Big White's New Super PoleCat

Big White's New Super PoleCat Blows Snow in TELUS Park

Big White’s commitment to New School skiing and snowboarding is now blowing snow. The resort hooked up two of its brand new SMI Super PoleCat fans in the new Super Pipe located in TELUS Park. These fan-assisted snowmaking machines will add more depth to an already healthy early-season base of fifty centimeters (20 inches).

The SMI Super PoleCats are state-of-the-art snowmaking tools whereby water is pumped and a set of nozzles mixes the water and air, which create tiny water droplets. A 25-horsepower motor powers a seven-blade aluminum propeller which blows droplets into the crisp Okanagan air, where they freeze and come down as snow. The Super PoleCats are mounted on a three-wheeled carriage so that they can be easily moved to any part of the park.

“We used to have to wait until we gathered enough natural snow to build our Super Pipe and depending on Mother Nature, that used to take a long time. Our substantial investment in snowmaking now guarantees our pipes and park features will be open for Christmas,” commented Flynn Seddon, Big White’s Director of Snowboarding Services.

Though Big White gets over 700 centimeters (24 feet) of Okanagan champagne powder annually, the man-made snow mixed with the abundant natural cover increases the density of the snow and gives a higher quality product for making the pipes and other park features.

TELUS Park is a snowboarder/New School skier playground that is already being touted as a pre-Olympic competition and training site. Serviced by its own double chair lift and lighted for night sessions, the terrain park will feature an Olympic-size 154-meter (500-foot) long Super Pipe with five-meter (17-foot) transitional walls that meet FIS World Cup and X Games standards. There’s also a standard-sized half pipe with three meter (12-foot) transitional walls, 123 meters (400 feet) in length, and a boarder/skier-cross course that can be tuned up to run regional, national, and even World Cup events, yet that can also tuned down for “mere mortals,” as well.

The TELUS Park official grand opening is scheduled for December 18, 2004. Blair Ireland, Guest Services Manager said, “We have an amazing show and competition planned for opening day. Mark your calendar. You won’t want to miss all the fun that TELUS Park is going to present.” TELUS Park and Big White Ski Resort will be open for the general public as soon as weather permits.

Skiing in Jasper National Park's winter playground is truly for all ages. Jasper's winter wonderland is treasured for an uncrowded hospitable atmosphere.

Marmot Basin's downhill Ski Mountain offers ski enthusiasts spectacular opportunities.

Cross country skiers enjoy over 300 kilometres of ski trails that make Jasper one of the largest cross country ski areas in Canada.

Backcountry ski enthusiasts also love Jasper's day trips and multi-day ski trips to opportunities all over the national park.