Henniker, New Hampshire — It already seemed like Pats Peak was miles ahead of most smaller New England ski areas, and frankly, larger-sized mountains, when it comes to snowmaking. However, they saw room for growth. Like other well-run ski areas, it’s continuing to invest in its systems.
Yesterday, Pats Peak announced its investments for the 2026-27 season. The main investment is towards its snowmaking system. The marquee addition is the opening of a 21-million-gallon snowmaking reservoir at Pats Peak’s summit. By comparison, the current reservoir only holds 5 million gallons. Deer Valley’s soon-to-open reservoir, which powers what is being called North America’s most advanced snowmaking system, will hold 10 million gallons. They are also tripling the summit’s electrical capacity, which will increase the snowmaking capacity.
These additions will have a huge impact on their snowmaking system. It will add 3,000 gallons per minute of pumping capacity, allowing them to use nearly 8,000 gallons per minute. Add in the triple of the electrical capacity, Pats Peak will now be able to operate 200 snowguns at once. This is double what they could do beforehand (up to 90). What does this mean for skiers? Earlier terrain openings and faster recoveries from freeze-thaw cycles.
“This is the largest investment we’ve ever made in our snowmaking system,” said Kris Blomback, General Manager of Pats Peak. “As a family-owned ski area, we’re committed to continually reinvesting in the mountain. These improvements allow us to open terrain faster, recover more quickly from changing weather conditions, operate more efficiently, and continue delivering the reliable snow conditions our guests have come to expect.”
Other Upgrades
But wait, there’s more. Here are the other upgrades for the 2026-27 season:
- An overhaul of the Bluster Carpet Lift, which will increase capacity by approximately 30%.
- A new Prinoth Bison snowcat will help push all this new snow out.
- The Hurricane Quad, which was installed last off-season, is having its unload zone redone. This will allow for easier access to Cascade Basin and the west side.
- The rental shop is adding new skis, snowboards, and boots.
- A new locker room for the Snowsports School staff.
Overall, the ski area has seen nearly $10 million in improvements over the past five or so years. These improvements include the snowmaking reservoir, new Hurricane Quad, mountain operations building, and more.
About Pats Peak
Situated in Henniker, Pats Peak has been family-owned and operated since its inception in January 1963. The ski area features 28 trails, 9 gladed areas, 11 lifts, and a vertical drop of 770 feet. Pats Peak has 100% snowmaking coverage. The New Hampshire ski area also offers extensive night skiing, with the only area of the mountain without it being Cascade Basin. They’re also well known for their snow tubing setup.
During the summer, Pats Peak hosts events like weddings, corporate meetings, and other types of parties. This summer, Pats began hosting Thursday night dinners, with various food offerings.
Image/Video Credits: Pats Peak Ski Area
