You've surely noticed the trenches along our slopes this summer: this is the construction site for our new fixed snowmaking system, one of the most significant investments in Mont Rigaud's history.
Why this project? 🙋♂️
Our 18 current mobile cannons do an excellent job, but they have to be moved by hand from one track to another, which takes time for our teams. And when it comes to snowmaking, time is a very precious resource: every hour spent moving equipment is one less hour in a cold window that allows us to create beautiful snow. These opportunities can be rare in the fall, so we need to be able to make the most of them.
THE SOLUTION: TECHNOALPIN GIRAFFES 🦒 ON EVERY SLOPE
Permanent snow cannons, installed along the slopes, ready to operate instantly as soon as conditions allow. No moving, no delay.
THIS YEAR, IN NUMBERS 🔧
- 2 equipped slopes: Express and Humpty-Dumpty
- 30 giraffes installed, 31 concrete wells
- 2,125 feet of water pipe (8 in, ductile iron) and 4,625 feet of air pipe (6 in, HDPE)
- Underground electrical and communication cables
- A 900 CFM stationary Kaeser compressor
PIPES BUILT TO LAST 🌱
Our ductile iron pipes have an interior ceramic coating, unlike standard metal which eventually rusts. Infrastructure designed to last for generations without replacement.
BONUS: WIFI AT THE TOP 🛜
While we're in the ground, we're taking the opportunity to bring fiber optics to the top of the mountain. Wi-Fi will soon be available at the summit, not just at the chalet!
THE TIMELINE 📅
- In 2026: Express and Humpty-Dumpty
- In 2 years, in 2028: Pepsi and Shenley
- Within 10 years: the entire mountain automated, an additional section approximately every 2 years
This project was conceived well before this summer. As soon as our fleet of mobile cannons was upgraded, we were already building our pumping stations for this permanent system. Since 2019, approximately $2.5 million has been invested in our snowmaking system, and another $5 million is planned over the next ten years.
And the water in all that? 💧
The snow we produce isn't artificial snow: it's a mix of water and compressed air, nothing more natural. The water used is borrowed water, drawn in the fall from the river flowing at the foot of the mountain, the Rigaud River, and returned to nature in the spring. Our pumping facilities are modern and designed not to harm the aquatic wildlife that lives there. All our use is governed by Quebec's Environment Quality Act, with the permits and authorizations required each season.
Behind the scenes of a construction site 📸
This project has been taking shape before your eyes since the beginning of summer, and we are proud to give you a behind-the-scenes look. We'll keep you updated as the construction progresses!
Mont Rigaud ❄️🚜 Team
