Earthworks have begun in preparation for the installation of the fully-automated snowmaking system.
The air/water system from Italian company TechnoAlpin will bring snowmaking onto the Castaway trail accessed by the Sugar Bowl quad chairlift. There will be snowmaking at the top of the Superpipe and adjacent to the Terrain Park.
Ski area manager Hamish McCrostie said the new system would be super efficient and able to optimize all snowmaking opportunities.
“This system is ideal for our environment. It is designed to fire up automatically as soon as the temperatures and conditions are right for snowmaking."
Extending the snowmaking infrastructure at The Remarkables ski area has been on the plans for six years. Southern Alpine Recreation, the company which owns the ski area has worked with the Department of Conservation through that time to secure access to water from Lake Alta for the increased snowmaking.
When extra water is required it will be drawn from Lake Alta using an environmentally friendly syphon system that is installed for the winter then removed in spring .
The pipework, hydrants and extensions to the pumphouse for the snowmaking system will be completed in time for snowmaking to start at the beginning of June.
“Then we’ll be looking forward to the first cold snap to turn on the guns and start making snow before we open later in June,” said Mr McCrostie.
Trail improvement work has also begun at The Remarkables. Skiers and boarders will find a widened trail in the Easy Out and Gotham City area offering easier access back to the Sugar Bowl chairlift .
The Remarkables is scheduled to open for the 2006 season on June 24.
[From official press release]
