Seven Springs Mountain Resort has been named a finalist in Ski Area Management Magazine’s 11th annual I AM a Snowmaker contest, an industry recognition program sponsored by HKD Snowmakers that highlights snowmaking teams across North America.

The contest focuses on the work behind the scenes: how snowmaking crews manage equipment, weather, and staffing to open and maintain terrain through the heart of the ski season. Public voting determines the winner, putting a spotlight on operations that are often invisible to skiers.

Seven Springs’ selection is especially meaningful in light of the resort’s long-standing role in snowmaking history. The installation of its first snowmaking system in 1960 allowed Seven Springs to establish a more dependable season in a region where natural snowfall can be unpredictable.

Many snowmaking techniques were pioneered at Seven Springs. Photo provided by Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

That early emphasis was driven by Herman K. Dupré, who oversaw much of Seven Springs’ development and spent decades refining snowmaking systems on the mountain. Dupré’s work focused on making snowmaking practical in marginal conditions — short cold windows, frequent thaws, and heavy weekend demand — challenges that still define Mid-Atlantic operations today. Over time, his engineering work and operational approach influenced snowmaking well beyond Seven Springs.

The technology and methods Dupré developed eventually formed the basis for what became HKD Snowmakers, a company that grew out of his snowmaking innovations and supplied equipment to ski areas across North America. As a result, Seven Springs is not just a participant in a contest sponsored by HKD, but a resort tied directly to the origins of the technology being recognized.

This year’s contest format includes a historical element, asking finalist teams to incorporate “Hermanisms” — sayings and practical guidance attributed to Dupré — into their submissions. Seven Springs says its snowmaking team includes long-tenured staff whose careers overlap with Dupré’s era, providing continuity between the resort’s early snowmaking efforts and its current operations.

Public voting for the I AM a Snowmaker contest is open through February 2, with the winner scheduled to be announced February 3.

Other nominees for the contest include Michigan’s Boyne Mountain, Vermont’s Burke Mountain and Killington Resort, New Brunswick’s Poley Mountain, and Colorado’s Steamboat.

You can view all contest submissions and submit your vote here.