The Štrbské Pleso ski resort is entering the upcoming winter season not only with a brand-new chairlift running to Medvedia kopa, but also with a fully refurbished and expanded snowmaking system worth €2.5 million.
The snowmaking infrastructure at Štrbské Pleso was one of the first of its kind in Slovakia. Since the 1990s, it has been gradually upgraded by creating water distribution points, additional pumping stations and new water, air and electricity distribution systems, as well as snowmaking units. “It has been more than 30 years since the first snowmaking pipelines were built. Over time, the materials have naturally degraded, which has resulted in frequent failures in the water and electrical systems. As a result of the deteriorated condition of the infrastructure on the Solisko and Esíčko pistes, around 20% of pumped water was being lost due to leaks in the pipes, which led to about 20% higher water and energy consumption compared to a fully functional system. During the past winter, there were nine major breakdowns in the snowmaking network. That’s why we decided to renew the system completely,” explained Dušan Slavkovský, General Manager of the Vysoké Tatry mountain resort. Over the summer, the snowmaking system on the Solisko piste was successfully refurbished. The works included replacing the underground pipelines for pressurised water and air, renewing the electricity and communication lines, installing new distribution points and upgrading the end snowmaking devices to newer and more efficient models. The modernised network was also extended to cover the upper station of the new Medvedia kopa chairlift. The resort plans to complete the renovation by upgrading the snowmaking system on the Esíčko piste next summer.
Future water reserve
Currently, the resort uses two water sources to make snow – Mlynický potok (stream) and Štrbské pleso (tarn), with specific water extraction limits determined by the Tatra National Park authorities. In connection with the forthcoming zoning proposal for the Tatra National Park, the resort has requested the creation of a designated reserve area to build its own water reservoir. This reservoir would secure sufficient water for snowmaking while significantly reducing, or even fully eliminating, the need to draw water from Štrbské pleso. Two potential locations have been chosen – one within the built-up area near the former Helios sanatorium, the other outside the village near the existing water tank in Mlynická dolina (valley).
Thanks to its altitude and favourable microclimate, Štrbské Pleso offers excellent natural conditions for skiing and doing winter sports. According to a study by experts from the Institute for Environmental Policy assessing the impact of climate change on ski resorts, Štrbské Pleso is expected to remain one of only two Slovak resorts (together with Jasná North) with excellent skiing conditions even at the end of this century.