Boy, 10, engineers private backyard ski slope

Boy, 10, engineers private backyard ski slope

By Susan Harding and KATU Web Staff

WEST LINN, Ore. - Talk about ingenuity - a 10-year-old boy built his own snow machine and filled his backyard with enough snow to make it look like a blizzard had blown through.

"It was just hypnotizing," said Forest Pearson, who built the snow machine out of a 30-gallon air compressor that he got for Christmas, a pressure washer and a whole lot of research. 

The nozzle shoots out a perfect powder.  In fact, the machine works so well that Forest ended up with three feet of snow in his backyard in just one night.

"He's watching a molecular process happening here," said Elizabeth Pearson, who is quite impressed with what her son has created.  "He's creating a climactic event.  It's incredible."

Forest Pearson's snow dreams started three years ago when he froze ice cubes for an ice track.  Back then, his mother wondered what in the world he was doing, but this year, she understands.

"We're past toys," she said.  "We're into air compressors and spray nozzles."

Forest has even bigger plans for next year.  He plans to double the amount of snow he can generate in one night to six feet.  All he needs is a bigger pressure washer.

"It's a lot of fun," he said.  "It's fun to have people over and let them enjoy it too."

Forest said the machine wasn't cheap.  He had to save his allowance to pay for $500 in supplies, but he said it was all worth it.

 

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Storm Tracker Weather

Icon
Current Temp 58 °F
A Few Clouds
Wind : From the North at 3 MPH
Humidity : 39 %
Pressure : 30.13" (1020.1 mb)
More Weather

Traffic

Watch ABC Shows

Watch ABC Shows

Watch ABC shows and news online, free!

Video

Video

Latest news video from KATU.com.

KATU News Alerts

KATU News Alerts

News Alerts sent to your desktop or mobile device.

Mobile

Mobile

News on the go for your cell phones or PDA.

RSS/XML

RSS/XML

Get news and updates as soon as they're published.

Viewer Poll

What's your opinion of a children's book about marijuana?
Read more about it here

  • It's wrong and possibly dangerous
  • It's a good way to broach the topic
  • I'm not sure if its good or bad or both