Cypress Mountain Resort expands snowmaking capabilities with $1.2M investment
Resort officials say new technology will allow ski season to start earlier
Cypress Mountain Resort is expanding its snowmaking capabilities with a $1.2 million investment that could extend the ski and snowboard season.
The program expansion includes five new snow guns and 18 new hydrant locations at the North Shore ski resort.
The new technology is set to be functional in time for the 2017-2018 season.
Joffrey Koeman, the resort's director of sales and marketing, said the new hydrants will allow snow guns to be placed at higher elevations, meaning that snow can be created all the way to the top of some of the most popular runs.
"[It will allow] for snowmaking all the way to the top of the Lions express chair on Collins ski run — so this is going to provide top to bottom snowmaking on both mountains here at Cypress," he said.
Season could start earlier
That's not the only good news for snow sport enthusiasts.
Koeman said the expansion will allow the mountain to open earlier.
"Over the past five, six years, when we were making snow on Black mountain, it's been the first terrain that we can open.
"Now with snowmaking on the other side of the mountain we'll have more terrain open earlier in the season."
According to Koeman, the new snowmaking capabilites can also improve conditions throughout the season by refreshing the slopes.
"If you ever get into a really cold snap where there's icy conditions, we can now make snow on top of that to provide a better skiing surface," he said.
"So this is a pretty exciting expansion to get to the top of both mountains here."