The start of ski season at Bogus Basin has always depended on mother nature's cooperation.
But not so much any more...
The ski area is about to fire up the second largest snowmaking operation in the entire state.
Just a short descent down a dirt road from the cross country lodge lies the future of Bogus Basin.
"We'll have everything ready to go probably in the next two weeks." says Bogus Basin general manager, Brad Wilson.
The new 13 point six million gallon reservoir is now lined and finished. And a million gallons is already collected.
"We went from it's gotta snow it's gotta snow to it can rain now because we'll turn it into snow," exclaims Wilson.
Melting snow will normally fill this reservoir three times during the ski year. But right now it gets water from Bogus Creek.
Right now, Bogus can use only a small amount of water from Bogus Creek, but come November 15th, they can use as much as they want until next irrigation season in March. And by that time, they'll have more than enough water left over from melting snow. A solution that skiers have been wating for decades to realize.
"Everyone said there wasn't water." says skier Mark Wedeking, "Well, they figured out a way to find water and make it happen."
All that water will be pumped to 24 state of the art snow guns that automatically turn on or off when they sense conditions are appropriate.
"The amount of water we can pump uphill is 15 hundred gallons a minute. Think about that, uphill. That's an immense system," says Wilson.
The two four hundred horsepower pumps can send out enough water to cover runs on Deer Point, Morning Star and Coach.
A seemingly impossible goal now realized after just five 5 months of hard work.
By the way, the pond uses bubbles to create agitation preventing it from freezing up during the winter.
And no matter how much snow they have, they plan on opening the day after Thanksgiving this year and every year from here on out.
