$2,000,000 IN IMPROVEMENTS TO BE COMPLETED FOR COMING SEASON AT SNOW TRAILS
NEWS FROM SNOW TRAILS
For Immediate Release October 20, 2011
SNOW TRAILS WINTER RESORT CONTINUES TO THRIVE, ENHANCING THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WITH NEW IMPROVEMENTS AND SUPERIOR SNOWMAKING CAPABILITIES FOR ITS 51ST SEASON.
Mansfield, OH, October 20, 2011: Scott Crislip, general manager of the ski resort near Mansfield, announced that the additions and expansion projects that have been underway this summer will be ready by the time the snow flies for the 2011-2012 ski season. Several projects, representing $2 million in capital expenditures, were revealed.
A major investment in the snowmaking system will result in a 38 per cent increase in capacity and efficiency to serve the new Timberline Trail and other slopes by the addition of a new high-volume 2,000 GPM water well. Also, a critical part of the upgrade is a new cooling tower to take the water temperature down to 38 degrees from the underground temperature of 53 degrees. This cooling process will significantly increase snowmaking efficiency, particularly in marginal weather conditions, explained Thad Philpott, mountain manager of Snow Trails.
Pumping capacity for the upgraded snowmaking system will be increased by 30 per cent with the addition of a new 300 HP vertical turbine pump. The additional capacity services not only the new Timberline Trail but also will assure increased snowmaking coverage overall. Twelve new tower-mounted snow machines, mostly for the new Timberline Trail, will make a total of fifty units according to Philpott.
A mile of new six and eight-inch welded steel pipe plus copper electrical wires buried in conduit have been added to provide water and power for snowmaking and night lighting on the new Trail as well as upgrade other locations. The new Timberline Trail, on the west side of the slopes, will be the longest in Ohio.
Crislip stated that the addition of a new snowcat to the grooming fleet will insure that Snow Trails will continue to offer the best conditions in Ohio. According to Crislip, with four Pisten Bully's, Snow Trails is Ohio's leader in providing consistently good skiing conditions. Pisten Bully, manufactured in Germany, is the industry standard in slope grooming technology. The Snow Trails grooming fleet itself represents an investment of over a million dollars, he added.
In order to double the inventory of skis, snowboards, boots, helmets as well as other items, Crislip explained that a new Rental Center is being built that will accommodate those who rent the most up-to-date equipment in the State. It will be used in place of the old 1,200 square foot facility. The new state-of-the-art 9,000 square foot building, with self service system and geothermal radiant heat floor, will be conveniently close to the beginner's area at the resort.
The former rental space will be converted to a new Children's Learning Center and Preferred Locker Room for additional seasonal lockers. The Children's Learning Center is one of the largest in Ohio and serves five to nine-year-olds in the new "Polar Bear Program" and three to four-year-olds in the new "Polar Cub Program." These programs meet seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Nate Wolleson, marketing manager of the resort, stated the capital improvements this year follow last year's 50th Anniversary Celebration Season which was one of the best on record. He pointed out that Snow Trails has continued to reinvest in the resort, with upgrades and improvements since the very first season in 1961, providing the enhanced resort you see today. He added that weather forecasts for the coming winter call for a repeat of last season's "La Nina" record cold and snow for the Midwest.
Snow Trails, which was the first commercial ski area in Ohio, is a privately owned resort and has been under the same management since its inception. The resort features six chairlifts, two conveyor carpet lifts (one utilized for the Tubing Park). 17 trails and a tubing park, plus three terrain parks and glade areas. The resort usually opens in early December and the season lasts into March. The resort is located off Interstate 71 south of Mansfield on Possum Run Road. For more information call 800-644-6754 or visit the resort website at www.SnowTrails.com.
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View 2011-'12 Upgrade and Improvement Photos Here: Snow Trails New Photo Gallery
