Welding Nears Completion –

Progress on our summer projects continues to move along, especially on the snowmaking side of things. Over this past week our primary contractor completed welding together long sections of pipe, many of which have already been moved into position within the Huckleberry terrain pod. The majority of welding took place at a staging area in the vicinity of our new reservoir, along the Roundup Traverse.

While some welding still needs to take place, in order to weld together the long sections of pipe to form a continuous line, the bulk of welding work is completed. A cap is welded to one of the ends of the pipe, as you can see in the photo below, so that an excavator can then drag the sections of pipe into place. The cap is then cut off when the pipe is in place and welded to the rest of the line.

Snowmaking pipe (waterline) awaits movement into its new home

Snowmaking Pipe Moved Into Position –

Once the pipe is ready to be transported, an excavator pulls long sections of pipe into place like the sections below. Despite the very solid, thick walls that our pipe has, you can see that it becomes somewhat flexible once several lengths are welded together. Upwards of 400 feet of pipe can be welded together in a section before being moved up the mountain.

Welding many lengths together in the base area has many advantages such as allowing welding to take place very quickly due to not having to move welding equipment and personnel. This practice minimizes the number of welds that have to occur up on the mountain.

Looking down Lone Ranger in the Huckleberry terrain pod

Trenching (Ditching) Begins – 

Starting at the top of the Huckleberry Chairlift, a trench or ditch is dug in which the pipe and associated electrical line will be dropped into and eventually covered back over with rock and earth. Crews have made their way down Tumbleweed from the top of the chair and are now working their way down Lone Ranger to the base area. Both the snowmaking waterline and electrical line are buried approximately 4.5 – 5 feet underground.

With our maintenance road winding it’s way through the route of the pipeline, crews are careful to quickly dig up sections of the road under which the pipe will travel and replace it in the same day. This way, our maintenance crews are able to go about summer maintenance work on the Huckleberry Chair, just as they normally would. With a keen eye, you can now spot construction work on Tumbleweed / Lone Ranger, from a few km’s down Highway 774.

What’s Next? –

This week crews are expected to continue trenching and laying pipe / electrical down to the bottom of Lone Ranger and will likely reach Roundup Traverse and the reservoir by the weekend.

After finishing up this section, crews will then make their way over to Whiskey Jack run, in an attempt to finish off all the pipe installation on steeper sections of the mountain before the end of the month.

In excess of $2M in resort improvements will improve snow quality and duration of upcoming seasons

Castle Mountain Resort, Alberta (June 10, 2019) – Following a Master Development Plan completed in 2017, Castle Mountain Resort is set to invest more than $2M in resort infrastructure projects that will be completed in advance of the 2019/2020 season. This summer’s projects include top to bottom snowmaking infrastructure in the Huckleberry terrain pod, on Whiskey Jack run, and within the base area in addition to the purchase of state-of-the-art snowmaking machines. A natural gas line, in partnership w/ ATCO, is currently being upgraded / installed and is poised to bring natural gas to the resort for the first time, starting this fall.

The additions will not only ensure more consistent snow conditions on the lower mountain & Huckleberry terrain but also opens up the possibility of pre-season training for various user groups (race clubs and/or ski academies), pushes Castle Mountain Resort’s planned opening day one week earlier (now set as December 7) and increases the possibility of remaining open later into April. As part of its agreement with ATCO, Castle Mountain Resort also absolves itself of prior propane gas distribution responsibilities, allowing it to focus more energy on exceptional ski resort operations.

“Over recent months we have closely examined the areas where we saw room for improvement at Castle Mountain Resort and looked for opportunities to create an even better experience for our residents and guests,” says Castle Mountain Resort general manager Brad Brush. “These infrastructure updates will have an immediate and dramatic impact for our visitors and we are excited to show off these changes starting this December.”

