More Snow In Thredbo, It's Thumbs Up For A Great 2008 (22-May-08)

THREDBO, NSW, MAY 22, 2008 - Another busy summer on the slopes of Thredbo

Another busy summer on the slopes of Thredbo, as the mountain team completed stage three of Thredbo’s snowmaking upgrade. Around $1.5 million was invested, adding snowmaking to the World Cup trail, that runs parallel to the mighty Supertrail. Thanks to this work, snowriders will also see improved coverage on the run-out of Little Beauty and True Blue.

Thredbo are now in the final stage of the three-year snowmaking project that has seen close to $6 million invested. To put it in simple terms, the first two years were focused on automating the system, now in 2007/2008 Thredbo extended the infrastructure even further. This has seen 30 more snow guns added, making that now an impressive total of 155 automated guns. The system will cover over 67 hectares and pump out an impressive 500,000m3 of snow, that’s 70,000m3 more than last year.

Already boasting the largest system in the Southern Hemisphere, the results of fully automating the snowmaking system are staggering. Over the years, Thredbo's snowmaking system produced:
2005 Pre-automated (before the upgrade) - 180,000 m3
2006 Stage 1 automation - 330,000 m3
2007 Stage 2 automation - 430,000 m3
2008 Stage 3 automation - anticipated production 480,000 - 500,000 m3

Throughout the summer, the Thredbo crew got down and dirty, digging trenches about 0.8 metres deep, laying new pipes and data and electrical cables. According to Werner Siegenthaler, Thredbo Mountain Manager, “Over the next month we should see the works completed, so things are looking good. We have all the latest gear, so when it comes to the start of the winter season, we will be ready to rock ‘n’ roll!”

Come season 2008 Thredbo's system will have the ability to have 155 guns on-line at any one time that is double the amount from pre automated days.

Thredbo’s snowmaking now blankets runs for every level of snow rider, so even when Mother Nature hits the snooze button you can still enjoy good snow riding conditions.

For more information on snowmaking go to www.thredbo.com.au