The Prinoth Husky eMotion electric grooming vehicle now used at Sleepy Hollow Ski & Bike Center
The Sleepy Hollow Ski and Bike Center in Huntington, VT is one of the most sustainable four-season resorts in the country and now the Enman family, (Eli Enman is the general manager) who over the years has built three versions of homemade electric grooming vehicles for maintaining the trails at the center, has invested in one of the first electric Prinoth Husky eMotion groomers in the US.
The eMotion machine takes 6 hours to charge and can run for 3 hours and it is expected to save about 700 gallons of diesel fuel per year. It will be used off season for grid stabilization with the electric company. These electric groomers are expected to have less wear and tear and lower maintenance costs. And speaking of costs, the Prinoth eMotion is in the neighborhood of $465,000 compared to a diesel machine at about $300,000.
The Enmans have been on the sustainable path for years offering a discount to owners of hybrid automobiles in the early days and in 2009 with an 8 kW solar system from AllEarth Renewables AllSun Trackers. Hot water solar panels were installed in 2012. They’ve got 100 kW worth of solar arrays that power the Sleepy Hollow Inn, the snowmaking operation, three homes and the sugaring operation. Einman commented, “We’re adding about 30 kW of solar panels this spring and will be nearly 100% of our electric needs.”
One of the early homemade electric groomers built at Sleepy Hollow
The snowmaking system has the capability of covering 2.5 kilometers of the trails with an all-electric design for air compressors and water pumps, and 16 mini-guns to make small snow piles that are easier and more efficient to spread out on the trails. The furnace room at the inn has wooden racks which is used to dry 10 loads of laundry each week.
The business also composts and recycles, uses local foods, and produces maple syrup on the site. Over the years, the family’s four Toyota Priuses used studded snow tires to help negotiate the challenging half-mile driveway to the inn.
Night skiing at Sleepy Hollow
The center has 32 km of groomed trails for classic and skate skiing including 2.5 km of lighted trails for night skiing, and another 20 km of dedicated snowshoe trails. About 75% of the lights are LED and most of the remaining lights will be replaced by LED, too.
The lodge has guest rooms, homemade country breakfast, a wood-fired sauna and the Basement bookstore with 40,000 used and antique books. The site also has the Round Barn Event Center for meetings or weddings and about a mile away is the Butternut Cabin. The Sleepy Hollow resort property is only 18 miles from Burlington, VT so go check it out.