The Green Mountain Valley School has learned that Sugarbush Resort, as part of its ongoing improvement initiatives, will be enhancing the snowmaking system at its Inverness Peak at Mount Ellen. The investment, totaling $3-plus million, is part of Sugarbush’s parent organization, the Alterra Mountain Company’s, continuing commitment to the resort. Since acquiring Sugarbush in 2020, Alterra has invested over $30 million in upgrades to Sugarbush.
The Inverness investment will elevate Sugarbush’s ability to open the Inverness Peak earlier in the season and recover from unfavorable weather events, which have become more prevalent in recent years. It will also expand the resort’s ability to deliver world-class training and racing experiences on a daily basis. Over the past two years, Sugarbush Resort has been dedicated to a multimillion-dollar snowmaking improvement project, and GMVS is delighted to share that these enhancements will soon make their way to the Inverness Trail and the Kelly Brush Race Arena, said spokesperson Nicole Dyhrman.
The cornerstone of this project is a significant $2 million investment that Sugarbush Resort is making to upgrade the snowmaking facilities on Inverness. This project involves the replacement of the current snowmaking lines on Inverness and the installation of new state-of-the-art towers and hydrants. By doing so, the training venue will experience an immediate and substantial positive impact.
To further enhance the effectiveness and safety of the venue, as part of this project, the lower T-bar will be removed. This improvement will not only optimize the snowmaking system but also ensure a safer and more enjoyable experience for all athletes and visitors.
Additionally, Sugarbush Resort is investing $1 million in its pumping capacity at Mount Ellen, further strengthening their snowmaking capabilities to the 4,083-foot summit. This investment will enable Sugarbush to produce snow more rapidly in the Kelly Brush Race Arena and across a wider area.
Once snow blankets the ground, GMVS is committed to working in collaboration with Sugarbush to ensure the surface is at its best for training and racing. To achieve this goal, GMVS is collaborating with Sugarbush Resort and introducing a new Prinoth snowcat on-site. This snowcat has been leased by GMVS, will be operated by a GMVS staff member, and will be entirely dedicated to maintaining the snow surface in the Kelly Brush Race Arena. The combination of the new T-Bar, improved snowmaking capacity, and a dedicated winch cat will undoubtedly make the Kelly Brush Race Arena the envy of other venues around the country.
Jeff Lackie, former U.S. Ski Team coach who joined GMVS this spring as senior director of high performance sport, emphasizes the importance of these investments.
“These multi-million dollar on-hill investments reaffirm an unwavering dedication to providing our athletes with the best training and racing experiences. Together, we are poised to foster a culture of excellence, propelling athletes in our junior program and at the Academy to achieve their fullest potential, and I couldn’t be more excited," Lackie said.
“It’s great to see Alterra’s continuing support of Sugarbush,” said John Hammond, president and chief operating officer at the resort. “The Inverness project will allow us to make snow more efficiently and provide a better ski and ride experience for the Mount Ellen faithful along with improving the training environment for GMVS.”
