technoalpin snow guarantee · 2008: 127 million, 2007: 115 million 2006: 55 million.12) •...

M A G A Z I N E

T E C H N O A L P I N S N O W G U A R A N T E E

Technical snow-makingThe fundamentals of successful winter tourism

2 BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE

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... LOOK FOR WINTER HOLIDAYS WITH SNOWOver 70% of Austrian winter holiday makers

travel to their home mountains to ski. The

main thing they are looking for on their win-

ter holiday is snow and sun. Products that do

... CHOOSE WINTER HOLIDAY RESORTS AC-CORDING TO THEIR SNOW RELIABILITYSnow reliability is the number one criterion in

choosing a winter sports destination. Safety

on the slopes – another snow-based criterion

... COME BACK AGAIN IF THEY ARE CON-VINCED BY THE WIDE VARIETY OF GOOD QUALITY SLOPESThis has been repeatedly confi rmed in customer

surveys. Optimum snow and slope conditions

... EXPECT SLOPES TO REMAIN IN OPTIMUM CONDITION FOR SKIING FROM MORNING UNTIL NIGHTSince 1989 the transport capacity (conveyor ca-

pacity of persons/hour x the difference in altitude

in m) of equipment in the Alps has been increas-

not depend on snow such as

swimming pools or saunas

offer little compensation

and are merely an enhance-

ment.

– comes second.1) 2) Com-

fortable ski-lift systems

only come third in order of

importance.

rank among the basic re-

quirements of a success-

ful ski resort. Snow-making

technology is indispensable

in safeguarding the ski resort.

ing. Between 2004 and 2006

it increased in the Tyrol alone

from 422,122 to 457,402 per-

sons.3) A 100% natural snow

slope can no longer contend

with such demand.

1) Mountain Quality Check Winter 2005 and 2006, Mountain Management Consulting, www.mountain-management.com

2) Major online winter sports questionnaire carried out in Winter 2006/2007 in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Mountain Manager 06/2007.

3) “Ropeways, lifts in the Ty-rol” 01.12.2006, published by the Tyrol State Government Division for Sport.

WINTER SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS...

WINTER SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS SEEKGUARANTEED SNOW AND AVARIETY OF GOOD QUALITY SLOPES

BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE 3

LARGE-SCALE SNOW-MAKING TECHNOLOGY...

see in one and a half weeks.

Without snow-making tech-

nology good skiing would be

impossible in the afternoon.

... MAKES THE SKI SEASON EASIER TO SCHEDULE FOR WINTER HOLIDAY MAKERS AND SKI RESORTSAll companies in the value

chain can focus on these

dates and therefore achieve

a relatively balanced work-

load guaranteeing excellent

added value.

... CONSIDERABLY INCREASES THE ACTUAL AND PERCEIVED SAFETYFalls due to ruptures in the slope, areas which

are frozen-over or snow-free, and marked dif-

ferences in snow quality can all be avoided

thanks to snow-making technology.

... ENABLES POSITIVE SKI EXPERIENCES FOR BEGINNER AND INTERMEDIATE SKIERS WITHIN A SHORT TIME FRAMEEnthusiastic children are a crucial factor in

promoting skiing as a mass market sport.

Only through positive experiences can they

fi nd lasting enjoyment in skiing. An early sense

of achievement, minimum risk of injury and

looking good on the slopes also represent the

main criteria for going skiing among the previ-

ously underestimated groups of young people

and adult intermediates (approx. 12.9 million

potential (returning) intermediates from the

Austrian, German and Dutch core markets4)).

Well prepared slopes with a good grip and no

... ENABLES OPTIMUM SLOPE QUALITY FROM AS EARLY AS THE END OF THE AUTUMN

... ENABLES COMPACT SLOPES WITH CONSIST-ENTLY GOOD GRIP FROM MOUNTAIN TO VALLEY AND FROM MORNING TO NIGHTThe increase in ropeway

transport capacity – and

hence the number of skiers

- means that the slope sees

in one day what it used to

GUARANTEED SNOW HASBECOME THE MOSTIMPORTANT MARKETINGTOOL FOR SKI RESORTS

4 BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE

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SNOW-MAKING SYSTEMS RANK AMONG THE FUNDAMENTAL EQUIPMENT OF SUCCESSFUL AND HEALTHY WINTER SPORTS DESTINATIONS.

ice from mountain to valley

are the basic requirements.

