Misplaced Pages

#661338

79-636: Mountain Creek is a ski resort in Vernon Township , Sussex County , New Jersey , United States. It is located on New Jersey Route 94 in the New York Metropolitan Area , 47 miles (76 km) from the George Washington Bridge . Mountain Creek contains 167 acres (68 ha) of land for skiing area, night skiing , snowboarding , and snowmaking activities. The resort also includes

158-602: A snow tubing park, zip-lines , an alpine coaster , a bike park, and a seasonal water park that operates from May to September. Mountain Creek has a total of 7 lifts and 2 magic carpets. Mountain Creek was owned and operated by Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc. until May 2010 when it was sold to neighboring Crystal Springs Resort. Crystal Springs then sold the property to a New Jersey family. On May 5, 2017, Mountain Creek filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection . The resort emerged from bankruptcy in August 2019. Great Gorge Resort

237-433: A " snow cannon ". Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliability of their snow cover and to extend their ski seasons from late autumn to early spring. Indoor ski slopes use snowmaking. They can generally do so year-round as they have climate-controlled environments. The use of snowmaking machines has become more common as changing weather patterns and

316-524: A basic first aid facility, and some kind of ski patrol service to ensure that injured skiers are rescued. The ski patrol is usually responsible for rule enforcement, marking hazards , closing individual runs or areas as conditions require, and removing (dismissing) dangerous participants from the area. The typical ski area base includes a ticket office, ski lodge , ski school , equipment rental/repair shop, restaurant/bar, shopping, shuttle bus stop and parking. Some ski resorts offer lodging options on

395-484: A central location. Operational parameters are: starting and stopping time, quality of snow, maximum wet-bulb temperature in which to operate, maximum windspeed, horizontal and vertical orientation, and sweep angle (to cover a wider or narrower area). Sweep angle and area may follow wind direction. Smaller versions of the snow machines found at ski resorts exist, scaled down to run off household size air and water supplies. Home snowmakers receive their water supply either from

474-635: A derivation of the Old Norse skíð via Norwegian , the choice of French is likely attributed to the early popularity of such activities in the French Alps , with which it was then linked. As rising temperatures, receding glaciers and declining snowfall affect the environment, resort development and operations also have an environmental impact on land, lakes, streams, and wildlife. Amenities and infrastructure such as concrete buildings, ski lifts, access roads, parking lots, and railways have contributed to

553-454: A garden hose or from a pressure washer , which makes more snow per hour. Plans also exist for do-it-yourself snowmaking machines made out of plumbing fittings and special nozzles, or pressure washer nozzles. Pressurized air is typically supplied from standard air compressors. Volumes of snow output by home snowmakers depend on the air/water mixture, temperature, wind variations, pumping capacity, water supply, air supply, and other factors. Using

632-651: A household spray bottle will not work unless temperatures are well below the freezing point of water. By the 2009–2010 ski season, it was estimated that around 88% of ski resorts belonging to the US National Ski Areas Association were using artificial snow to supplement natural snowfall. In the European Alps the proportion of ski slopes that can be covered by artificial snow varies among countries (Germany 25%, France 37%, Switzerland 53%, Austria 70%, Italy 90%). Since 1985, average aggregate temperatures in

711-727: A large slope. They also need to receive sufficient snow (at least in combination with artificial snowmaking , unless the resort uses dry ski slopes ). High concentrations of ski resorts are located in the Alps , Scandinavia , western and eastern North America , and Japan . There are also ski resorts in the Andes , scattered across central Asia , and in Australia and New Zealand . Extreme locations of non-indoor (at least one ski lift outside) ski resorts include: The ski industry has identified advancing generations of ski resorts: The term ski station

790-510: A lawsuit against the US Forest Service and Arizona Snowbowl. Plaintiffs alleged that undertaking such a project would significantly alter and damage the cultural and spiritual nature of the mountain. This legal challenge ultimately failed in 2009. In Swedish, the phrase "snow cannon" ( Snökanon ) is used to designate the lake-effect snow weather phenomenon. For example, if the Baltic Sea

869-463: A likely increase of 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), and an average increase in temperatures in the US of between 1.7 °C (3 °F) and 6.7 °C (12 °F) by 2100. Furthermore, scientists predict that snow cover in the northern hemisphere will decrease by 15% by the end of the century with snowpack decreasing and snow seasons shortening concurrently. It's been projected that by the 2050s, fewer than half of

