New Hampshire — Ski areas within the Granite State are getting ready for a busy season by making important enhancements. These adjustments embody snowmaking upgrades and new infrastructure. Personally, I’m most trying ahead to the snowmaking enhancements at Gunstock and the new elevate at Whaleback.
For extra info, try the press launch by Ski New Hampshire beneath:
New Hampshire Ski Areas Make Capital Investments Forward of 2024-25 Season
Conway, NH – New Hampshire’s ski areas have unveiled important capital enhancements designed to reinforce the visitor expertise at their resorts, based on Ski New Hampshire, the statewide affiliation representing over 30 alpine and cross-country resorts. These enhancements embody new and renovated buildings; expanded snowmaking capabilities; new know-how, lifts, and gear; and extra.
“Hundreds of thousands of {dollars} have been invested into New Hampshire ski areas this yr. Every funding displays the resorts’ commitments to supply the very best circumstances and companies for his or her company and to foster a vibrant snowboarding tradition,” stated Jessyca Keeler, president of Ski New Hampshire.
Main Capital Expenditures
Final summer time, Gunstock Mountain Resort launched into a $4.8 million capital expense plan that included $1.6 million for snowmaking enlargement on the mountain, widening one path, and increasing and reconfiguring one other. Further plans embody increasing a deck for outside eating on the Stockade Lodge, and a brand new Campground and Nordic Snowboarding Welcome Middle, which is at present below development. The brand new $1 million construction will present guests with fashionable amenities, a spacious check-in foyer and expanded retail house for gear, clothes, provisions, and sundries.
Within the subsequent section of its multi-year redevelopment mission, Cranmore Mountain Resort is ending development of The Lookout constructing which now sits parallel to Cranmore’s new Fairbank Lodge on the base of the mountain. Along with 17 new residences with ski-in/ski-out entry, Cranmore’s patrol workforce is getting its personal spacious, state-of-the-art ski patrol facility. This facility, greater than twice the scale of its predecessor, is strategically situated reverse the bottom of the Skimobile Specific. It is going to function a small pressing care room with two emergency remedy beds donated by Memorial Hospital, two outsized remedy recliners, an electrical storage door with rollers for clean trauma sled supply, enhanced lighting, expanded storage, and digital sliding doorways with an airlock.
Snowmaking Upgrades
Like most years, a significant portion of this yr’s ski space capital investments goes into snowmaking, based on Keeler. “Newer, extra environment friendly gear has made a dramatic distinction at ski areas, enhancing snow manufacturing and snow high quality, significantly within the early season, and on the similar time rising sustainability and decreasing power influence,” stated Keeler. “It permits ski areas to open earlier and to remain open even when Mom Nature isn’t producing as a lot snow as we’d like.”
At Loon Mountain Resort, over 100 new semi-automated snowmaking hydrants are being put in on Loon Peak and North Peak trails, together with Haulback, Brookway, and Bear Claw Extension. Snowmaking upgrades have additionally been expanded to South Peak trails together with Cruiser, Ripsaw, Escape Route, and Chipper. Moreover, snowmaking has been put in on Higher and Decrease Stinger. Collectively, 9 trails will see improved snowmaking protection.
With a $100,000 grant awarded via the Northern Border Regional Fee and matching funds, Whaleback Mountain in Enfield has additionally bought and is putting in further snowmaking weapons, a water pump and an upgraded electrical provide, successfully doubling its snowmaking capability.
In Henniker, Pats Peak bought and is putting in 4 new semi-automatic fan weapons. A further 12 new HKD Impulse snow weapons on Downdraft path will improve the aptitude to provide snow even at marginal temperatures. This gear offers an effectivity enhance of at the very least two levels, which could not appear important, however within the realm of snowmaking, the distinction between 26 and 28 levels is substantial.
In different snowmaking upgrades, Cranmore Mountain Resort is increasing two separate methods within the snowmaking line enabling snowmakers to spice up and maximize strain leading to increased high quality snow and elevated manufacturing charges. They will even be including eight new high-production snowmaking weapons.
