(April 17, 2013, Ellicottville, NY…) Upon the completion of a successful 2012-13 winter season, Holiday Valley’s President Dennis Eshbaugh announced plans to reinvest $3.1 million in resort improvements. According to Mr. Eshbaugh, “It is a priority to continually improve Holiday Valley, not only to keep up with the current technology but to give our visitors the best experience possible.” The projects include improvements to both winter and summer operations.

Headlining the projects is the installation of 70 new HKD SV-10 snowguns with automation. The new guns will be installed on Edelweiss, Sunrise, Cindy’s and Foxfire. The resort installed automated snowmaking over the past several years on 6 of their most popular runs with impressive results. The automation increases efficiency and energy savings while providing the best possible manmade snow. Automation makes it possible to make snow in brief periods of cold, and allows for variations in temperature and humidity.

The resort is purchasing a Pisten Bully 600 Active Boom Winch Cat grooming machine which offers the latest technology for grooming on steeper sections of trails. The hydraulic boom allows the groomer to push and groom snow uphill, off the center line of the winch cable anchor point, resulting in better cover in “hard to reach” spots.

Sky High Adventure Park has been expanded with two new courses and a unique 3-D climbing feature. “Snap Dragon” is a new yellow (easiest) course and “Fern Gulley” is a green (next level up) course. The “Climbing Forest” is a totally new feature that is like a 3-D version of a climbing wall. It consists of closely spaced vertical “tree trunks” with handholds where climbers can choose their route up the 45 foot heights. Sky High Adventure Park, opened in summer of 2011 consists of an Aerial Adventure Park and a Mountain Coaster. The Aerial Park is a series of eleven elevated courses made of platforms, bridges and zip lines built in a four acre wooded area near Holiday Valley’s Tannenbaum Lodge.

The former Holiday Valley Day Care building has been removed. This prime location in the base area between the Holiday Valley Lodge and the Tamarack Club will become the Overlook Terrace, an outdoor group assembly plaza with seating and a fireplace with a wonderful view of the golf course and ski slopes. The Overlook will be the site of weddings and other social gatherings. Holiday Valley Day Care, now located inside the Holiday Valley Lodge, is a licensed facility that operates year ‘round.

Guest rooms at the Inn at Holiday Valley will be upgrades with new bedding, artwork, lighting, bath fixtures and pool furniture. The finishing touches will be applied to the Holiday Valley Lodge, which opened in December, 2012. Exterior stairways and the Plaza Deck will be trimmed out and landscaping, driveways and walkways will be completed.

The Cabana Bar, located near the pools and the Golf Shop, will be replaced with a new timber beam roof system that will have open sides in the summer, but can be enclosed with glass panels for cold weather use. This work will take place in the fall in preparation for the 2013-14 winter season.
Several additional projects will be completed including glades and wood lot improvements, terrain park rails, signage, uniforms and IT system upgrades.
Holiday Valley Resort in Ellicottville, New York is a four season resort offering golf, swimming, lodging, dining, conference facilities and the Sky High Adventure Park during the summer months. www.holidayvalley.com. The toll free reservations number is 1.800.323.0020.