Henniker, New Hampshire — It doesn’t seem like an area like Pats Peak needs snowmaking upgrades. As it stands, the New Hampshire ski area is among the first in the region to consistently get all of its terrain open thanks to its 100% snowmaking capacity. Yes, that even includes the woods. However, with how unpredictable winters are becoming, they’re aiming to make their system even better.
Yesterday, Pats Peak announced that it will be building a new snowmaking reservoir this summer. The 21-million-gallon water supply reservoir will be situated at the summit. With this upgrade, they’ll gain an additional 3,000 gallons per minute (gpm), bringing the total to 8,000 gpm. They will also triple the electrical capacity, increasing from 100 guns simultaneously to more than 200.
According to Pats Peak, this will double their snowmaking capacity and cut the amount of time it takes to cover the whole mountain in half.
“As a family-owned ski area, we take pride in continually reinvesting in the mountain,” said Kris Blomback, General Manager of Pats Peak. “This project allows us to open faster, operate more efficiently, and deliver the reliable snow conditions our guests count on, no matter what New England weather brings.”
The news follows a winter full of upgrades at Pats Peak. The highlight has been the opening of the new Hurricane Quad chairlift. This new chairlift came from SkyTrac and also contained parts from the old scenic lift at Lake Compounce amusement park. Over the past five or so years, the ownership group has spent nearly $10 million across the mountain.
As of Monday, Pats Peak has all its trails open. They just updated their hours, with the ski area only offering night skiing now from Thursday through Saturday.
Image/Video Credits: Pats Peak Ski Area
