Teske Tidbits Episode 12: How Greek Peak Keeps Winter Going Strong
December 10, 2025
In this episode of Teske Tidbits, Storm Team Chief Meteorologist Jim Teske sat down with with Ayden Wilber, Vice President of Operations, and Jarrett Dulemba, Assistant Mountain Manager. Together, they break down how modern snowmaking works, why it’s so critical in today’s winters, and how Greek Peak is investing to keep guests on the snow from early season through spring.
From Ski Jobs to Snowmaking Pros
Ayden and Jarrett both came into snowmaking through their work at Greek Peak and a shared passion for skiing. What started as resort jobs—like running lifts—turned into careers focused on building and maintaining the snow surface guests rely on. They describe a tight-knit snowmaking community where resorts, manufacturers, and industry experts constantly share ideas at conferences and events to keep improving technology and techniques.
The Science Behind Man-Made Snow
Ayden explains that man-made snow follows the same basic principles as natural snowfall—just on a much smaller scale and over about 30 feet instead of tens of thousands. High-pressure water (300–500 PSI depending on location on the mountain) is pumped up to snow guns, where it meets compressed air at around 100 PSI. The air helps break the water into tiny droplets, giving them a better chance to freeze before they hit the ground.
Successful snowmaking depends on three key factors:
- Temperature: It must be below freezing, especially in New York’s typically high humidity.
- Relative humidity: Lower humidity improves the odds that droplets will freeze; Ayden and the team use wet-bulb temperature (a combination of temperature and humidity) to decide when to run the system.
- Time window: Greek Peak aims for at least eight hours of good snowmaking conditions to justify startup and maximize production.
While it’s theoretically possible to make snow above 32°F in very dry climates like Colorado, Ayden notes that’s not realistic in New York’s wetter environment.
Man-Made vs. Natural Snow on the Slopes
Jarrett walks through what guests actually feel under their skis and boards. Man-made snow tends to be denser and more hard-packed, especially after a few freeze–thaw cycles, and can set up into a surface that feels closer to firm or icy. That’s where nightly grooming comes in—Greek Peak’s grooming team works the snow into a fresh “corduroy” surface to keep conditions smooth and enjoyable.
Natural snow, by comparison, is usually lighter and stickier, but it melts and disappears much faster. From an operational standpoint, the durability of man-made snow is what allows Greek Peak to:
- Open earlier in the season.
- Maintain reliable coverage during freeze–thaw cycles.
- Extend the season later into winter.
Early-Season Strategy: Opening Top to Bottom
Recorded in November, the episode captures the resort’s early-season mindset. Jarrett describes how Greek Peak targets its top three trails off the main lift—a green, a blue, and a black diamond—plus the beginner area at the base and the loading zone near Visions.
The goal is clear:
- Open top-to-bottom terrain as soon as possible
- Offer a mix of difficulty levels so guests of different abilities can all get on snow
On peak snowmaking nights, the team may run around 150 snow guns at once, using a mix of fan guns (often seen in base areas with large barrels and built-in fans) and air/water guns lined down the trails, tied into the resort’s in-ground water and air infrastructure.
They carefully use detailed weather forecasts—including wind, humidity, and wet-bulb trends—to target those eight-hour (or longer) windows that make snowmaking efficient and worthwhile.
Water, Weather, and Mid-Season Snow Management
Jarrett notes that Greek Peak is in good shape on water this season, with full ponds and flowing creeks—an improvement from previous years when low water levels forced contingency planning. Early in the winter, the focus is on building deep bases on key trails, especially in areas known to lose snow more quickly.
As the season moves into mid-winter, the resort can gradually dial back snowmaking if early windows have been strong. In good years, they’re able to wrap up snowmaking by late January; in tougher winters, operations can continue into February to keep coverage where it needs to be.
Major Snowmaking Investments & the Road Ahead
Ayden shares that Greek Peak recently completed a five-year, multi-million-dollar snowmaking infrastructure upgrade. The project included:
- Replacing aging pipes from the 1960s and 70s
- Expanding coverage to more terrain guests want to ski and ride
- Improving efficiency to reduce the hours required to create quality coverage
Thanks to these upgrades, Greek Peak now has snowmaking on roughly 80% of its non-gladed terrain, with the primary gap remaining on the east side of the mountain near Chair 5. That area is a key focus for future improvements.
The resort has already begun another new five-year upgrade program, with more improvements and announcements planned as Greek Peak continues moving toward the long-term goal of snowmaking coverage on all non-gladed trails.
Why Snowmaking Is Essential for Modern Winters
Ayden doesn’t mince words: modern ski areas in the Northeast simply couldn’t operate reliably without snowmaking. He points back to 2015, when Greek Peak couldn’t open until January due to a lack of natural snow—an event that helped cement the resort’s commitment to investing in snowmaking.
As an example, he notes that two seasons ago Greek Peak logged about 750 hours of snowmaking. Without the recent upgrades, they estimate they would have needed 1,500–1,800 hours to achieve comparable coverage. Better infrastructure isn’t just about getting open; it’s also about controlling costs and delivering a consistent experience for guests despite variable winters.
Watch the Full Interview
Want to hear it straight from the team that “makes winter happen” at Greek Peak?