOKS LIKE FUN. >> STATS SHOW THEIR TWO
