Adam Mailloux Invents A New
Way to Celebrate the Season
Story by Michael Seguin
Photography by George Sharpe
One Windsorite has made his own personal winter wonderland.
As with many of us, Adam Mailloux wears many hats throughout the week. During the workday, he’s the Owner of A.L.M. Oil. On weekends, he’s an avid alpine skier. And every day, he’s a devoted husband and father to two young boys.
And most recently, he’s become Windsor’s newest inventor.
“I’ve always been working on machines, ever since I was a kid,” Adam states. “I’ve always tried to fix vehicles on my own. At least until I need to throw up the white flag and call in the professionals!”
As the previous years have deprived his sons of a white Christmas, Adam decided to take matters into his own hands. Taking inspiration from the snow-making machines and cooling towers, he saw at places like Boler Mountain, he set about adapting the technology for his own personal use.
“I asked one of the workers there how the machines worked,” Adam explains. “And they basically told me all the ingredients I’d need: water, compressed air and a pressure-washer-style unit. Then I started wracking my brain about how I could use the technology in my own backyard.”
Like many budding enthusiasts with a newfound passion, Adam discovered a Facebook group that was all too willing to provide him with information.
“From there, I built a prototype,” Adam states. “I made a lot of snow for my boys in the backyard that first winter. But there were still some kinks to massage out! Fortunately, once you get right down to it, it’s quite a simple setup! And there’s lots of resources online that are available to everyone.”
One of such resources is Snow State. The website contains a link to the right nozzle for anyone’s setup. It also provides the necessary information to achieve perfect results.
“The website also features a calculator,” Adam explains. “And there’s a whole formula you need to solve in order to find the right nozzle for your own rig. But once I found the right attachment, making snow became so much easier! It helped us achieve a far better quality of snow.”
Another variable Adam had to account for—and one that he cautions every fellow enthusiast to be aware of—is the role wind plays in snowmaking.
“There are always factors to account for,” Adam states. “If it’s a windy day, your snow might travel hundreds and hundreds of feet away! So, you always need to be careful with how you set up your system so that the elements don’t take all your snow away. And remember that just because it’s below freezing that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can always safely make snow.”
Adam mentions a weather term for all of us to be wary of “wet-bulb temperature”. That is to say, the lowest temperature the air can reach through evaporation.
“If the humidity is too high, all you’ll make is water or ice,” Adam explains. “Even if the weather is actually below zero. As well, the bottom nozzle in the attachment utilizes something called nucleation—which is basically where the water and air are mixed. That’s where your super-freeze effects kick on. The water always has to be cold in order to form into snow. But all this information is available on the website I mentioned earlier!”
Another resource Adam found indispensable is the Snowmaking app, which is available for all Apple devices. The app provides a range of factors—including temperature, dewpoint, humidity and wet bulb levels—which can help one determine if the weather is ideal for running their own snowmaking machines.
Regardless of the hurdles along the way, Adam debuted his latest model this winter to roaring success. Since then, passing friends and neighbors might recognize the sounds of laughter emanating from the Mailloux residence.
“My boys absolutely love it!” Adam stresses. “It’s been so rewarding, watching them enjoy the kind of things I used to when I was their age. We’re always building forts and snowmen. We even make walls and have these elaborate snowball fights!”
Adam continues to embody the festive spirit. He’s more than willing to help his fellow tinkerers develop the same machinery for their own use. He routinely shares information on his own personal Facebook page.
“You don’t need a huge power washer or air compressor to do this,” Adam stresses. “You can build your system with whatever you have. If you do it correctly, it can be relatively inexpensive. And remember to be patient! There’s going to be some curveballs and hiccups along the way. But as long as you source the parts correctly, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.”
Most significantly, Adam has even offered to help his friends and neighbors find the right tools for their own machines.
Adam explains, “It’s really warmed my heart watching my boys get so much enjoyment out of this machine. I’d love for other parents and families to experience the same thing.”
Regardless, one can take comfort in knowing that while the elements might sometimes now allow us to experience a true white Christmas (or after), with the right tools and ingenuity we can all still enjoy a true winter wonderland.
Published in the February/March 2026 Edition.
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