Media Room

• Q and A with new Terrain Parks Manager Eric Langman
• What's New?
• Columbus Day Weekend and Harvestfest Celebration
• Dolan and Davis capture ‘Race to the Summit’ titles
• Dance, Louie, Dance!
• Gold, Silver, Bronze- SMS road to 2010
• Early Birds are Big Winners at Stratton
• A Deal to be Thankful For
• A Legacy of Environmental Leadership
• Great Snow -- Guaranteed
• Racing into the new season at Stratton
• Big City Balancing Act
• Capture the glory and win on Stratton's Terrain Parks
• Golf U teams up with Leadbetter for 2010
• Olympic silver medalist Jacobellis Q and A
• Stratton announces 'Fire and Ice' Festival 2010
• Stratton Testimonials
• The Saviors
• We're Open - Stratton Opens for 09-10 Season
• Your holiday on us!

Technology and the men behind the machine pump life into ski season

STRATTON MOUNTAIN, Vt. - With recent temperatures that scream April, not November and December, ski resorts across New England have pushed back 'Opening Day' and are relying even more on snowmaking to pump up early season skiing and riding.

And that puts Stratton Mountain in a good position as the 2009-10 season gets underway.

"We understand weather is uncontrollable," notes Stratton Slopes and Trails Manager Al Desroches. "We want to do it right the first time."

"Trust our plan. We know what we're doing."

At Stratton, snowmaking blankets 95 percent of the terrain with a system so powerful, it can bury three football fields of snow in only an hour. And thanks to a 150 million gallon water storage pond, plus an additional 72 million gallons in reserve, Stratton has the raw material to cover every single trail on the mountain in a foot of snow. Under ideal conditions and using HKD tower guns, this process takes about two weeks to complete.

Or in simpler terms…

Stratton's snowmakers could build a road of snow, one foot deep and 10 feet wide, from Grizzly's bar at the base of the mountain, to home plate at Fenway Park in just about 62 hours. And that same road from Stratton to Giants Stadium would take just under 77 hours.

And while machinery is one thing, the men behind them are another. With more than 150 years of collective experience, Stratton's snowmakers are the best in the business, knowing and understanding the science behind rolling out the white carpet again and again.

"Experience definitely makes a difference," said Snowmaking Manager 'Cape' Capen,    "We have our game plan, starting two or three days out and then finalizing it each afternoon at 1:30. That's our plan, but out there on the gun runs, we have to be ready to adapt to changing conditions. Sometimes it's wind speed or direction. Maybe it's the rising humidity, or falling temperatures. We are constantly adjusting the blend, moving the guns."

And then there is the commitment. Stratton will make snow at every opportunity, continuing operations straight through the season and grooming every single night to prepare the mountain for skiers and riders.

"We watch the changing weather patterns closely," said Desroches. "And we'll adjust our game plan based on Mother Nature's offense."

"Our techniques are vast, adjusting to any type of conditions and our team is committed to perfection."

And Desroches should understand the value of owning up to his line of work. He's been a Stratton skier since he was five years old.

Some four decades ago.

"I'm always looking for someone to enjoy it as much as I do."