SECTION 10

#1732859540662

948-556: A long intermediate trail off the Granite Peak, called Granite View, was closed. Minor changes were also made in the dining structure, including replacement of the one-time-use rental lockers with a more compact bag-check station. In addition, a helipad was located in the rear of the Mountain Creek South parking lot (from the inception of the resort when it was Great Gorge) where people with life-threatening injuries are airlifted to

1027-424: A luxury condominium and hotel built on the former parking lot of Vernon base. Parking was moved to the other side of Rt. 94 to the former location of Action Park's amusement ride and bumper boat area. The Appalachian condo/hotel opened for the 2006–07 season. The Chevy U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix was held at Mountain Creek in both 2004 and 2005. The centerpiece of this event was Mountain Creek's Superpipe , one of

1106-457: A mile away from Great Gorge. Plans for the Playboy Club included a casino and gondola from the hotel to the base at Great Gorge North, neither of which were ever built. Gambling casinos were never approved outside of Atlantic City . The hotel hosted many celebrity shows and boxing events. The Playboy Club hotel closed in the 1980s. In late 1971, Great Gorge was foreclosed by their lender after

1185-633: A negative cultural externality is the contention surrounding use of artificial snow at Arizona Snowbowl , a ski resort in Northern Arizona. Arizona Snowbowl is situated in the San Francisco peaks, which are one of the holiest sites for various Native American tribes in the Four Corners area, including the Navajo Nation . In 2004, Arizona Snowbowl was renting its slopes from the US Forest Service, and

1264-605: A new zip line course at the mountaintop lake above Vernon Peak and an Alpine coaster on the lower mountainside near the waterpark. For that winter the resort expanded and relocated its tubing park across the street, renaming it the Dropzone. The Diablo Mountain Bike Park was also transferred to company control and renamed Mountain Creek Bike Park. In 2010 Sojourn Double, the chairlift that transported people from South to Granite Peak,

1343-506: A number of seasons brought little snow to the resort. In 1968, Vernon Valley Ski Resort opened to the north of Great Gorge. After the foreclosure of Great Gorge South and Great Gorge North, they were sold to Vernon Valley, which merged the three ski areas to form the Vernon Valley/Great Gorge Resort (VVGG). In 1974, VVGG was purchased by Great American Recreation (GAR), which invested in snowmaking equipment that allowed

1422-408: A tower or on a stand on the ground. It uses higher pressure water and air, while a fan gun uses a powerful axial fan to propel the water jet to a great distance. A modern snow fan usually consists of one or more rings of nozzles which inject water into the fan air stream. A separate nozzle or small group of nozzles is fed with a mix of water and compressed air and produces the nucleation points for

1501-410: Is 100–150 feet (30–46 m), for fan guns 250–300 feet (76–91 m). From these hydrants 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 –2 in (38–51 mm) pressure resistant hoses are connected similar to fire hoses with camlocks to the snow machine. The infrastructure to support snowmaking may have a negative environmental impact, altering water tables near reservoirs and mineral and nutrient content of the soil under

1580-446: Is a term for entertainment, nightlife or social events that occur specifically at ski resorts. These add to the enjoyment of resort-goers and provide something to do besides skiing and snowboarding . The culture originated in the Alps, where it is most popular and where skiers often stop at bars on their last run of the day while still wearing all their ski gear. Though the word "ski" is

1659-451: Is also used, particularly in Europe, for a skiing facility which is not located in or near a town or village. A ski resort which is also open for summer activities is often referred to as a mountain resort . Ski areas have marked paths for skiing known as runs, trails or pistes . Ski areas typically have one or more chairlifts for moving skiers rapidly to the top of hills, and to interconnect

SECTION 20

#1732859540662

1738-420: Is augmented due to their potential impact on lower populations and properties. Snowmaking machines generally require between 3,000 and 4,000 cubic meters of water per hectare of slope covered. Accordingly, it takes approximately 106 gallons (400 litres) of water to produce one cubic meter of snow, and snowmaking machines use about 107 gallons (405 litres) of water per minute. A significant amount of this water