... FORMS THE BASIS FOR ADDED-VALUE TOURISMNo other sector in the Tyrol

caters for the prosperity of

the country and its people

on such a small surface

area. The Tyrol ropeway

economy targets an an-

nual added value of approx.

550 million Euro.5) In rela-

tion to the income from the

mountain station sector

(primary sector), this has a

multiplier effect of 6, i.e. €

1,000 – wages, salaries and

ropeway profi t in mountain

stations lead, through their

use, to a total income of €

6,000 – in the region. 502.2

million Euro of value-added tax are collected

annually by the state.6) Despite attempts of

ropeway companies to create a second source

of income in the summer, 93% of the sector’s

turnover is obtained in the winter. Around

14,300 people, mainly from structurally less-

developed regions, are employed on Austria’s

ropeways.7)

... ENABLES UNCOMPLICATED ENJOYMENT OF SKIING IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF VILLAGES WITHOUT HAVING TO TRAVEL LONG DISTANCESSingle village lifts, small family ski resorts which

remain open, thanks to snow-making techno-

logy, ensure regular practice and training pos-

sibilities without having to travel long distances.

4) Professional Association of Austrian Ropeway Operators, www.seilbahnen.at/winter/wiedereinsteiger, November 2009

5) Tyrol Chamber of Commerce 2007 economic report

6) dwif Munich (German Economic Institute for Tourism Research), 2005 ropeway added value study,T-MONA 06 Tourism Monitor Austria advert: Professional Association of Austrian Ropeway Operators, www.seilbahnen.at/heute/wertschoepfung

7) Professional Association of Austrian Ropeway Operators, www.seilbahnen.at/seilbahnen/heute/wirtschaftsfaktor

BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE 5

Facts and figuresSnow-making technology

• The Tyrol has over 2,500 km of ski slopes with a slope

surface area of around 7,300 hectares. This corresponds

to roughly 0.6% of the entire Tyrol surface area (according

to the Tyrol State Government Regional Planning Divi-

sion).8)

• 5,300 hectares, i.e. 73% of the Tyrol’s slope surface area,

are supplied with snow from snow-making equipment.9)

• In comparison:10)

see illustration on opposite page

• Austria’s 254 ropeway operators invested 562 million Euros in the 2010 business year. Of this amount,

287 million Euros were invested in ropeway facilities,

122 million Euros in slope construction, access systems,

car parks, access roads, catering, slope equipment,

sledge tracks, etc., and 153 million Euros in snow-

making technology11). In comparison: 2009: 163 million,

2008: 127 million, 2007: 115 million 2006: 55 million.12)

• Snow-making technology amounts to 17%-20% of rope-way companies’ overall costs.13)

• Each year in Switzerland more than 80 million Swiss

francs are invested in technical snow-making. This has

resulted in a signifi cant increase in the number of slopes

serviced by snow guns. In 1999/2000 only 5% of slopes

were snowed using snow guns. By 2009/2010 this per-

centage had increased to 36%.14)

Facts and fi gures8) Tyrol Chamber of Com-merce 2007 economic report, p. 1 f.

9) Tyrol Chamber of Com-merce 2007 economic report, p. 3.

10) Professional Association of Austrian Ropeway Operators, www.seilbahnen.at/presse/aktuell/factsheet-winter

11) Professional Association of Austrian Ropeway Operators, www.seilbahnen.at/presse/aktuell/factsheet-winter



14) Facts and fi gures on the Swiss cable-car industry issued by Seilbahnen Schweiz

6 BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE

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All of Austria25,400 hectares of slope

surface area, 66% covered

with technical snowTyrol7,300 hectares of slope


with technical snow

Dolomiti Superski1,200 km of slopes, 95%

covered with technical snow

All of France25,000 hectares of slope


with technical snow

Bavaria3,700 hectares of slope


with technical snow

Canton of Graubünden 20% technical snow-

covered slopes

All of Switzerland80 km2 of slope surface

area, 36% covered

with technical snowAll of South Tyrol Over 80% technical snow-

covered slope surface area

BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE 7

BOTH NATURAL AND TECHNICAL SNOWCONSIST EXCLUSIVELYOF THE ELEMENTS WATER AND AIR

ence is that technical snow is produced by a

machine. It is therefore incorrect to talk of

“artifi cial snow”. Artifi cial snow is in fact plas-

tic or polystyrene snow made for the theater

or fi lms. The correct term for snow made

from snow-making equipment is “technical snow”.Technical snow is produced by replicating the

natural snow formation. Regardless of the

type of snow gun (fan guns or lances), water

is atomized into tiny droplets using nozzles.

