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SilverStar Mountain Resort is going high-tech this winter, using the latest technology to enhance its already high-quality snow surface for skiers and snowboarders.
"During the off-season, SilverStar added SNOWsat LIDAR technology to two of its groomers, cutting-edge technology that provides precise snow-depth measurements with the help of laser beams that scan the snow and create real-time maps of the snow surface, allowing groomers to see exactly where more snow is needed," said Megan Sutherland, SilverStar's communications and PR specialist.
"The result is perfectly groomed trails with a consistent and high-quality snow surface every time. SNOWsat LIDAR not only ensures optimal snow distribution but also reduces fuel consumption and environmental impacts making it a win-win for both the skiing-and-riding experience and the environment."
SilverStar also added a new $560,000 PistenBully 400 to its grooming fleet. It is not only equipped with advanced features like the SNOWsat LIDAR technology but it has a high-lift push frame on the blade specifically designed for building terrain park features. "This groomer adds to our two ParkPro groomers to help build state-of-the-art features across our three terrain parks," said Sutherland.
In addition, the resort doubled the size of its summer grooming team, investing $240,000 in labour and $95,000 in equipment for off-season work.
A team of 10 workers, plus four additional members operating mowers and an excavator with a mulcher, cut down vegetation and mulched it onsite.
"The equipment will be on every green, blue and black run each year while the slashing crew will be on every double-black run on an average of every second year enabling this dedicated crew to maintain the mountain runs all summer long," said Sutherland.
"Their hard work helps ensure an optimum snow base by focusing on the best quality cutting so that when the snow falls, an ideal ski-and-ride base is created right from the get-go. Over 20 runs have been slashed including: The Attridge Face, Gowabunga, and a number of other favourite runs on the front and back sides."
SilverStar hopes to open for Nordic skiing on Nov. 22 and for alpine or downhill skiing/boarding on Nov. 29.
Building on the success of the Free Live Music series every Saturday during the summer, the mountain is thrilled to announce a first-of-its-kind winter edition brought to mountain visitors by Destination SilverStar, she said. "This season, the Village will come alive with free live music and entertainment every second Sunday of each month."
Following community feedback, SilverStar moved the Little Dipper Park to the Silver Queen area and created a brand-new beginner progression-based park. "The Start Park is an introduction to terrain park with small beginner features so anyone wanting to try their hand at park features can in a beginner-friendly space!"
After the overwhelming success of SilverStar’s new app last winter, this season will add updated snow, condition and weather features to the app so skiers and boarders can plan their day accordingly. "And if you had the app last season, you’ll now have the ability to build your own stat library so you can compare your stat history and set new goals to complete year after year," said Sutherland.
Mountain visitors can expect the return of signature events this winter such as the annual LightUp during the holiday season, BC Snowboard Slopestyle, Western Canadian U16 Ski Race and Canada’s longest standing recreational downhill race, the Over the Hill Downhill.
March will be Festival Season at SilverStar with the SEISMIC Spring Festival, a celebration packed with music, art and adrenaline-pumping activities like the Sovereign2SilverStar Ski Marathon.
Tube Town will unveil a new menu for the upcoming season, she added. "What’s better than a warm hot chocolate in-between skating and tubing? Adding waffles, of course! Stay tuned for a delicious array of toppings and flavors to delight your taste buds."
There is also great news for winter travellers. Kelowna International Airport has added more direct flights, making it easier than ever to access SilverStar for a winter getaway from key destinations LA, Seattle and Toronto.
The highlights include a new daily non-stop service from Los Angeles with Alaska Airlines, new daily non-stop service from Seattle with WestJet, Alaska Airlines returning with winter and continuing year-round flights from Toronto, WestJet expanding to five flights per week from Toronto and Air Canada continuing two flights per day from Toronto.
SilverStar Mountain Resort has one of B.C.’s largest ski areas with 3,282 acres of terrain, 760 metres of vertical and 132 runs for all levels of riders from beginner to expert, said Sutherland.
"More than 700 centimetres of 100 per cent natural, light, dry snow falls each winter, and the colourful mid-mountain village is filled with people who love to share their passion for the mountains,” said Sutherland.
"Stats and facts aside, it’s really the culture and community at SilverStar that makes this mountain so special and unique. Progression and fun are at the core of everything at SilverStar. Whether you’re whooping it up with the kids in playful terrain, racking up laps in backside glades or chasing your friends down double-black chutes in the 100-per-cent, from-the-sky, fine B.C. Interior powder."
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Last weekend's column about Sun Peaks Resort may have left readers with an incorrect impression. The new West Bowl Express chairlift at Sun Peaks Resort will provide access to three times the skiable terrain in the West Bowl zone—from 54 acres to 169 acres—not triple the skiable territory on all of Tod Mountain.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
