FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brand new snow groomer arrives at Larch Hills just in time for the winter season
After saving and fundraising for over a decade, the Larch Hills Nordic Society (LHNS) received a $250,000 BC Capital Gaming Grant in March 2024, giving the organization the final influx of funds needed to order a new Prinoth Bison X snow groomer to replace their aging Pisten Bully snowcat.
The club is excited to have the new addition to Larch Hills, especially with all the wide trails the area is known for. A few of the new accessories with the Bison include a Power Tiller and Nordic Liner, which guarantees cross country ski trails that meet Olympic standards. The four track setting plates and the track tillers can be used independently. They adjust position and surface pressure depending on the requirements and condition of the trail. The Skating finisher has a smaller profile than an alpine tiller, which produces a finer, narrower corduroy finish – ideal for a smooth skating glide.
The LHNS tracksetter replacement committee selected the Prinoth Bison snowcat for its performance and efficiency — it is also built in Canada. The Power tiller was built in Germany. The total cost of the new snowcat, tiller, training, delivery and taxes is approximately $630,000. LHNS President Suzy Beckner expressed the club’s gratitude to all of the community members that donated to this initiative.
The new Bison X has impressively low emissions. The machine meets the world’s highest emission standards—Euromot Stage V. In addition to diesel, it can also run on HVO, GTL or BTL without any modifications needed to the engine. This means LHNS can stick with standard diesel or explore alternative fuels to help minimize CO2 even further.
An exhaust treatment system with SCR catalytic converter, oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate filter reduces emissions to a minimum. These upgrades make the Bison the cleanest snow groomer in its class and also meet the club’s goals to minimize their carbon footprint.
The LHNS tracksetting team have already started training on the new machine and are looking forward to laying down some of the best trackset trails in BC. If you are thinking about joining Larch Hills Nordic Society, memberships are now available at skilarchhills.ca.