The fi nely atomized mist strikes the fi nely at-

omized water/compressed air mixture which

leaves the nucleation nozzles and contains the

“nuclides” (= snow cores). The fan gun turbine

projects the nuclides and fi ne mist into the

ambient air. As the water/air mixture falls, it

freezes into snowfl akes.

Water & air, nothing else!Formation of natural snowBoth natural and technical snow consist exclusively of the

elements water and air. Snow develops from fi nely con-

densed droplets of water which form in the clouds through

the cooling and oversaturation of atmospheric air. At very

low temperatures, small ice crystals are formed and are

drawn to the ground by gravity. As they fall through different

layers of air over the course of several minutes, ice crystals

grow along their axes, forming typical snow crystals.

The snow crystals mass together to form snow fl akes. De-

pending on the water content and shape of the snow fl akes,

different types of natural snow are formed ranging from

powder and corn snow to wet spring snow.

Basic principles behind snow-making technologyIn the same way as natural snow, technical snow consists

exclusively of the elements water and air. The only differ-

8 BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE

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Climatic requirements for technical snow-makingSeveral parameters must be observed to make

snow. The term “snow temperature” is used to

refer to the “wet bulb temperature”. The wet

bulb temperature results from the dry bulb

temperature (= the temperature that can be

read on a standard thermometer) and the rela-

tive atmospheric humid-

ity expressed as a percent-

age. Due to the wind chill,

the wet bulb temperature

is always lower than the air

temperature. The dryer the

ambient air, the greater the

difference in temperature.

At 100% atmospheric hu-

midity no more water can

evaporate and the wet bulb

temperature equates to the

dry bulb temperature. A low

dry bulb temperature and

low atmospheric humidity

provide the optimum con-

ditions for making snow.

The higher the atmospheric

humidity, the more unfa-

vorable the conditions for

making snow, as the ambi-

ent air is already humid and

can only absorb a small ad-

ditional amount of humid-

ity or no more humidity. On

snow guns, the wet bulb

temperature is measured

by the weather station. At

the start of the snow sea-

son, marginal tempera-tures very frequently prevail

and this represents a major

challenge for snow making

and snow quality. Ever since

it was founded, TechnoAlpin

has always been concerned

with making snow under

these extreme conditions.

If the wet bulb temperature

drops, more snow can be

produced faster. Also the water temperature plays

an essential role in effi cient

snow making and producing

good quality snow, and ide-

ally is slightly above freez-

ing point. If the water is too

warm, cooling towers are

used to reduce the water to

the right temperature.

Temperature in °C

Wet bulb temperature

Atm

osp

he

ric h

um

idit

y in

% -7° -6° -5° -4° -3° -2° -1° 0° +1° +2° +3°90% -7.3 -6.3 -5.4 -4.5 -3.6 -2.5 -1.5 -0.6 0.5 1.5 2,4

80% -7.7 -6.8 -5.8 -4.9 -4.0 -3.1 -2.1 -1.1 -0.1 0.9 1.8

70% -8.1 -7.2 -6.3 -5.5 -4.6 -3.7 -2.6 -1.7 -0.7 0.1 1.1

60% -8.5 -7.6 -6.7 -5.9 -5.0 -4.1 -3.2 -2.3 -1.5 -0.7 0.3

50% -9.0 -8.1 -7.2 -6.4 -5.6 -4.7 -3.8 -3.0 -2.2 -1.3 -0.5

40% -9.4 -8.5 -7.7 -6.9 -6.1 -5.2 -4.4 -3.7 -2.9 -2.1 -1.3

30% -9.8 -9.0 -8.1 -7.4 -6.7 -5.8 -5.0 -4.3 -3.5 -2.8 -2.0

20% -10.2 -9.4 -8.7 -7.9 -7.2 -6.5 -5.7 -5.0 -4.3 -3.5 -2.9

10% -10.6 -9.9 -9.2 -8.5 -7.8 -7.1 -6.3 -5.6 -5.0 -4.3 -3.5

BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE 9

Focus on snow gunsSnow guns are just one component of snow-making equipment - albeitthe most visible. Many components and elements must interact with each other in order to supply the snow gun with the correct quantities of water, compressed air and electricity, at the correct pressure, in the right placeand at the right time.

