Windham, NY – Windham Mountain in the Catskill Mountains south of Albany, N.Y., will invest $2.4 million in improvements for the 2011-12 ski season, resort officials announced today, which will include upgrades to snow quality operations and a new competition center.
The bulk of the investment will be focused on upgrades to snow grooming and snowmaking operations. The grooming fleet will be augmented by two new Pisten Bully 400 grooming tractors. One groomer will be equipped with a “park package” with special attachments that will facilitate the shaping and grooming of Windham Mountain’s terrain parks.
Significant upgrades to the snowmaking arsenal will include installation of new low-energy guns and lance-style guns, reducing energy demands while creating more snow. The resort will also upgrade the snowmaking system’s piping infrastructure.
“Since 1960, Windham Mountain has offered the Northeast’s premier alpine lifestyle,” said Tim Woods, the resort’s president and general manager. “Snow quality is at the core of that. This investment will further improve what’s already a great skiing and snowboarding experience while reducing Windham Mountain’s energy demand.”
Because of the popularity of alpine, freestyle and snowboarding training and competition programs at Windham Mountain, the resort is building a new Competition Center near the base lodge. The new Center will provide a gathering and classroom area for competitors and coaches along with space for equipment tuning.
Other improvements include a side-by-side Racing Zipline in the resort’s Adventure Park, on-mountain electrical system upgrades, improvements to food and beverage equipment, new resort transportation vehicles and heavy equipment, and visual/aesthetic upgrades and renovations in the base lodge and the Club at Windham Mountain.
“These improvements, “Woods said, “will help us to continue to create the best possible guest experience in the Northeast.”
Woods said that Windham Mountain’s ownership group has invested more than $15 million in improvements since 2006.