Boyne Resorts relies on PistenBully 600 E+ for sustainable slope maintenance 

Boyne Resorts is comprised of 10 ski areas across the North American continent, with even more adventure destinations in their portfolio. Boyne also happens to have North America’s largest fleet of PistenBully 600E+s, a machine they consider to be crucial to their success. We spoke with Jeremy Cooper, Vice President of Mountain Sports Development, to talk about their 30-plus-year relationship with PistenBully and Boyne Resorts’ sustainability goals for the future. 

What motivated Boyne Resorts to invest in a large fleet of PistenBully E+ machines?  
Boyne Resorts has recently launched a 2030 project called the Forever Project. We are trying to get to net zero/carbon neutral by 2030. The PistenBully 600E+ machines will contribute to that goal. We will buy offsets for the diesel, and we are heavily working on renewable diesel at all of our resorts. 

What feedback have you received from your operators and teams working with the PistenBully E+?  
The 600E+ is a workhorse that will push, push, push. I joke that you could set the throttle in one of those machines, and it wouldn’t stop until it fell into the ocean. Power and torque are huge benefits, but the technology of diesel and electric is really unique. For our team, it’s not just how efficient and sustainable it is, but the fact that the machine itself has so much power – Just like electric cars have instant torque and high horsepower.  

What other PistenBully tools or technology assist in the success of the PistenBully 600E+?  
As conditions become more volatile and unpredictable each year, we need to be more efficient with how we make and use snow. For this reason, Brighton Resort, Loon Mountain, Sunday River, Big Sky, The Highlands, Summit at Snoqualmie, and Cypress Mountain all have machines equipped with SnowSat. At Boyne, we’ve taken the angle that SnowSat is not just a grooming tool but a snowmaking tool. We can be so much more efficient and not waste water or resources.  

Snoqualmie is a great example. They have two PistenBully 600E+ machines. Two years ago, everything melted all at once. But for Snoqualmie, because of how they used SnowSat, every bit of snow was right where it needed to be, with almost equal coverage, saving the season.  

Looking ahead, how do you see electric grooming shaping the future of your resorts?  
This will definitely be part of our Forever Project at Boyne Resorts. Electric snow groomers like the PistenBully 600E+ will only get more and more efficient. With the push to be greener and more sustainable, we are paying attention heavily. It is certainly the future. That hybrid-style cat or full-electric is the direction we are going.  

 Fotocredits: Kässbohrer