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Snow-making guarantees snow-covered pistes!
100% of the ski runs on Hauser Kaibling can be covered from the summit to the valley with environmentally friendly artificial by using spring water (of drinking water quality). The two downhill ski runs leading to the car parks right by the valley terminal are snow assured until spring.
Whereas in the eighties, snow guns were only used occasionally to improve snow -free areas, today it only makes sense to perform large-scale snow-making operations to coer entire slopes with snow.
Snow-making systems are complex technological devices which incorporate a variety components. The snow-making system is just as unique as the skiresort in which it is used. The system must perfectly match the area's natural environment.
Operating conditions and resource consumption can be precisely monitored and assessed, set-up times cease to exist, operating costs can be optimized and consistent snow quality can be guaranteed across the entire resort. These days, virtually all Alpine ski resorts use fully automated systems.
Natural and technical snow
Environment
In general a distinction is made between two systems:
Fan guns
Fan guns are characterized by a long projection, high snow output, low wind sensitivity and flexible use. Therefore they are mainly used on wide slopes, in areas with a high demand for snow, steep terrain or open areas exposed to wind.
Fan guns
The following units are in use on Hauser Kaibling:
7 units on a 10 metre long jib and 97 mobile unit
Around 12,000 m³ of snow can be produced per hour on Hauser Kaibling – about the same as some 1,200 lorry loads of snow!
When working around the clock the system can produce up to 288,000 m³ of snow, or the equivalent of some 28,800 lorry loads. And if the minus temperatures play their part, all the ground from the summit, right down to the valley, can be prepared with artificial snow in just three days!
A symbiotic relationship
The aim of snow making technology and slope preparation is to provide perfect ski slopes, offering good grip from mountain to valley. The quality of snow determines how many hours of slope preparation are required. Even with extensive use of the tiller, fine-grained slopes offering a good grip cannot be conjured up out of wet snow. Snow must be mechanically dispensed, mixed and thickened at the right point in time to maintain a homogenous and compact slope. Slope preparation is taken into account early on during the snow-making equipment planning stage. This means that expensive snow ploughing operations using snow grooming machines can be avoided. Automated systems for measuring snow depth have been developed so that precious snow can be supplied to the areas where it is really needed. This is known as snow managment.
Snow-making systems
The required amount and quality of snow in the right place at the right time - produced efficiently and in a resource-saving way.Whereas in the eighties, snow guns were only used occasionally to improve snow -free areas, today it only makes sense to perform large-scale snow-making operations to coer entire slopes with snow.
Snow-making systems are complex technological devices which incorporate a variety components. The snow-making system is just as unique as the skiresort in which it is used. The system must perfectly match the area's natural environment.
Operating conditions and resource consumption can be precisely monitored and assessed, set-up times cease to exist, operating costs can be optimized and consistent snow quality can be guaranteed across the entire resort. These days, virtually all Alpine ski resorts use fully automated systems.
Natural and technical snow
Environment
In general a distinction is made between two systems:
1) Low pressure systems
The built-in ventilator blows ambient air through a big pipe (low pressure component). At the end of the pipe water is sprayed under pressure (approx. 8-20 bar) through fine jets into the current of air and carried along it 20 to 45 m further away before falling to the ground in frozen form. Nucleators, which accelerate the freezing process, are integrated as mixer jets on these snow generators. In this case a little water is mixed with compressed air to speed up the formation of the ice-producing nuclei.Fan guns
Fan guns are characterized by a long projection, high snow output, low wind sensitivity and flexible use. Therefore they are mainly used on wide slopes, in areas with a high demand for snow, steep terrain or open areas exposed to wind. Fan guns2) Lance systems (only low pressure systems are used on Hauser Kaibling)
Pressurised water is pressed through jets and atomized with large amounts of compressed air. The rapid cold expansion and the turbulences produced cause the tiny water droplets to freeze into snow crystalsThe following units are in use on Hauser Kaibling:
Low pressure units:
167 units - 63 of them on fixed, 4.5 metre high towers7 units on a 10 metre long jib and 97 mobile unit
Around 12,000 m³ of snow can be produced per hour on Hauser Kaibling – about the same as some 1,200 lorry loads of snow!
When working around the clock the system can produce up to 288,000 m³ of snow, or the equivalent of some 28,800 lorry loads. And if the minus temperatures play their part, all the ground from the summit, right down to the valley, can be prepared with artificial snow in just three days!
A symbiotic relationship