1817-400: Is estimated that in years of lower snowfall, there is about a US$ 1 billion decrease in economic activity. The implementation and use of artificial snow making technologies requires the undertaking of major infrastructural projects. These projects result in significant disruptions to local ecosystems. A major infrastructural project associated with the use of artificial snowmaking technology is

1896-449: Is lost due to evaporation, and thus is not returned to the water table. Furthermore, it takes approximately 3.5 to 4.3 kWh of energy to produce one cubic meter of snow; however, this number can be as high as 14   kWh, or as low as 1   kWh per cubic meter of snow. Snowmaking accounts for approximately 50% of the average American ski resort's energy costs, which amounts to about $ 500,000. Ski resorts often use mineralized water in

1975-415: Is not viable given the current technology. The photograph of Parsenn to the right demonstrates the use of artificial snow to supplement natural snowfall. The strip of white going down the mountain is a ski slope that has been opened due to extensive use of snowmaking technology. As the use of artificial snow becomes more common and efficient, developers may seek to build new or expand existing ski resorts, as

2054-496: Is only returned to the water table through runoff. As a result of changing weather patterns, snowmaking has become a major revenue-making activity due to a shortage in the supply of natural snow. However, it poses significant environmental threats that may serve to perpetuate the issue that resulted in an increased demand for artificial snow in the first place. The EPA forecasts temperatures to increase by between 0.28 °C (0.5 °F) and 4.8 °C (8.6 °F) globally with

2133-546: The contiguous United States for the months of November through February have consistently been above the average temperatures for those months measured between 1901 and 2000 as graphed in Figure 1. Such a trend both limits and encourages the use of artificial snow. Rising temperatures will result in greater snowmelt and decreased snowfall, thus forcing ski resorts to depend more heavily upon the use of artificial snow. However, once temperatures approach 6 °C (43 °F), snowmaking

2212-411: The urbanization of mountainous zones. In recent years, the use of snow cannons by many ski resorts has increased to compensate for reduced levels of snowfall. In order to sustain good quality snow coverage, snowmaking requires large amounts of water and sometimes the creation of artificial lakes . Snow cannons also introduce a noise element. The required infrastructure can affect erosion through

2291-484: The wet-bulb temperature of the air is as high as −1 °C (30 °F). The lower the air temperature is, the more and the better snow a cannon can make. This is one of the main reasons snow cannons are usually operated in the night. The quality of the mixing of the water and air streams and their relative pressures is crucial to the amount of snow made and its quality. Modern snow cannons are fully computerized and can operate autonomously or be remotely-controlled from

2370-619: The 1970s, thus increasing the demand for the production of artificial snow. Some ski resorts use artificial snow to extend their ski seasons and augment natural snowfall; however, there are some resorts that rely almost entirely upon artificial snow production. Artificial snow was used extensively at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing to supplement natural snowfall and provide

2449-480: The 21 locations historically used for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics (up to Beijing 2022) would still have reliable weather conditions. These predicted changes in temperature and snowfall patterns will induce ski resorts to rely more heavily upon artificial snow which uses significant amounts of water and electricity. As a result, ski resorts will further contribute to the production of greenhouse gases and

Mountain Creek - Misplaced Pages Continue

2528-677: The Base Lodge. The original lodge was designed by Alexander McIlvaine, who also designed the lodges at Stratton Mountain in Vermont and Squaw Valley in Olympic Valley, California . The World's Fair was held in Flushing, NY in 1964-1965. When the fair closed, the entire contents of the Swiss Pavilion were purchased and were transported to be incorporated into the new lodge at Great Gorge. Great Gorge

2607-559: The French Alps, US$ 1,005 in Austria, and US$ 415 in Switzerland. Furthermore, 50% of the average American ski resort's energy costs are generated by the production of artificial snow. Snowmaking machines allow ski resorts to extend their seasons and sustain their businesses in times of low snowfall. With changing climate trends, snowfall is becoming increasingly unpredictable, thus jeopardizing

2686-544: The Spa, at Great Gorge, a four-star luxury resort and spa complete with an 18-hole golf course and a number of indoor and outdoor swimming pools. VVGG continued to upgrade its skiing operations, installing several new lifts, including a triple chairlift in 1981. In 1989, GAR negotiated a deal with International Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) to sell the Vernon Valley/Great Gorge ski resort for $ 50 million. IBC backed out of

