After seeing a frenzy of improvements in late 2007, Pennslyvania’s Hidden Valley Resort isn’t taking a breather. Now in its second year of ownership by The Buncher Company, Hidden Valley is continuing on an aggressive schedule of enhancements with the installation of a new quad chairlift, and the addition of 50 state-of-the-art snowguns.

A new Doppelmayr CTEC quad chairlift is replacing the old Blizzard and Lightening double lifts. The new fixed quad will be supplemented with Hidden Valley’s second Emmegi loading conveyor; last summer, Hidden Valley installed its first Emmegi loading conveyor on the North Summit quad. This loading conveyor allows guests to more efficiently load on the lift, reducing lift stops.

Hidden Valley installed thirty M18 TechnoAlpin automatic pole mount fan guns along the Bobcat, Continental, and Imperial slopes last fall, and that arsenal of state-of-the-art snowguns is increasing to 80 for the upcoming winter season. To feed the new guns, the resort is installing nearly five miles of underground water lines.

A new TechnoAlpin M18 fan gun is dropped into place. Photo provided by Hidden Valley Resort.

“The new guns are fully automated and equipped with weather instrumentation that allows them to adjust to changing weather conditions with no manual adjustment,” said Jim Shultz, Hidden Valley’s Mountain Manager. “This will assure a consistent snow quality and provide ‘carving’ snow for the resort’s winter guests.”

According to the resort, the addition of 50 TechnoAlpin guns makes Hidden Valley the largest fully automated TechnoAlpin installation in the United States.

Hidden Valley has also purchased two new Pisten Bully snow groomers and a Zaugg half pipe cutter. The rental fleet has also been replaced with new Elan skis and bindings, Dalbello ski boots, Atomic snowboards, Salomon snowboard boots, new poles, and Boeri helmets.

A bullwheel is placed on the lower terminal of Hidden Valley’s new quad chairlift. Photo provided by Hidden Valley Resort.