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Operations
of snowmaking here at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, but it certainly has also become popular for making snow at one-off events,
helps support what Mother Nature sometimes will throw at us including FIS World Cup ski and snowboard big air contests,
or not throw at us. We’ve been able to maintain a pretty consis- rail jams, and Nordic ski races and biathlon events, Fellenzer
tent trail base with it even when the weather isn’t cooperating.” said. The system is available for lease in such cases.
That snow consistency helped Lake Placid attract the That could include summer events in places as warm as
2023 World University Winter Games, according to Lundine. Florida, he added, noting that James McIntosh’s test in June
Mt. Van Hoevenberg will be the venue for the Nordic events. at The Lecht Ski Centre didn’t even come close to testing the
In January, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Snowfactory system at its more extreme temperature end.
that the state has appropriated $82 million for capital improve- Snowfactory loses some efficiency as temperatures increase, but
ments projects at Lake Placid, including Nordic trail expansion it can produce snow at up to 96° F wet bulb, at any elevation,
and a new Nordic stadium at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. because the snow is made inside the cooling container, while
TechnoAlpin’s Fellenzer emphasized that, again, in most conventional snowmaking products—including other snow
cases the Snowfactory is intended to complement, not replace, guns from TechnoAlpin—require interaction between water
conventional snowmaking. But it can be a useful tool for and the outside air for crystallization to occur, he said.
extending the traditional season, building terrain parks, and Several of the company’s North American clients are
filling in when there are gaps in both natural snowfall and looking into use of the system to extend late spring and
ideal temperatures for other snowmaking. summer terrain park riding for their guests. We customize
“One thing we’re seeing at some North American resorts “You need to have power and water, and that’s about it,”
is that the snow conditions at the base deteriorate more rapidly Fellenzer said. “You can run it off of any decent regular water
than at the higher elevations, so if you can use the Snowfactory supply; it doesn’t have to be a high-pressure water line. And
near the base towards the end of the season, you can continue you can do up to a 150-foot hose so you can move it around, solutions.
to extend access to those higher trails and not have to cut the make several piles, and get really good coverage. We’ve already
season short while there’s still good coverage up top,” he said. seen some great applications for it in different scenarios, and
Because there is almost no setup time, the Snowfactory I think there are still some applications yet to discover.”

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