2765-622: The additional economic value of winter tourism in the United States is estimated to be around US$ 12.2 billion per year. These additional benefits come in the form of spending at hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other local businesses. Additionally, winter tourism supports around 211,900 jobs in the United States, which amounts to a total of approximately US$ 7 billion paid in benefits and salaries, US$ 1.4 billion paid in state and local taxes, and US$ 1.7 billion paid in federal taxes. The economic benefits of snow sports are great, but also fragile. It

2844-505: The atmospheric humidity, the colder it must be to turn the small water droplets into snow crystals. Examples: To start a snowmaking system a wet-bulb temperature of −2.5 °C (27.5 °F) is required. If the atmospheric humidity is very low, this level can be reached at temperatures slightly above 0 °C (32 °F), but if the air humidity is high, colder temperatures are required. Temperatures around freezing point are referred to as borderline temperatures or limit temperatures. If

2923-408: The best possible conditions for competition. The production of snow requires low temperatures. The threshold temperature for snowmaking increases as humidity decreases. Wet-bulb temperature is used as a metric since it takes air temperature and relative humidity into account. The bulb temperature is always below the outside temperature. The damper the air, the less moisture it can absorb. The higher

3002-519: The complex after one year, plans for a new base lodge were put on hold for an unspecified reason. The decaying tent complex remained operational for approximately 13 years through the 2010–11 ski season before being replaced by a permanent lodge named the Red Tail Lodge. In 2002, Mountain Creek opened the first phase of its master-planned resort village, Black Creek Sanctuary, a luxury condo community. In winter 2003 construction began on The Appalachian,

3081-434: The composition of snow produced using snow guns differs from that of natural snow, and as such provides for improved conditions for winter sports competitions. It is often favoured by professionals for being fast and "hyper-grippy" but also raises their fear of falling on it. The most visible negative externalities resulting from snowmaking are the adverse environmental impacts. However, in addition to environmental impacts,

3160-470: The deal after inspecting the property. In 1995, GAR filed for bankruptcy. In 1996, only Vernon Valley opened, with Great Gorge North and South closed due to bankruptcy. Before the 1997 season, GAR shut down Vernon Valley/Great Gorge and Action Park. In 1998, the remaining assets of Great American Recreation were divided and sold. Eugene Mulvihill Sr. retained control of the Great Gorge golf and hotel area of

3239-529: The direct effects of the production of artificial snow, snowmaking practices result in various secondary effects. Positive externalities resulting from the production of artificial snow include positive impacts on local economies, increased opportunities for physical activity, and improved competition conditions. Furthermore, producing artificial snow allows ski resorts to extend the amount of time that they are operational, thus increasing opportunities for people to participate in outdoor physical activities. Finally,

Mountain Creek - Misplaced Pages Continue

3318-460: The early 1970s. Many ski resorts depend heavily upon snowmaking. Snowmaking has achieved greater efficiency with increasing complexity. Traditionally, snowmaking quality depended upon the skill of the equipment operator. Today, computer control supplements that skill with greater precision, such that a snow gun operates only when snowmaking is optimal. The key considerations in snow production are increasing water and energy efficiency and increasing

3397-412: The economic success of ski resorts. Between 2008 and 2013, American ski and snowboard resorts experienced annual revenues of about US$ 3 billion. Such high levels of revenue increase the demand for predictable and adequate amounts of snow cover, which can be achieved through artificial snowmaking practices. While the economic benefit of ski resorts has been around US$ 3 billion in recent years (see Figure 2),

3476-416: The environmental window in which snow can be made. Snowmaking plants require water pumps – and sometimes air compressors when using lances – that are both very large and expensive. The energy required to make artificial snow is about 0.6–0.7 kW h/m for lances and 1–2 kW h/m for fan guns. The density of artificial snow is between 400 and 500 kg/m and

3555-637: The formation of ice crystals at relatively high temperatures, so that the droplets will turn into ice before falling to the ground. The bacterium itself uses these ina proteins in order to injure plants. The pipes following the trails are equipped with shelters containing hydrants, electrical power and, optionally, communication lines mounted. Whereas shelters for fan guns require only water, power and maybe communication, lance shelters usually need air hydrants as well. Hybrid shelters allow maximum flexibility to connect each snow machine type as they have all supplies available. The typical distance for lance shelters

