New Jersey Ski Resort To Improve One Of Nation's Most Powerful Snowmaking Systems With $5 Million Investment
Yesterday, Mountain Creek, New Jersey, announced the planned installation of a new $5 million automated system on Vernon Peak, improving what the resort calls "one of the largest and most powerful snowmaking systems in the country."
While Mountain Creek already has 100% of its terrain covered by snowguns, the automated snowmaking system will allow "the resort to get open earlier, to expand terrain faster than ever before, and to offer the highest quality of machine-made snow possible," according to a press release shared with POWDER.
The upgrade will service the following runs on Vernon Peak: Upper and Lower Horizon, Cab Ride, Sugar Slope, and the Learning Area. Mountain Creek is removing and replacing old snowmaking pipes, hydrants, and pump stations to make way for the new automated system, alongside installing 40 new energy-efficient fan guns.
Automated snowmaking systems allow resorts to operate their snowguns from afar, turning them on and off whenever temperatures enter or exit an adequate snowmaking range, improving the efficiency of the snowmaking process.
"This will allow the resort to produce more snow in shorter weather windows while also reducing their overall energy consumption associated with snowmaking operations," the press release reads.
The automated snowguns are produced by TechnoAlpin, an Italy-based company that has manufactured snowmaking equipment since 1990.
Mountain Creek eventually plans to automate its entire snowmaking system, with the Vernon Peak phase fully operational by November 2024, ahead of the 2024-2025 ski season.
"Not only will it allow us to get the resort open faster, but it will also allow us to open up with higher quality snow and expedite our ability to get more terrain open faster," said Evan Kovach, Mountain Creek Resort Chief.
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