Snowmaking

The snowmaking system currently provides machine made snow coverage to approximately 26 acres, or 60 percent of the total terrain, as listed in Table II.13. The snowmade trails can accommodate approximately 640 sliders at one time. There is a mix of guns including Lenko, SMI pole cat and water stiks. Some of the old pipe was replaced during the summer of 2004. The snowmaking system has a reservoir on the mountain with a capacity of about 1 million gallons. The reservoir is initially filled from the spring freshet. Additional water is supplied from two springs up the mountain, however, later in the season these springs do not generate much water.

The snowmaking water storage has been proposed to be expanded to between 7 and 9 million gallons and has been waiting for approval since May 2005. This amount of water could produce approximately 50 acre feet of snow. The existing system is inadequate and requires additional water and system upgrades to properly cover the ski trails with a reliable snowpack. Figure 8 (JPG | PDF) graphically illustrates the Existing Snowmaking Plan.

TABLE II.13
SNOWMAKING COVERAGE

Trail Name Trail
Number 		Skill
Class 		Total
Vert.
Feet 		Slope
Distance
Feet 		Percent
Avg. 		Slope
Steep. 		Avg.
Width
Feet 		Slope
Area
Acres 		Skiers At Area Lift at
Area
Density Total
Lift 1
High Roller 8 4 150 618 25% 40% 186.5 2.7 24 60
Keno 9 4 485 1,864 27% 34% 129.2 5.5 24 130
Total Lift 1 2,483 8.2 190 530
Lift 2
The Strip 3 3 695 3,079 23% 29% 140.5 9.9 24 240
The Line 4 3 530 2,185 25% 32% 109.8 5.5 24 130
Total Lift 2 5,265 15.4 370 530
Lift 3
Rabbit Peak 11 1 70 703 10% 10% 158.9 2.6 30 80
Total Lift 3 703 2.6 80 80
Total Snowmaking Coverage 8,451 26.2 640