3634-425: The increased area of impervious surfaces , redirecting the flow of water runoff . Many resorts are taking steps to reduce their energy and water consumption and waste production, increase recycling, and restore habitats. Initiatives aimed at addressing environmental concerns include: Snowmaking Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a " snow gun ", also known as

3713-529: The issue of water scarcity . In addition to long-term environmental impacts, artificial snow production poses immediate environmental challenges. Artificial snow takes around two to three weeks longer to melt than does natural snow. As such, the use of artificial snow introduces new threats and challenges to local flora and fauna. Furthermore, the high mineral and nutrient content of the water used to produce artificial snow changes soil composition, which in turn affects which plants are able to grow. In addition to

3792-456: The late 1960s and early 1970s, the Great Gorge ski area hosted a summer zoo at the base of the mountain. The ski area also had a ski jump that was used all year long. In the off seasons, Sno-Mats were used on the trails as well as on the jump and landing area. Grass skiing demonstrations were also held in the off-season on the slopes and ski races were held on the Sno-Mats. In the winter, the ski jump

3871-669: The mountain reservoir. Many mountain reservoirs are embankment dams that feed underground water pipelines, and pose significant safety risks to nearby populations and ecosystems. In addition to the hazards posed by conventional reservoirs and dams, mountain reservoirs are subject to a variety of mountain-specific hazards. Such hazards include avalanches, rapid flows, and landslides. Approximately 20% of mountain reservoirs are built on avalanche-prone sites, and about 50% are prone to very high hazards. Additionally, mountain reservoirs expel water very quickly, causing massive floods, and significantly jeopardizing public safety. The severity of these hazards

3950-460: The new resort to survive seasons with little snow. In 1978, VVGG opened Action Park , a seasonal amusement park with over 75 rides and attractions including 40 water slides, bungee jumping , go-karts, bumper boats and mini golf. During the 1980s Cobblestone Village, a small shopping and dining village was built. The decade also saw the development of Great Gorge Village, a 1300-unit condo development of what were originally luxury housing units, and

4029-559: The only superpipes in the east. The Superpipe went quiet after this and has not been used since. For summer 2006 Intrawest opened the Diablo Mountain Bike Park on Vernon Peak, which featured numerous downhill trails serviced by the Cabriolet gondola. Mountain Creek opened its 2007–08 winter sports season with a few notable changes to the trail map. The eastern side of Vernon Peak, which used to be home to its freestyle terrain park,

SECTION 50

#1732859540662

4108-493: The popularity of indoor ski resorts create a demand for snow beyond that which is provided by nature. Snowmaking machines have addressed the shortage in the supply of snow; however, there are significant environmental costs associated with the artificial production of snow. According to the European Environment Agency , the length of snow seasons in the northern hemisphere has decreased by five days each decade since

4187-465: The production of artificial snow results in significant negative cultural and social externalities. Such externalities include issues regarding land use and land rights. Many ski resorts rent out mountains and slopes from the US Forest Service , which raises questions surrounding how the land can and should be used, and who should be the arbiter of determining appropriate uses. A specific example of

4266-400: The production of artificial snow, which has adverse impacts on surrounding ecosystems and water tables. Mountain reservoirs are often filled with highly mineralized water, and the runoff from these reservoirs affects the mineral and chemical composition of groundwater, which in turn pollutes drinking water. Furthermore, mountain reservoirs do not allow water to seep back into the ground, so water

4345-410: The regional emergency medical centers. In 2008, Intrawest representatives stated that during the previous two years, Intrawest and the resort industry in general experienced a significant softening of the real estate market, which included Mountain Creek, and Intrawest could not commit to completing the village. The Intrawest / Fortress Investments Co. filed for bankruptcy protection and sold off many of

4424-474: The resort, which was renamed Crystal Springs Resort. The three ski areas and Action Park were sold to Intrawest , a Canadian-based owner and operator of ski resorts. Intrawest renamed its holdings Mountain Creek and began to refurbish the resort. Intrawest removed 11 of the 13 lifts, replacing them with a gondola, known as the Cabriolet , along with two chairlifts and multiple-fix grip chairs. The Great Gorge Lodge

