Snowmaking Upgrades At Sunday River Resort Largest In Recent Resort History

Sunday River Resort’s snowmaking system is undergoing major renovations this spring and summer. These upgrades lay the foundation for the resort to double snowmaking capacity in Jordan Bowl and beyond.  

The Mountain Operations team is installing a new underground pipe on Spruce Peak, which will feed into brand-new snow guns across the trails American Express, Risky Business, and Grand Rapids. The pipeline feeds into a new pumphouse and allows pressurized water to be instantly available. This availability means snowmakers will be able to work quickly and efficiently to open terrain at the beginning of the season, as well as provide important refreshes to the snow surface as needed throughout the winter. 

“This summer’s renovations are an important upgrade for Sunday River,” notes Sunday River President Dana Bullen. “It’s our way of showing our loyal passholders how committed we are to providing the most reliable snow in New England”.

Sunday reopens for a final weekend of skiing this Saturday and Sunday, April 23-24. 2022-23 New England Passes are on sale now through April 30, and valid for lift access through closing day for new passholders.

This year’s improvements are also on track with Sunday River’s goal of reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2030, part of the Sunday River 2030 project. The new snowguns – 25-horsepower, oscillating fan guns – are incredibly energy efficient, making much more snow with a lot less energy. At Sunday River, snowmaking is a circular system: the resort is located near the bottom of a watershed, with nearly 43 square miles of drainage. The water is directly pulled from the river, and once the snow melts in the spring, returns to the same watershed.

 “We operate one of the largest snowmaking systems in world,” says General Manager Brian Heon. “We feel it’s our duty as an industry leader to be investing in more sustainable equipment to preserve this natural playground”.

Currently, Sunday River’s on-mountain snowmaking system services 90 percent of the groomed terrain, and includes over 2,000 snow guns, most of which are energy-efficient, 2,200 hydrant stations, and over 80 miles of pipe. The resort’s snowmakers were also recognized as the top in the nation in the HKD I AM A Snowmaker contest in 2016.