Birds of Prey Racecourse Gets Major Snowmaking Upgrade

Beaver Creek, Colo. — As Beaver Creek Resort begins snowmaking for the 2026/27 season, crews will soon be using new automated equipment to build the lower third of the Birds of Prey racecourse. The Vail Valley Foundation (VVF), which organizes the World Cup ski races each December, announced today the most substantial upgrade to the venue’s snowmaking infrastructure in recent years. The new automated system is designed to produce a more consistent race surface with greater energy and water efficiency. Installed this fall, it will help build the course for the 2026 Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS Ski World Cup, December 3-13 — the largest festival in the event’s history. 

The new system is the latest in a string of recent upgrades the VVF has made to the World Cup ski races in Beaver Creek, all of which have been made possible by the John and Karen Arnold Ski Racing Legacy Fund: an extraordinary gift dedicated to securing the long-term future of ski racing in the Vail Valley and ensuring Birds of Prey remains accessible to all as a free event. 

The upgraded system will serve the lower third of the course with 10 SMI Grizzly stick guns equipped with onboard air compressors and six SMI Super Puma fan guns, supported by six concrete vaults and 10 metal shelters, a new weather station, and roughly 4,500 feet of trenched power and hard-lined communications. Every gun can now be monitored and operated remotely and will start automatically the moment conditions allow. 

“As we prepare for our biggest Birds of Prey festival ever, with seven competitions across two weekends of men’s and women’s racing, there is no better time to invest in the future of this event,” said Mike Imhof, President and CEO of the Vail Valley Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to John and Karen Arnold, whose generosity and belief in this event continues to improve the festival year after year, and to Beaver Creek Resort, which has been an exceptional partner in bringing this project to life. This is more than a snowmaking upgrade: it’s a long-term investment in our community’s ski racing legacy, in our athletes, and in ski racing fans around the globe.” 

This investment targets the section of the course most sensitive to variable early season conditions, where temperature inversions are more frequent. The new system removes the need for manual setup, allowing crews to capture snowmaking windows in full and make snow when conditions are most efficient, reducing the water and energy needed to produce a race-ready surface. 

“Birds of Prey is one of the highlights of the season at Beaver Creek, and we’re excited to welcome athletes, fans and guests from around the world for the largest World Cup festival in the event’s history,” said Bobby Murphy, Chief Operating Officer of Beaver Creek Resort. “We’re grateful to the Vail Valley Foundation and John and Karen Arnold for their continued investment in this iconic venue. The new snowmaking infrastructure strengthens our ability to prepare a world-class racecourse while creating efficiencies that support broader early-season mountain operations. We look forward to welcoming guests for two weeks of premier racing, entertainment and celebration at Beaver Creek.” 

The John and Karen Arnold Ski Racing Legacy Fund is part of the VVF’s Empowering Possibility Capital Campaign: a $74 million initiative investing in arts, athletics, education, and community support programs across the Eagle River Valley. 

The Arnolds’ gift to the VVF has reshaped much of the venue in recent years. A regrading project in the finish area has reduced the volume of manufactured snow needed to build it each season. Additional projects include improvements to grandstands, spectator infrastructure, and the athlete and guest experience at John and Karen Arnold Red Tail Stadium. 

Their gift also ensures the grandstands remain free to spectators, a distinction shared by few events on the World Cup circuit. 

The 2026 Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS Ski World Cup will feature seven competitions across back-to-back weekends of men’s and women’s racing December 3-13: the most World Cup races on the Birds of Prey course since it made its debut in 1997. General admission for the races is free, and the two-week festival in Beaver Creek Village also includes free live music, athlete autograph sessions, sponsor activations, the fan-favorite Beers of Prey, an ILLENIUM concert at Vail’s Dobson Arena, and more.