Henniker, NH – New Hampshire’s Pats Peak ski area enters its 54th consecutive ski and snowboard season this winter under the same local family ownership, with a list of capital improvements for 2016-17.
“We are fortunate to have committed ownership that continues to re-invest wisely, allowing us to offer the very best product and service. We know that New England winters can vary in temperature and natural snowfall therefore we strive to have exceptional snowmaking to give our guests time to enjoy the slopes no matter what the weather,” commented General Manager, Kris Blomback.
This year’s improvements include additional energy-efficient snowmaking fan guns; a new snowmaking power line; additional rental skis; rental shop self-check-in system; upgraded wireless access; new website; and additional seasonal lockers.
Snowmaking is an integral part of the ski season in New England. This year’s investment at Pats Peak is the addition of six additional fan guns, including four turbo guns from Snow Machines Inc. and two HKD Fan Guns to supplement a system that already covers 100% of the resort’s slopes and trails.
A new snowmaking power line is also being installed to double the number of fan guns that can run at the same time to combat Mother Nature’s fickle temperament, as Northeasterners saw last winter. Running equipment when the weather is optimal is the best way that Pats Peak can reduce its energy footprint.
Pats Peak was the first ski area in New Hampshire to offer snowmaking and continues today to be an industry leader. “Our goal is to open more terrain faster and sustain it longer through stretches with marginal winter temperatures. These new snow guns and new power line will help make this possible even faster than in previous seasons,” says Blomback.
The 9,600 square foot Starting Gate Rental Shop at Pats Peak is northern New England’s largest rental shop. The Rental Shop will continue to provide fast service to renters with a new self-check-in service that will store renter information to make each rental process quicker to get out on the slopes.
Every season the Starting Gate Rental Shop adds to its already impressive rental fleet. This season renters will find 300 pairs of Elan skis added to the rental fleet.
With the demand for wireless internet access capabilities increasing, Pats Peak is adding high-capacity access points to increase Wi-Fi speed and reliability throughout their lodges.
The resort’s website, patspeak.com, will get a facelift this winter. A new responsive interface that will make viewing on mobile devices easier and a new e-commerce system that will link directly with the on-mountain point-of-sale systems are among the new features.
Keeping equipment at the mountain, and not schlepping it back and forth from the house is something that skiers/riders can take advantage of with additional seasonal lockers going in at Pats Peak this season, including large family size lockers.
Pats Peak will continue its Pay-One-Price (POP) Saturday Nights this season, with lesson tips, lifts, tubing, rentals, entertainment, bonfires and more for a single price from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. (tubing hours 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.). A POP Group discount is available for 15 or more people by contacting Group Sales.