Sun Peaks Resort Launches Snow Storage Project With Finnish Technology New To Canada

Sun Peaks Resort is the first ski area in Canada to employ a one-of-a-kind approach to snow farming and storage, using a system developed by Finnish company, Snow Secure. This innovative snow management program aims to ensure reliable early-season alpine ski training in Sun Peaks, by harvesting and preserving snow through the spring, summer, and fall. 

The project, which began in April, uses a patented, insulated mat technology developed by Snow Secure to preserve a massive snow pile collected on the OSV (Österreichischer Skiverband) ski run on Tod Mountain. The snow pile measures approximately 300 feet long by 100 feet wide by 30 feet tall. On May 5, the snow was wrapped with insulated mats that house a real time monitoring system; when uncovered, the snow will be deployed ahead of the public ski season on OSV, to support the early opening of the Nancy Greene International Race Centre.

“This project is an important piece in our ongoing commitment to innovation and operational excellence,” said Tim Foster, Chief of Mountain Operations for Sun Peaks Resort. “We’re proud to be the first ski resort in Canada to adopt this proven technology and to be able provide a reliable and resilient training facility for young athletes from around the world.”

Sun Peaks Resort has invested $180,000 in the purchase of 18 mats designed to protect the stored snow from heat, sun, wind, and rain. These specially engineered blankets are predicted to provide an estimated 75-80% snow retention rate and can be deployed and secured in a single day.

The grooming team moved and shaped 14,000 cubic metres of snow into a carefully crafted pile that was covered under the supervision of Snow Secure’s CEO, Antti Lauslahti, who was on site to oversee the process. 

“We’re excited to be working with Sun Peaks Resort as our first partner in Canada,” says Lauslahti. “Our technology helps combat unpredictable early-season weather with high quality, natural snow. Sun Peaks will save 1.5 million gallons of snowmaking water, which they will be able to use in other critical areas of their snowmaking operation.”

The snow storage project works in concert with a new multi-million-dollar investment in upgrading the existing Sun Peaks snow making system, that started in summer 2024 and will take place over the next few years. This upgrades includes adding new, more efficient snow guns into the fleet, employing on-board weather monitoring stations for automation, and upgrades to in-ground infrastructure.

For more information on Snow Secure, visit: www.snowsecure.fi