Moisture alone isn’t enough to make snow—the air needs to rise so that it can cool down and condense. This is usually achieved through a process called “orographic lift,” in which mountain ranges essentially act as “snow machines,” forcing that moist air upward. As it rises, the air cools while the moisture condenses, creating snow.
Each of our properties has a unique orographical advantage, meaning they lie within ranges that are usually the first to be hit with a storm. In France, Revelstoke, and Irwin this is due to the flatter terrain sitting between these ranges and the nearest oceans. In Iceland, it’s because the ocean is just beyond our front door.
Not only are these places orographically reliable, but they also each benefit from these unique systems in their own way.
For example, due to the long distances that storms travel to reach Irwin, the snow there is dry, creating light and fluffy powder turns. In Iceland, meanwhile, the denser snow from the nearby sea allows guides to access a greater variety of
terrain features.
