May 3, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New 2024 Prinoth Bison nordic snow groomer on the way to Larch Hills.
A $250,000 BC Capital Gaming Grant enables the purchase this year.

The members of Larch Hills Nordic Society (LHNS) will be skiing with joy this coming winter season following the freshly laid tracks of their new 2024 Prinoth Bison snow cat. Members of LHNS have been saving for the new purchase for over a decade - and recently received the exciting news they are a successful recipient of a $250,000 BC Capital Gaming Grant. 

Suzy Beckner, President of LHNS says “with these funds and the fundraising efforts of the LHNS we are pleased to announce that we have enough to purchase our replacement machine. The tracksetter replacement committee has been working hard for the past two years researching new machines. They decided on the Prinoth Bison machine which has now been ordered.”

The LHNS tracksetter replacement committee selected the Prinoth Bison snowcat for its performance and efficiency — it is also built in Canada. The Bison will come with a Power tiller and Nordic Liner, which guarantees cross country ski trails that meet Olympic standards. The Power tiller is built in Germany. The total cost of the new snowcat and tiller is $546,903 before taxes.

This 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 yet 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.

The Power tiller will have two track tillers with four track setting plates that can be used independently, able to 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 new snowcat is expected to arrive at the Larch Hills Nordic Centre by December of this year and will be in operation as soon as there is enough snow on the trails. 

Larch Hills cross-country ski area, 20 km from Salmon Arm, is home to some of BC’s finest trails with over 170 km of ski trails, 57 km of which are regularly groomed. There is a further 17 km of snow shoe trails. The club has over 1,000 members and offers affordable seasonal members and low daily trail use fees for visitors.

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Contact:

Suzy Beckner, President
Larch Hills Nordic Society
manager@skilarchhills.ca