4503-795: The resorts that it owned. The Mountain Creek Resort was sold and became part of the Crystal Springs Resort. Intrawest sold Mountain Creek to the adjacent Crystal Springs Resort in May 2010, returning the entire resort to its previous ownership. The new owners immediately went to work on improving the mountain, replacing the tent complex at Vernon with a new lodge that opened in time for the 2011-12 ski season. A three-story building, it contains new offices, bars, fine dining restaurant, food court, rental and locker facilities and an outdoor patio. In summer 2012, Mountain Creek continued improvement plans, opening

4582-641: The rights, which made it the sole owner of the Mountain Creek properties. Since the Koffman family (which controls HSK-MC) already was a partial owner of the property, it is said that normal operations will continue. However, the fate of the indoor water park is now in question, since that was planned under Mulvihill's control of the property. Ski resort Ski resorts are located on both Northern and Southern Hemispheres on all continents except Antarctica . They typically are located on mountains , as they require

4661-413: The slopes themselves, with ski-in and ski-out access allowing guests to ski right up to the door. Ski resorts often have other activities, such as snowmobiling , sledding , horse-drawn sleds , dog-sledding , ice skating , indoor or outdoor swimming and hot tubbing , game rooms, and local forms of entertainment, such as clubs, cinema, theaters and cabarets . Après-ski (French for after skiing )

4740-425: The snow crystals. The small droplets of water and the tiny ice crystals are then mixed and propelled out by a powerful fan , after which they further cool through evaporation in the surrounding air as they fall to the ground. The crystals of ice act as seeds to make the water droplets freeze at 0 ° C (32 ° F ). Without these crystals the water would supercool instead of freezing . This method can produce snow when

4819-586: The snow itself. There are many forms of snowmaking guns; however, they all share the basic principle of combining air and water to form snow. For most guns the type or "quality" of snow can be changed by regulating the amount of water in the mixture. For others, the water and air are simply on or off and the snow quality is determined by the air temperature and humidity. In general there are three types of snowmaking guns: internal mixing, external mixing and fan guns. These come in two main styles of makers: air water guns and fan guns. An air water gun can be mounted on

SECTION 60

#1732859540662

4898-408: The summer of 1998. Intrawest drafted a master plan for the resort, whose centerpiece was an expansive residential and shopping village, a staple of Intrawest resorts, but which never happened. Included in the village plans were a conference center, hotels, condos, townhouses, shops and restaurants. On the mountaintop was to be a golf course surrounded by a hotel and condos. This mountaintop development

4977-406: The system. Man fan-type snow guns have on-board electric air compressors, which allows for cheaper and more compact operation. A ski area may have the required high-output water pumps, but not an air pump. Onboard compressors are cheaper and easier than having a dedicated pumping house. The air is generally cooled and excess moisture is removed before it is sent out of the plant. Some systems even cool

5056-499: The various trails. Rope tows can also be used on short slopes (usually beginner hills or bunny slopes). Larger ski areas may use gondola lifts or aerial tramways for transportation across longer distances within the ski area. Resorts post their trail map illustrating the location of lifts, trails, services and the ski area boundary, and during the ski season issue a daily snow conditions report listing open trails, operating lifts and weather status. Ski areas usually have at least

5135-465: The water before it enters the system. This improves the snowmaking process as the less heat in the air and water, the less heat must be dissipated to the atmosphere to freeze the water. From this plant the air travels up a separate pipeline following the same path as the water pipeline. The water is sometimes mixed with ina (ice nucleation-active) proteins from the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae . These proteins serve as effective nuclei to initiate

5214-531: The water consumption for producing snow is roughly equal to that number. Snowmaking begins with a water supply such as a river or reservoir. Water is pumped up a pipeline on the mountain using very large electric pumps in a pump house. This water is distributed through an intricate series of valves and pipes to any trails that require snowmaking. Most resorts also add a nucleating agent to ensure that as much water as possible freezes and turns into snow. These products are organic or inorganic materials that facilitate

5293-453: The water molecules to form the proper shape to freeze into ice crystals . The products are non-toxic and biodegradable. The next step in the snowmaking process is to add air using an air plant. This plant is often a building which contains electric or diesel industrial air compressors the size of a van or truck. However, in some instances air compression is provided using diesel-powered, portable trailer-mounted compressors which can be added to

