Boy, 10, engineers private backyard ski slope

Boy, 10, engineers private backyard ski slope

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Story Published: Jan 24, 2008 at 8:12 PM PDT

Story Updated: Jan 26, 2008 at 12:39 AM PDT

By Susan Harding and KATU Web Staff

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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.

 

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