A key component of these updates is Castle Mountain Resort’s first water storage reservoir, representing a $375,000 expenditure which features a water intake in nearby Haig Creek. Designed to hold 6,700 cubic meters of water to assist in snowmaking efforts – an amount equivalent to three Olympic sized swimming pools – the reservoir will be connected to the snowmaking system as its primary water source. The resort has applied for and been issued a water license that will allow them to fill the reservoir only when water conservation objectives are met in the Castle River. Meltwater from machine-made snow will then return to the Castle River system come spring, additive free.

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Snowmaking is getting a massive $1.4M investment. This includes the main pump house which is able to deliver 250 gallons per minute to Castle’s new network of waterlines, allowing four to six snow machines to run simultaneously. The pumphouse was designed with future snowmaking expansion in mind and the ability to add additional pumping capacity with subsequent implementation phases. New snowmaking infrastructure includes underground piping, electrical, hydrants, and power pedestals from the Huckleberry Reservoir to the top of Huckleberry Chairlift via Lone Ranger run, from Huckleberry Reservoir to the base area adjacent to the main day lodge via Round-up Traverse run, and from the base area adjacent to the main day lodge to the top of Whiskey Jack run.

Finally, Castle Mountain Resort, alongside local residents, has invested in a project which will see ATCO install new natural gas infrastructure from Beaver Mines to Castle Mountain Resort, including 7.5 kilometers of upgraded gas line and 16.7 kilometers of new gas line. ATCO’s takeover/conversion of Castle Mountain Resort’s existing propane distribution network will assist in lowering operational costs for the resort and lower utility costs for residents. Additionally, it will result in a reduction of 90 metric tons of green house gases / year roughly equated to taking 20 passenger vehicles off the road.

For more information and to follow our construction blog, please visit /blog.

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About Castle Mountain Resort:

Closer to Heaven, Down to Earth; Castle Mountain Resort is the second largest mountain resort, in Alberta, by acreage. Nestled in the southern Alberta Rockies, adjacent to the communities of Pincher Creek and the Crowsnest Pass, Castle Mountain Resort boasts 94+ runs across 3592 acres of terrain. Included in this is Castle’s Powder Stagecoach Cat-Skiing operation; one of the only resort-based cat-skiing operations in western Canada. Known for its abundant snowfall and short lift lines, Castle Mountain Resort remains one of the last affordable, down-to-earth, and authentic Rocky Mountain winter experiences.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Kristen Novak
WILD Public Relations Inc.
knovak@wildpr.ca
403-835-0597

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Haven’t purchased your 2019-2020 season pass yet?! We’ve got good news; early bird rates are back but only though to June 15. Castle season passes are an excellent way to combat the winter blues and make the most of the snowy season. With children’s season passes starting at $49 + GST and a family of 3 from only $797, Castle Mountain Resort’s reputation as a southern Alberta family favourite is backed up by great value.

Big Changes Coming For 2019-2020

Have you heard the exciting changes coming our way for the 2019 – 2020 season? Explore $2M in infrastructure improvements, quarterbacked by our first formalized snowmaking system. Construction is already underway and you can keep up to date on all of our project updates by visiting our blog.

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Haven’t heard of the Powder Alliance? What if we told you that your Castle season pass not only grants you unlimited skiing / riding at Castle Mountain Resort but also up to 3 free days at 18 additional resorts (3 free days at each by the way…) across western North America & beyond.

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We’ve officially signed onto the Powder Alliance for another season and all you need to enjoy is an unrestricted Castle season pass.

Snowmaking waterline has made it to the top of Huckleberry Chair; part of $2M in infrastructure upgrades this summer.

Need More Convincing? –

Check out our top reasons for owning a Castle Mountain Resort season pass. Not only is having a season pass convenient as heck but ski industry statistics prove that, if you’ve got a pass for a resort in your hands, you’ll ski & ride more!

At Castle, you’re family. From the brink of closure in the mid-nineties to a thriving, locally owned operation. With more than 200 primarily Albertan shareholders, we exist to ensure that community owned ski areas aren’t just a thing of the past, but a way for the future.

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