5372-470: The wet-bulb temperature drops, more snow can be produced faster and more efficiently. Snowmaking is an energy-intense process, and has environmental impacts, both of which inherently limit its use. Americans Art Hunt, Dave Richey, and Wayne Pierce invented the snow cannon in 1950, but secured a patent sometime later. In 1952, Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel became the first in the world to use artificial snow. Snowmaking began to be used extensively in

5451-510: Was converted into intermediate slopes. The entire Mountain Creek South area (South Peak and Bear Peak) was converted to freestyle terrain park. This angered many long-time season pass holders and many did not renew their passes. A special terrain park pass was now needed to use this area of the mountain. All slopes off those peaks are intermediate trails with additional ratings for the kind of freestyle terrain from small to extra large. Additionally,

5530-462: Was covered with snow. The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway operates tracks that abut the back of the Great Gorge South parking lot. For a time in the 1970s, there was a seasonal train operated by the railroad which offered skiers a way to the slopes and then returned them home. In 1971, Great Gorge North was built on what is now Mountain Creek's Granite Peak, and a connecting trail

5609-450: Was cut to connect Great Gorge North and the original resort, which was renamed Great Gorge South. A connecting chair lift was also installed - the Sojourn double. Great Gorge North was part of a master plan that included a never-built Olympic ski-jump and training facility. Also in 1971, Playboy opened their $ 20 million, 650-room Great Gorge Playboy Club on 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land

5688-551: Was founded in McAfee , an unincorporated area of Vernon Township , in 1965 by three families (the Kurlanders, Fitzgeralds, and Bakers) who worked at the now-closed Snow Bowl Ski Resort in Milton, New Jersey . Great Gorge was built on the former Fredericks farm. Mountain Creek's Bear and South Peaks were the original Great Gorge Resort, with the current South Base Ski Patrol building serving as

5767-463: Was looking to build new ski slopes and increase the production of artificial snow. The proposed project would involve the clearing of approximately 74 acres (30 ha) of forest, the use of reclaimed water to produce artificial snow, the construction of a three-acre holding pond for reclaimed water, and the installation of an underground pipeline. A group of plaintiffs made up of members from six Native American tribes and various other organizations filed

5846-419: Was previously prohibited. On October 10, 1999, the 31-year-old Vernon base lodge was destroyed in a fire just weeks before the 1999-2000 ski season. A temporary complex of prefabricated tents was quickly constructed in order to continue operations for the upcoming season. The tent complex included a food court, restaurant and bar, and numerous rental and retail shops. While Intrawest originally planned to replace

5925-487: Was retired after 40 years of service. A new fixed-grip double chairlift was installed and opened in time for the 2012–13 season. The new lift has replaced plans for a new trail that would have connected the South peak to Granite Peak, since they realized when working to build the new trail that the topography of the mountain does not go in that direction. HSK-MC, a partner in a group that purchased Mountain Creek in 2010, bought out

6004-462: Was scrapped, however, as the land that it was located on was sold by the State of New Jersey to Mountain Creek's previous owners, Great American Recreation, with a deed restriction that stated the land was to be used only for passive recreation, such as fishing, hiking and camping. Intrawest then sold the land back to the state for $ 7 million and permission to expand skiing on portions of the mountain where it

6083-548: Was the case with the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort. Such an action could cause significant deforestation, the loss of fragile and rare ecosystems, and cultural opposition. The high costs associated with the production of artificial snow serve as a barrier to entry for its use. It was estimated that in 2008 it cost approximately US$ 131,000 to purchase a snow gun and develop the necessary infrastructure. Overall, approximately US$ 61 million have been invested in snowmaking technology in

6162-634: Was the first ski area in the United States to use a jet engine to power their snow-making operations' air compressors. The jet engine was purchased from the Curtiss-Wright Company in Fairfield, New Jersey. The jet engine was located in a building in the parking lot across the street from the new lodge. Skiers Donna Weinbrecht and Jamie Kurlander, who have been inducted into the Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame, skied at Great Gorge. During

6241-788: Was updated and renamed Mountain Creek South Lodge. Intrawest also installed more than 1,600 new snow guns throughout the mountain. The new resort opened in December 1998. Intrawest also began construction on Action Park, removing all the amusement rides except for the Alpine Slide and Bungee Tower, as well as the Motorworld section of the park, and began work on the Waterworld section of the park. The water park reopened as Mountain Creek Waterpark in

#661338