Ben Lomond is subject to intermittent natural snowfall, a condition that affects many ski fields across Australia.

To combat the issue of low and intermittent snowfall, snow machines, also known as snow guns or cannons, have been used to create man-made snow, which can be pushed to areas that have had low falls.

Ben Lomond Snow Sports owns three snow cannons, but operator Felicity Foot says conditions placed on Parks and Wildlife which allow their operation make it nearly impossible to do.

Snow making and grooming the slopes on Ben Lomond was identified in a 2015 feasibility study as easy, and relatively inexpensive ways, the experience on the mountain could be improved.

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The report noted snow-making could be used to improve the beginner ski areas and also the snow-play area, which would also sure up confidence in the vision for Ben Lomond to become a year-round destination.

"The continued reliance on natural snow falls and two snow-making guns to support ski-field activities is no longer consider viable," the report reads. "Despite attempts by ski area operators to secure small amount of grant funding to extend snow-making in the ski-field, little investment has occurred in recent years.

"The lack of investment is symptomatic of the level of uncertainty associated with return on investment given the highly intermittent nature of snowfall and and whether the ski-field has the potential to become a key driver for tourism growth."

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Mrs Foot said Ben Lomond Snow Sports had three snow cannons, but they are hard to use and require time to set up. She said Parks and Wildlife required certain weather conditions, to be in place for the snow cannons to be in use, but the changing weather conditions often made that impossible.

"They have to be connected to the dam behind the ski lodge, and it's got several metres of hose, by the time we've set it up and connected it, the weather has changed and we've lost the chance," she said. A Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman said Ben Lomond Snow Sports had been authorised for the past 10 years to deliver snow making.

"Making snow is limited by the availability of water, temperature and other atmospheric conditions," they said.

"The viability of snowmaking at Ben Lomond remains unproven at this stage."

The spokesperson said grooming of the slopes had also been permitted on Ben Lomond for many years.

"PWS, commercial operators and volunteers had participated in activities to improve the slopes for skiing and snow play activities."