Mount Sunapee upgraded 20 snowguns with low-e snowguns that can enhance snow manufacturing, snow high quality, and power effectivity. Nice Glen Trails has additionally invested in energy-efficient snowmaking, including energy to the highest of the tubing hill in order that the snow weapons shall be electric-powered. Jackson XC has been working to enhance its pumping capability and shall be extending its snowmaking to incorporate further distance on the Wentworth Resort Loops.
Lifts, Trails, Amenities and Groomers
Whereas specializing in enhancing the reliability and effectivity of its snowmaking methods this summer time, Wildcat Mountain additionally put in a brand new bull wheel on the summit to make sure a smoother experience up the mountain, and carried out path work within the glades off Decrease Polecat.
This summer time, Jackson XC has been rebuilding the Kellogg Path to make it extra weather-resistant and simpler to ski by shifting it away from an eroding river financial institution whereas recontouring it to make it extra skier-friendly. Terrain changes on the Ellis River Path had been additionally made to cut back the quantity of climbing and ease some beforehand difficult curves. Different trailwork was performed to enhance circumstances for the Riverbank Path, a newbie path that features the favored Storybook Path.
Whaleback Mountain added a brand new Sunkid floor elevate subsequent to the Decrease Spout racing path. This elevate will present a extra direct path to the racing path for racers and entry to Canyon and Scrimshaw trails, house to Whaleback’s terrain park. This extra elevate will assist enhance skier/rider circulate throughout peak durations, and in offering entry to the decrease mountain, allow the ski space to open earlier.
In preparation for its sixtieth Anniversary, Attitash Mountain has been sprucing up its amenities, has added a brand new haul rope on the Abenaki, and is bringing again the Hunky Dory path for pure snowboarding and driving.
In Lincoln, Loon Mountain Resort accomplished a redesign of its Octagon Lodge Patio. The contemporary outside house encompasses a snow-melt floor that can hold the patio clear for company to get pleasure from within the winter. Slopeside, company will entry the patio from a brand new walkway that improves circulate to and from the Octagon Lodge. General, the redesign makes this mountainside location extra accessible for company in each season.
Pats Peak in Henniker is placing the ending touches on its new 6-bay Mountain Operations Constructing that can convey state-of-the-art capabilities to the Mountain Operations Staff. This 19,000-square-foot constructing will develop upkeep capabilities by over 400% and streamline operations, offering workers with the extra sources to supply company the most effective expertise attainable.
Gunstock Mountain Resort can also be wrapping up the ultimate particulars of its new cell upkeep constructing. A number of bays with a truck elevate and a snowcat elevate will enable Gunstock’s mechanics to function extra effectively when autos require upkeep.
King Pine in East Madison has refreshed and shall be reopening their snack bar for simpler visitor entry, and persevering with meals and beverage service within the Evergreen Room and Pine Cone Café. The resort can also be working to revitalize its Nordic program with a newly bought grooming machine that shall be used to attempt to get extra trails open this yr.
Mount Sunapee additionally bought a brand new groomer as did Cranmore Mountain Resort, Crotched Mountain, and Abenaki Ski Space in Wolfeboro. Advances in snow groomers have made it attainable for ski areas to create and supply a terrific ski floor in all types of climate in addition to to create options in terrain parks.
New Know-how
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a know-how that makes use of radio waves to passively establish a tagged object. RFID is built-in into season passes, day tickets, and different merchandise at ski areas and can be utilized to mechanically open elevate gates at ski areas. As soon as the RFID Card is acquired, it may be reloaded from the consolation of house or in the course of the automotive experience up, permitting company to go proper to the lifts. This yr, Bretton Woods, Cranmore Mountain Resort, and Pats Peak are introducing RFID ticketing.
Crotched Mountain put in new fiber optic traces enabling giant quantities of information to be transmitted reliably at increased speeds. This may end in improved communication throughout the mountain.
Ski New Hampshire is the statewide affiliation representing 30+ alpine and cross-country resorts in New Hampshire. For extra info on ski areas, path circumstances, trip planning, and occasions at Ski New Hampshire resorts, go to SkiNH.com. For statewide journey information, go to VisitNH.gov.
Picture Credit: Gunstock Mountain Resort, Loon Mountain Resort, Pats Peak, SkiNH
