Despite preparing for another cold winter season ahead, Boler Mountain is looking to combat Ontario’s fluctuating temperatures on Canada’s most southern ski hill.
The organization unveiled its new Positive Temperature Snowmaking Unit, reportedly the first machine of its kind in the country.
“It’s capable of making snow at virtually any temperature,” explained Marty Thody, a member of Boler Mountain’s management team.
“We’re in production right now, it’s a beautiful day, about 10 degrees (C) out, and it doesn’t make tons of snow, but we’re out there producing snow at the very top where it’s most challenging for us to use our traditional production snow methods.
Thody said that the unit can still produce snow in 17 C weather, and the goal is to be able to keep their west hill terrain open longer and sooner.
“We had odd days of production temperatures using our traditional snowmaking equipment, but the rest of the slopes are looking pretty white right now,” he said.
The local non-profit ski resort was able to purchase the new “industry-leading” equipment through the support of the federal government’s Economic Development Agency.
“It was a partial fund. A total install was just over a million dollars,” Thody said. “This pretty costly piece of equipment would have taken us probably several years to be able to purchase… but I think it’s really going to help to keep Boler operating in the coming years.”
He added that while the ski resorts opening date has not yet been announced for this year, “I think we’re only another few production days away. But we do need to get some more run time on the snowmaking system behind us.”
“We’re coming off our 75th anniversary year and we’re just looking forward to another good winter season,” Thody concluded.