Moving Mountains with Waterville Valley

When the 2026 Intermountain Health Freestyle Cup (FIS Moguls World Cup) had to be moved from Deer Valley Resort, Utah to Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, the clock started ticking.

December 22. That’s when the call came.

Fifteen days later, the only Moguls World Cup event in the United States — and the final Olympic qualifier for athletes chasing a start gate at the 2026 Winter Games — was ready to run.

Moving a World Cup has never been done. There are simply too many layers: FIS race course standards and specifications, snow quality, lodging, athlete and team expectations, broadcast necessities, and the pressure of global competition. Yet Waterville Valley delivered. And they knew they couldn’t do it alone.

A Legacy of World-Class Events

Waterville Valley has been hosting events since the 1970s and ‘80s. The resort has deep roots in freestyle, and last year’s World Cup was voted by teams as the best on the tour.

But this year was different. This wasn’t a long-planned build. This was a mobilization.

From the moment the call came, the team had just over two weeks to design, build, shape, and perfect a World Cup–caliber moguls course on terrain filled with aggressive pitch changes and complex transitions.

It would take precision.
It would take power.
It would take the right tool.

The Tool for the Job: Bison X Winch

To build a moguls course of this caliber — especially under extreme time pressure — you need equipment that can handle steep, changing angles without compromise, and an expert builder.

Prinoth Demo Manager Ben Finn took the call from Tim Smith, Waterville Valley Resort General Manager, and within a couple of days –  Finn jumped on a plane, got in Waterville’s Bison X Winch, and started building the course. He worked hand-in-glove with Chris “Seedog” Seeman, U.S. Ski Team Technical Advisor, to ensure the course was built to FIS standards. Seedog and Finn have worked together for years, and agree, “The Bison X Winch is the tool for this job. It really fits the bill in all aspects. It’s got the power and performance, and it fits where we needed to fit. Quite honestly, without this snowcat, I don’t know how we would build this course.”

The moguls course features “crazy angles and crazy changes of angles.” Consistency across transitions is everything in moguls. The surface must be firm, uniform, and exact — from the top air to the bottom finish.

The Bison X Winch delivers:

• Unmatched winch stability on steep, variable pitch.
• Power and torque to move massive volumes of snow quickly.
• Precision blade control for sculpting bumps, transitions and landings.
• Nimble size with the X geometry allows the machine to fit where it’s needed.

When timelines shrink, performance matters more than ever. There is no margin for rework. No time for compromise.

Built for the Biggest Stage

This wasn’t just another World Cup stop.

It was the last Olympic qualifier. For athletes, this event represented years of training and one final opportunity to earn their place on the world’s biggest stage. It was also the only Moguls World Cup event in the United States this season — putting even more spotlight on Waterville Valley.

Delivering that stage required a partnership mindset. It required equipment that operators trust when the pressure is highest. Prinoth stood behind the event. The Bison X Winch stood on the hill. Together, the teams made the impossible happen.

Moving Mountains — Literally

Fifteen days.
A relocated World Cup.
Olympic dreams on the line.

Waterville Valley proved what’s possible when experience meets determination, and when the right machine is in the hands of the right operators.

Sometimes moving mountains isn’t a metaphor. It’s a winch cable, a blade, and a team that refuses to say no.