Even with machine-made snow, Smith's trails do not draw large crowds until there is natural snow on the ground.

Close to l00 percent of the trails can be covered with machine-made snow, and the average annual snowfall is about 110 inches.

This past season, New England areas depended more than ever on machine-made snow and grooming.

It is operating one run with about a foot of machine-made snow.

They know the ski areas can produce good machine-made snow.

The expanded network means that all 17 miles of trails can be covered with machine-made snow.

To manicure its snow, machine-made or natural, Brodie has acquired additional grooming equipment.

And to go cross-country skiing in the woods, you need the real thing, not the machine-made snow that downhill centers create.

In total there are 65 trails on 150 acres of terrain and more than 90 percent of the runs can be covered with machine-made snow.

Such problems gave machine-made snow a bad name, said Mr. King.