We distinguish between two different types of snow guns: Fan guns and snow lances. The snow generation principle is the same for both types of device, the difference lies in the amount of snow produced,

the cost and the application range. Selecting the most suit-

able type of snow gun depends on the hillside orientation,

temperature, slope width, amount of snow required, gradi-

ent of the terrain, wind situation and air circulation. The

mountain’s individual characteristics must be taken into

account. Both fan guns and

snow lances are available

as manually adjustable or fully automated models.

Both types can produce a range of different snow qualities (from completely

dry to wet).

10 BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE

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EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW…

How many hours on average is a snow gun in use each season?This depends on the slope surface on which

the snow is to be delivered and on the number

of snow guns available. On average, it can be

expected that each snow gun will be operated

for 800 hours per season.

Is there a guideline for the number of snow guns per hectare?Over recent years, 100 hours has become the

recommended amount, i.e. under good weath-

er conditions, it should take 100 hours to cover

the slope surface with a 40 cm-thick layer of

technical snow. This corresponds to 2 fan guns

per hectare.

How long does it take to assemble a fan gun?All TechnoAlpin snow guns are assembled at

the company’s head quar-

ters in Bolzano (South Ty-

rol, Italy). Over the past 20

years, 20,000 snow guns

have been sold to over 950

customers in more than 40

countries across the world.

40 fan guns are produced in

a 40-hours week.

What kind of lifespan can be expected of a fan gun?In many ski areas different

generations of snow guns are

working together. The latest

T40 model works alongside

the M90, which in the mean-

time is 20 years old. The re-

investment in snow guns is

more a question of technol-

ogy and effi ciency than a lack

of functional effi ciency.

How much does a fan gun cost?A T60-type fully automated

fan gun costs the same as

a mid-range station-wagon.

How much does one cubic me-ter of snow cost?The costs of one cubic me-

ter of snow depend on the

individual conditions of the

area to be covered: water

supply, pump output, reser-

voir, snow conditions, sys-

tem amortisation, etc. The

documentation talks of 3.5

to 5 Euro/m3.

BACKSTAGEMAGAZINE 11

Fan gunsAdvanced technology from the aircraft industry

Fan guns have a longer history than snow

lances. For many years, only mobile fan guns were used. As snow making technol-

ogy developed, stationary installations

were implemented to avoid set-up times.

Fan guns are characterized by a long pro-

jection, high snow output, low wind sen-

sitivity 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.


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Measures the temperature and

relative atmospheric humidity

Mixes nucleation agents

and water droplets and

projects snow to distances

of up to 60 meters

Valve block with integrated water fi lter:

adjusts the water supply according to

atmospheric conditions

Provides compressed air for the nucleator

system in an environmentally-friendly way

Positions the turbine vertically

and horizontally to ensure the

most wide-ranging snow distri-

bution possible

Menu-driven control panel:

enables simple and fast operation

of the snow gun and viewing of the

operating status

Atomize water and form nucleation

agents from air and water. A heating

system prevents the nozzle from freezing

over in extremely cold temperaturesWeather station

High-Tech-Fan

Compact valve technology

Oil-free compressor

Swing devices

Control unit

Nucleators and nozzles

Central water supply connector

mounted on a 360° swing coupling

Water supply connector

Enables the snow gun to be safely

transported using any groomer

3-point transport system


The lance can be supplied as a auto-

matic version for network confi gura-

tion or with its own stand alone user

friendly LCD control unit

Control unit

Creates compressed air for the nucleator

system in an environmentally-friendly way

Oil-free compressor

Measures the temperature and

relative atmospheric humidity

Weather station

Houses the water and compressed

air supply and enables the snow

grain to be frozen along the length

of the boom

Boom


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Lance head madeof die-cast aluminumA special, tried and tested system

in the lance head keeps the lance

ice-free even in extremely cold

temperatures and cross-winds

Nucleators and water nozzlesatomize water and form the nucleation agent

out of air and water

Snow lancePerformance is all in the head

Snow is generated on snow lances in the same

way as on fan guns but at a greater height

(by means of booms). Current booms meas-

ure up to 9 meters in length. The drop height

is required to crystallize the snow fl ake, but

in comparison to the fan gun, there is no fan.

