Hunter Invests $1.2M into Auto Snowmaking

Hunter Mountain Continues Mountain Improvements

This past summer, Hunter Mountain invested over $1 million into automated snow making

HUNTER, NY – This summer, Hunter Mountain invested $1.2 million in snow making. While the mountain already has 1100+ snow guns, additional guns were installed this summer, 17 of which are on Hellgate alone. As a result, Hunter Mountain will have automated top-to-bottom snow making, which means more coverage faster! Other trails on the mountain that will see improved snow making include Belt Parkway, our most popular intermediate trail, East Side Drive, and Fifth Ave through Kennedy, which complete the top-to-bottom line of snow making from Hellgate.

The continuously-growing snow gun arsenal is also continuously made more efficient. Last summer, the mountain invested in a new water pumping system that improved the efficiency of the entire process. This year, half a million dollars was invested in a new state-of-the-art compressor, which replaced multiple 60+ year-old compressors. The new compressor, combined with tower-mounted fan guns which use less compressed air, makes for a more efficient process.

Speaking of efficiency, the snow guns that were installed this summer are automated. This means that the push of a button can turn on/off a line of snow guns as opposed to turning one on/off at a time. Automatic snow making results in a more responsive and more environmentally resourceful process – the snow making team can control exactly when a gun is turned on based on when temperatures are ideal for snow making, thereby using the most appropriate amount of water to make the best snow possible in an efficient manner.

Early meteorologist forecasts predict a winter similar to last year, which means ideal conditions for snow making! As long as forecasts are correct and temperatures permit, Hunter Mountain looks forward to firing up its snow guns in early November for a scheduled opening date that is yet to be released. Stay tuned!

I rode the chairlift back in September and saw these guns.  Should mean better conditions on Hellgate this winter.  Also, looks like they increased capacity with the new pumps and compressors.  The weird thing is that they still have over 20 of the really old black guns on Belt Parkway.  Those things are really loud, make less snow than newer guns, cost a ton to operate, and aren't very efficient.

Oh c'mon, now you're just talking out of a place that should remain silent. I have been skiing way longer than you, and have no clue about the techniques of making snow, really, but, one thing I do know - Hunter rules at the black art. Amazing to read that they invested so much, after all this time.

Wayout has been regraded into a blue square.  Good move IMO as it will bring more people to the West Side and take pressure off the 6-pack.

I see the this as investment in cutting labor costs..The mountain has  enough snow making without the improvements.

snoloco wrote

Wayout has been regraded into a blue square.  Good move IMO as it will bring more people to the West Side and take pressure off the 6-pack.

Or it could increase total skier visits.

JasonWx wrote

I see the this as investment in cutting labor costs..The mountain has  enough snow making without the improvements.

When it comes to snowmaking there's always room for improvement.  Did they make snow on every single acre that they have plumbing on last year?  The answer is no.  Did they open every trail on opening weekend?  No.  Therefore, there is room for improvement.  Now it isn't practical to open all terrain on opening day, but making snow on every acre that they have plumbing on is practical.

yes there is always room to upgrade..

But to eliminate employees along with all the cost associated with them is a major plus..I bet their workman's comp premium will drop etc etc..Never forget that this is a business with a bottom line that has to be meet or beaten every year..

They will never ever open all the trails on opening weekend. The weather is still too unstable in late Nov/early Dec...

I never said they would open everything on opening weekend.  I said that wasn't practical.  What is practical is opening everything by Christmas which is now easier to do with the increased firepower.

Our little southern hill has been investing in high efficiency, high tech guns for the past 5 yrs.    Last year, the hill was 95% covered with automated guns made by 3 different vendors.   Benefits include:  Less piped air, many of these guns make their own air and use less.  More air is then available for snow making elsewhere.  At one time, we only had air to make snow on two trails at a time.   Now we have excess air and can "super blow" using old guns and new towers when the conditions are right.    Blowing hours.   We are open until 10pm.   When we wanted to make snow "with people and guns"  they shut down a trail at 7pm to start the gun placement and turn on the valves.  About 2 hours per slope.   That is two hours to start and 2 hours to stop.   A loss of 4 hours of blowing and 2 hours of skiing.   Now we flip a switch from a laptop.   Full blowing from start to stop.    Moreover, since the towers are much quieter and off the slope, they can blow on select slopes with the customers there, skiing.   Lower ticket, or reduced prices for tickets---more efficiency and less labor yields lower costs.    Snow quality---the end product from a high quality tower blower is 10x as good as those old tripod guns that deafen you.   Maybe not so much in the north where it is cold, but down south there is no comparison....we are happy to blow snow at 28 degrees, we rarely have the luxury of blowing at 10 or lower.  
Most important:  While the hill is only 700 vertical, the temperature can be as much as 5 degrees colder at the bottom or top....usually the bottom.    In the old days, they had to turn off the entire line of equipment when temps rose above 30.   Now we can be blowing at the top, middle or bottom---independently.  The guns turn off and on themselves.  I am also sure Workers Comp rates and injuries are down.      

Labor:  As best I could tell or remember we had a snow crew of 7-10 guys...remember we had limited capacity to blow due to air.  Two shifts.   Now we have 5-7 guys.    Even with the automated guns, the guys are still out in their LAB testing depth, quality etc.    They are not moving hoses, guns etc. pulling muscles, falling etc.    Their jobs still may suck but their working conditions are much better.   I cannot imagine attaching hoses and pulling crap around in deep snow, limited visibility and cold arse temps.  Those guys likely found jobs as lift attendants or snow cat operators, welders or bartenders.  Reality is no one LOST their job....we just have to bring less South American visa workers up for the winter.    The unemployment rate around here, combined with the rate of folks that don't work, is stupid. With all the people sitting around,  they cannot fill the openings for lift attendants, cafeteria workers, thus have to bring in this labor.   That is a whole other argument and thread.    


Bringing labor into the better snow gun argument is just ignorant  Would Jasonwx suggest the same when upgraded lifts are brought online?  Do we really need a HS six pack?    We should keep the 3  or 4 slow double chairs....they employee more lift attendants at the top and bottom, welders, oilmen etc.    Detachable lifts suck for the labor force.    One or two guys sitting in a booth watching top and bottom, as opposed to 4 guys pulling chairs back and watching unloads, helping falling folks get up, while lift is stopped. We need more employees with wrenched backs and sore arms.    Don't get me started on how Gondi's ruined the labor force.    

Actually, detachable lifts are usually high staff lifts.  Hunter usually has the following positions staffed at the 6-pack whenever I'm there.  At the bottom there is

Ticket checker
Line Control
Loading Ramp
Lift Shack

and there are also two guys at the top.  The D lift has half the staff that the 6-pack has and the other fixes grips are the same.

At a busy resort.   Back in the 70s you had 3 people for line and drunk patrol bc angry people waited 40 minutes for a ride up a slow double.  You still have to multiply staff by 3 for a sixpack and 4 or 5 for a gondi. Stop arguing

I wasn't arguing.