To preserve less-than-expected amounts of snow at Vancouver's Cypress Mountain, Olympic organizers are using bales of straw to help bulk up the snowboard pipe and other venues.
2 of 5 Courtesy of VANOC/COVAN
Trucking it in
Trucks are used to carry snow from higher elevations at Cypress Mountain to venues at lower elevations where fresh powder is in shorter supply.
3 of 5 Courtesy of VANOC/COVAN
Snow relocation
Workers move bales of straw into place at Vancouver's Cypress Mountain, home of events such as freestyle skiing and snowboarding.
4 of 5 Courtesy of VANOC/COVAN
Bales away
Organizers are using helicopters to help put the bales of straw in place. Each bale weighs on the order of 1,000 pounds.
5 of 5 Courtesy of VANOC/COVAN
The snowboard cross course
Bales of straw are being used to augment the snowboard cross course at Cypress Mountain. Organizers say they have no intention of moving the event despite encountering a lack of cooperation from Mother Nature.
