It all started on the cold morning of October 27,1990. That night the temperature dropped to a chilly 20 degrees and it was to be the first night that me and Tom were ever to attempt making snow. Our system was crude, consisting of a small electric compressor, a spray gun, and a couple hundred feet of garden hose, but me being only 13, and Tom 11, we were very impressed with our little sytem. Sad to say we didn’t make a lot of snow that night but it was to be the foundation from which Polar Peak would launch into the highly technical field of snowmaking.

As years went on, we continued to develop and build our own guns. Our sytem now consisted of a small gas powered pump and three electric shop compressors as well as more garden hose. With the addition of the pump, we no longer used well water from the house in our snowmaking operation because when things went wrong we would pump air from the compressors back into the well. I can remember numerous mornings coming in after making some snow and turning on the faucet to get some water for a cup of coffee but hearing a tremendous whoosh of compressed air coming out instead. It was quite an experience, but it did convince dad to buy us the pump.

With a few years behind us now, it was time to move up on the big hill but to do that we would need a large compressor and more pumps. Finally, in the fall of 1994 we got our first large compressor. For water we had one electric pump and one gas pump. This was to be the first year that we ever made snow on the main peak and things worked out very well aside from the irregular weather patterns.

After many years of expirimentation, from the small garden hose guns through our bout with glacier making, today we have an arsenal of over 15 different guns used in different weather conditions. Our latest gun, the P-4000 was developed last year and is the best gun on the mountain by far, sporting a 4:1 air water ratio. Our system now consists of 3 electric pumps and a large gas driven air compressor, 1500 feet of underground piping and another 800 feet of portable above ground piping, along with several hundred feet of 1" high pressure hose and 200 feet of 2-1/2" fire hose used to extend stem lines.

This year (1996) we began snowmaking at 3:30am on October 5th and were opened for skiing on a 1-3" base on the beginner novice trail by 9am. With me now going to SUNY Cobleskill though, it is tough to keep the mountain covered with snow by making it only on weekends. We won’t give up though and hope to ski into late April.

Major improvements are planned for this summer (1997). The compressor will be overhauled, another compressor will be rebuilt and put online, 2 new large electric pumps will be going in the pumphouse alongside the old ones and larger lines will be added up the upper, lower and summit glade sectors, all underground, along with a large electric cable to enable us to run a new experimental airless fan snowmaking machine that we are currently developing. Aside from that, lift 1 is being totally redesigned and the valley express will be getting an electric drive. New high intensity sodium lights will be added to the glades and beginner novice area. It is to be a very exciting and busy summer here at the peak so please be sure to check back for updates on summer construction progress.

Thanks again and see you on the slopes!

Co-Owner Mark Herishko making snow on the lower mountain.


Polar Peaks Custom Designed "P-4000" Snow Gun.