This means that projection distances are much

shorter and wind sensitivity is

greater. The quantity of snow

produced by a lance is similar to

that of a small fan gun. Lances

are generally used as complete

systems, equipped with a cen-

tral pneumatic system.


1

3

2

4

From the occasional use of snow guns to fully automated snow-making technologyWhereas 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 cover entire slopes

with snow. The change from manual to fully au-

tomated technology also took place around the

same time – particularly in Europe. Only fully

automated systems make it possible to easily and effi ciently

exploit the increasingly shorter temperature intervals to

generate snow or rather they make it possible to react to rele-

vant parameter changes within the shortest time frames.

Operating conditions and resource consumption can be pre-

cisely monitored and assessed, set-up times cease to exist, op-

erating 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.

Snow-making systems The required amount and quality of snow in the right place at the right time - produced effi ciently and in a resource-saving way


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5

Snow-making system com-ponentsSnow-making systems are

complex technological de-

vices which incorporate a

variety of components.

Out on the slopes it is most-

ly just snow guns and fi lling

stations that are visible, yet

these devices only make up

a small proportion of the en-

tire system. Apart from the

fact that each snow-making

system is tailor-made for

each mountain, the follow-

ing simplifi ed key questions

must be answered when de-

signing systems:

When set up on the mountain, how will the

snow gun be supplied with the necessary

amount of water at the right pressure?



electricity?



compressed air?

How will the device be controlled so that

snow targets (quality and amount of snow,

time taken to cover a set distance with snow,

etc.) can be achieved effi ciently and in a re-

source-saving way in the event of changing

parameters such as temperature, atmos-

pheric humidity, wind direction, wind force,

water temperature, water consumption and

operating conditions?

As individual as the ski slopeThe snow-making system

is just as unique as the ski-

resort in which it is used.

The system must perfectly

match the area’s natural

environment.

Planning the system re-

quires the appropriate ex-

pertise. TechnoAlpin has its

in-house planning depart-

ment where all the systems

used throughout the world

are designed. Design takes

place in close collabora-

tion with the customer and

takes into account future

expansion stages. A master

plan is drawn up, taking all

conceivable, future expan-

sion stages into account.

Geographic data, enabling

maximum precision, forms

the basis for the planning.

1 Centralized compres-

sor station for supplying

compressed air

2 Fully automated com-

puter monitoring of the

system

3 Control center

4 Pump station

5 The masterplan

The answer to these questions is found in the diverse technical system

components which are implemented according to requirements:

WATER CATCHMENTS, RESERVOIRS, PUMP STATIONS, COMPRES-SORS or centralized compressor stations, air and water PIPES, POWER CABLES, POWER SUPPLY FACILITIES, FIBER OPTIC CABLES for data

transfer, COOLING TOWERS to cool the snow water, PITS, VALVES to

adjust the amount of water and air, CONTROL SOFTWARE for fully auto-

mated control of the system.


THE JOINT AIM OF SNOW-MAKING TECH-NOLOGY AND SKI SLOPE PREPARATION IS TO PROVIDE PERFECT SLOPES, OFFERING GOOD GRIP FROM MOUNTAIN TO VALLEY

Snow-making technology and slope prepara-tion: a symbiosisThe aim of snow-making technology and slope

preparation is to provide perfect ski slopes, of-

fering 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, fi ne-grained slopes

offering a good grip cannot be conjured up

out of wet snow. Snow must be mechanically

dispensed, mixed and thick-

ened at the right point in

time to maintain a homog-

enous and compact slope.

Slope preparation is taken

into account early on dur-

ing the snow-making equip-

ment planning stage. This

means that expensive snow

ploughing operations using

snow grooming machines

can be avoided. Automa-

ted systems for measuring

snow depth have been de-

veloped so that precious

snow can be supplied to

the areas where it is really

needed. This is known as

snow management.

A symbiotic relationship


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An increasing number of

manufacturers use this

technology for wireless con-

nection of electronic note-

books and mobile phone

accessories, for example.

