The so-called “super machine” was meant to guarantee snow in all kinds of temperatures—a rare investment in Norway. But now, the snow factory at Natrudstilen in Sjusjøen has been dismantled and sold. To whom it remains uncertain.

It was in September 2015 that Ringsaker Almenning purchased the machine, which was supposed to guarantee snow earlier than almost anywhere else in Norway.

Now, however, the so-called super machine has been sold. Last week, it disappeared from Natrudstilen, and its destination is being kept secret, according to Gustav Uhnger, manager at Ringsaker Almenning, who told gd.no.

The sale is due to financial reasons, demanding operation/maintenance, environmental considerations, and limited use. The machine required expensive and slow service expertise from Italy and was last used at the start of the 2022 season, the newspaper writes.

“We see that we haven’t needed the snow factory. It is a demanding machine to run and maintain,” Uhnger said.

According to site manager Johannes Haukåssveen, there are only three such machines in Norway.

“The snow factory is not the most environmentally friendly way to produce snow, even if it’s made with hydropower. The cheapest way is to produce snow at minus eight to ten degrees and store it,” Haukåssveen explained.

Another costly factor was that Ringsaker Almenning had to bring in people from Italy whenever service was needed. There is too little expertise on this type of machine in Norway.

Uhnger would not disclose the sales price, nor who purchased the snow production machine. According to gd.no, it has been sold abroad.

The sale does not affect this year’s ski season: the early tracks will open on November 1 as usual, and Sjusjøen will now produce and store snow with traditional snow cannons during the winter, according to Natrudstilen.

One significant change, however, is that the traditional biathlon season opener will not take place at Natrudstilen. For the first time, Geilo will host the event.

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.