SNOWMAKING FAQ's

In response to the purpose and need, the following Proposed Action was assembled by
Snowbowl and the Forest Service. Because Forest Plan direction for management of the
Snowbowl SUP area does not specifically allude to amenities such as snowtubing and
snowmaking, a non-significant Forest Plan amendment is included as a portion of the Proposed
Action in order to allow the Forest Service and Snowbowl to respond to key portions of the
Purpose and Need. To view the Upgrade Proposal's map, click here.

Snowmaking

• Approximately 205 acres of snowmaking coverage throughout the SUP area utilizing
  Class A reclaimed water as a source
• A 10 million-gallon snowmaking water reservoir near the top terminal of the existing
  Sunset Chairlift, and catchment pond below the Hart Prairie Lodge
• Construct a reclaimed water pipeline between Flagstaff and the Snowbowl with booster
  stations and pumphouses
• Construct a 3,000 to 4,000 square foot snowmaking control building in the vicinity of the
  existing maintenance shop
  

Snowplay/Tubing Facility

• A professionally designed and managed snowplay/tubing facility at the base area
  including sculpted lanes, lifts and a lodge
  

 

Lifts/Uphill Capacity

• Replace of the Sunset Chairlift with a high speed, detachable chair
• Relocate the existing Sunset Chairlift as the Humphreys Chairlift, accessing a pod of
  proposed ski trails
• Upgrade and extension of the Hart Prairie Chairlift with a high-speed, detachable lift
• Upgrade and realignment of the Aspen Chairlift
• Install three surface conveyors in the area north of the Hart Prairie Lodge
• Install a handle tow is proposed to service a halfpipe and terrain park
  

 

Terrain

• Additional terrain, bring total skiable acreage at the Snowbowl to approximately 204 acres
• Approximately 47 acres of thinning to created improved glades
• Approximately 87 acres of terrain improvements (grading/stumping and smoothing)
• Create a dedicated teaching area near the Hart Prairie Lodge
• Construct a halfpipe
  

 

Guest Service Facilities

• Enlarge the Hart Prairie Lodge by approximately 6,000 square feet to a total of 24,900 square feet
• Construct a new 10,000 square foot guest services facility adjacent to the Agassiz Lodge
• Construct a 2,500 square foot Native American cultural and education center constructed in or near the Agassiz Lodge
• Replace existing on-mountain ski team buildings
  

 

Summer Trails

• Construct a hiking trail from the existing Agassiz Chairlift mid-station to the top terminal
• Construct an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant summer access trail into Hart Prairie from the parking lot near Agassiz Lodge

 

Infrastructure and Utilities

• Construct a 14.8-mile pipeline to transport reclaimed water from Flagstaff to Snowbowl
• Install snowmaking pipelines buried within existing and proposed trails
• Redesign the entrance circle, which would have signs directing guests to parking lots, day lodges, and snowplay parking
• Construct a 400-space parking area to service the proposed tubing facility
• Combine parking lots #1 and #2 by re-grading and leveling them
• Develop approximately 1,110 feet of additional on-mountain access road
• Reconstruct approximately 3,650 feet of existing two-track mountain access road
• Decommission approximately 3,050 feet of existing two-track mountain access road
• Install buried 10,000-gallon water storage tanks at each of the lodges and at the snowplay building to facilitate the use of reclaimed water
• Construct a pedestrian underpass