Sugar Bowl's New Tech Will Allow for Snow Tubing on Halloween
All-weather snowmaking machines have been all the rage in recent years, and a Lake Tahoe-area ski resort is the most recent to join in on the trend.
Sugar Bowl, known for its varying terrain, deep seasonal snowfall totals, and the Silver Belt Classic, announced that it has installed a TechnoAlpin SnowFactory to make snow for its tubing hill.
The Snow Factory, which is as cool as it sounds, uses an internally controlled system to make snow across nearly all temperatures. Or, as Sugar Bowl Snow Surfaces Director Matt Melilli puts it, “On one side we pump in magic, and the other side snow comes out.”
Sugar Bowl showed its SnowFactory making snow at 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the video below, and announced that the resort will open for snow tubing on Halloween (October 31) and November 1, 2026. Tap or click to watch.
Sugar Bowl’s Sugar Rush tubing hill will be open Tube-or-Treat from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. on both days. Guests can book a two-hour session for $25 per person. Sugar Rush tubing will remain open on Saturdays and Sundays through November for $50/session.
While Sugar Bowl plans to use its SnowFactory for tubing to start, the tech could also be used to bolster ski trails, terrain parks, and other areas when Mother Nature isn’t cooperating in the future.
Ski resorts across the world use SnowFactory to kick off the season early, extend spring riding sessions, or to cover exposed areas between storms. Notable resorts with a SnowFactory include: Whakapapa, New Zealand; Ski Apache, NM; Mt. Buller, Australia; Idre Fjäll, Sweden; and Châtel, France.
Sugar Bowl’s ski season is scheduled to start on Friday, November 27, 2026, conditions permitting.
Related: The Snow League Tried Something Fresh in New Zealand, and It Was a Hit
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