McHenry, MD (Friday, July 14, 2006) -

It may look like a NASA facility to control the space shuttle, but automated snowmaking operations at Wisp Ski Resort in Maryland are controlled by computers housed in this room that also controls such facilities management tasks as HVAC, lighting, and video cameras. (photo: SMI)

By any standards, a 40% expansion in skiable acreage is an aggressive undertaking. Coupled with a 50% increase in snowmaking capacity and plans for extensive automation to integrate ski area operation and control, it presents a monumental challenge to even the most experienced resort managers.

"A project of this magnitude can become a nightmare of planning, coordinating contractors and setting timetables," said Bob Yaste, VP of Planning and Development at Wisp Ski Resort in McHenry, Maryland. "There are many opportunities for complications, and we needed a firm that could basically handle the whole thing -- from the design and engineering to construction and startup."

Wisp Ski Resort officials awarded the contract to SMI of Midland, Mich. SMI took responsibility for virtually all phases of the ski area expansion.

"We began by clearing ten trails to create 33 new skiable acres," said SMI President Joe VanderKelen. "We then coordinated the site's master plan with the resort's present and future needs to design a state of the art snowmaking system to serve not only the new acreage, but also the existing runs."

The result is a 50% gain in total snowmaking capacity, giving Wisp 90% coverage of skiable terrain, with the capability to charge the piping system and start up more than 150 snowmaking machines within just 30 minutes. The system has a pumping capacity of approximately 15,000 gallons per minute from a new 10 million gallon reservoir.

Even more important, the snowmaking project enabled the Wisp Ski Resort to open on schedule in December, 2005 and extend the season into April, exceeding Wisp's expectations for snow production and quality.

Automation is key
Wisp now operates with full automation of pump stations, trail lighting, cameras and snowmaking equipment. The system relies on a new fiber optic network and Allen Bradley programmable logic controllers for comprehensive ski area management, including building lighting, HVAC, lift monitoring, weather updates and webcam feeds.

On the slopes, a series of computerized weather stations measure temperature, wind direction and speed, as well as humidity. The central processor then dictates water flow and pressure to a total of more than 250 snowmakers to deliver the optimum snow consistency.

The snowmaking expansion features 113 new Viking Snowtowers from SMI. The patented new Viking employs two valves and 12 water nozzles, with nucleation by an on-board five-horsepower compressor feeding two custom nucleating nozzles, all mounted on a 30-foot tower. The design can deliver up to 80 gallons per minute, and the seven-sided head is designed to avoid freeze-ups and simplify maintenance.

SMI also installed 13 new Super Polecat snow machines, the company's fan-driven "big throw" snowmakers. Four heated valves deliver up to 142 gallons per minute of water to thirty nozzles, with a central six-jet nucleator.

The ski area project at Wisp was part of an overall resort expansion that included real estate developments, a new water source, holding pond, added pump capacity and a new white water rafting course.