Golden Peak, Vail, CO
Needed to deliver reliable early-season coverage for Olympic-level race training and terrain park development, ensuring critical facilities could open before the general mountain.
Objectives and Solutions
Vail Mountain teamed up with experts from SMI and Torrent Engineering & Equipment to design and construct an extensive automated snowmaking upgrade that brought outstanding early-season coverage to the alpine race-course.
Results were so positive that the Golden Peak race training area was in use even before the general mountain opening, allowing Olympic racers such as Bode Miller and Lindsey Vonn to train early and often. Getting a head start on building the terrain park and Golden Peak half-pipe also allowed the area to be one of just a handful of U.S. resorts that had a fully open half-pipe before Christmas.
SMI & Torrent Infrastructure Installed
460 m³/hr fully automated Torrent VFD pumping station (2,000 gpm capacity)
Water cooling towers with 230 m³/hr capacity (1,000 gpm) that reduced early-season water temperatures from 7.8°C to 1.1°C (46°F to 34°F)
Prefabricated pump building and two electrical transformers
SMI Equipment Installed:
27 fully automated Super Polecat fan snow machines strategically positioned across the race course and terrain park
SmartSnow7 automation control software with RF radio communications for complete system monitoring and control
More than 1,067 meters of water pipe (3,500 feet) feeding the new snowmaking network
Performance & Results
Pre-season race training capability - Golden Peak opened before general mountain operations, enabling Olympic athletes to begin training early
Pre-Christmas half-pipe operation - One of only a handful of U.S. resorts to achieve a fully open half-pipe before the holiday season
Optimized snow quality - Water cooling system dramatically improved early-season production by lowering temperatures 6.7°C (12°F)
Energy-efficient operation - Quiet, automated system delivered environmental stewardship alongside performance
"Our collaboration with SMI has delivered the snowmaking performance we needed, and also brought the benefits of energy efficiency, quiet operation and environmental stewardship."
- Dave Tucholke, Vail Mountain Operations Manager