TechnoAlpin has now ap-

plied the Bluetooth applica-

tion range to snow-making

technology. Many lift com-

panies have adopted this

technology rendering the

everyday tasks of the snow teams far easier, as

drivers can control snow guns remotely from

their cabs when on the move. All the snow

gun’s functions can be read and controlled

using the remote control.

Operation is easy and iden-

tical to that of a customary

keyboard.

Controlling snow guns when on the move

ALL THE SNOW GUN’S FUNCTIONSCAN BE READ AND CONTROLLEDWITHOUT FAIL USING THE REMOTE CONTROLS

Bluetooth technology


1903 Osborne Reynolds (1842-1912) de-

veloped a device to artifi cially produce hail-

stones.

1937The fi rst attempt to replicate natural

snow took place in New York for a skishow on

crushed ice from a brewery.

Around 1940 When investigat-

ing the effect of rime on jet engines, research-

ers happened upon the discovery of the basic

principle behind snow-making as they sprayed

water into a wind tunnel at a low temperature.

1950 The fi rst compressed air snow gun

was manufactured in America by Art Hunt,

Dave Richey and Wayne Pierce from the Tey

Manufacturing company.

1952 Engineer Joe Tropeano sponsored

the Tey Manufacturing patent and Larchmont

produced the fi rst series of high-pressure

snow guns.

1958 Alden Hanson developed the fi rst fan gun and

patented it in 1961.

1959/1960 Installation of Europe‘s fi rst snow-

making system in St. Andreasberg/Harz (Germany) with

Larchmont snow guns.

1964 Fritz Jakob from Austria, inventor and founder

of the company Linde, registered his snowmaking patent.

For a long time, Linde (Austria) was Europe’s sole snow gun

manufacturer.

1964 Innsbruck Winter Olympics: snow guns were

used to prepare the bobsleigh and toboggan runs.

1964/65 John Caviezel from St. Moritz built the

fi rst snow-making systems in Switzerland and Sweden.

1969 Hedco from the USA began the mass production

of fan guns.


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1978/79 Austrian lift companies ac-

quired the fi rst fan guns from the company

Hedco.

1980 The American company York devel-

oped the fi rst fully automated snow-making

systems.

1980-85 Snow-making was promot-

ed in the Alps and Scandinavia after several

snowless winters. Snow guns were still mainly

used to improve the natural covering of snow.

1983 Walter Rieder and Georg Eisath, at

the time still technical managers of Obereggen

AG (South Tyrol - Italy), developed the fi rst fan

guns.

1990 TechnoAlpin AG was founded. The

market divided itself between fan gun and

snow lance manufacturers.

From 2000 Ski

resorts began to steadily in-

crease their investments in

technical facilities. However

investments were continu-

ously shifted from lift systems

to snow-making technology.

2004 Snow reliabil-

ity and slope quality are the

primary success factors for

a ski resort. TechnoAlpin is

the world market leader in

snow-making technology. 20

other companies operate on

the market.

2010 Effi ciency and re-

source management are the

main issues of snow-making

technology. Snow reliability

proves to be the true life in-

surance for ski resorts.

A historical retrospectiveFrom crushed ice to fi ne powder snow

Canada around 1940: When investigating the effect of rime on jet engines,researchers happened upon the discovery of the basic principle behind snow-makingas they sprayed water into a wind tunnel at a low temperature.

TechnoAlpin fan gun in 1990


Environment & climate changeSnow-making


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TECHNICAL SNOWCONSISTS EXCLUSIVELYOF WATER AND AIR

Is water modifi ed when making technical snow?Not at all. It‘s the same as natural snow, wa-

ter is simply transformed into another physical

state. The quality of the water used is para-

mount. In the Tyrol, water must be of drinking

water quality.

What effect does technical snow have on vegeta-tion?Technical snow does not have a negative ef-

fect on vegetation. Research carried out by the

Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche

Research in Davos has shown that the „techni-

cal snow“ factor has less effect on vegetation

than the „ski slope“ factor in general.14)

On the contrary, technical snow protects sen-

sitive turf from the wear and tear of snow

groomers and the sharp edges of skis. A suf-

fi cient covering of snow insulates the ground,

preventing ground frost in the autumn and

spring. The ground is permeated by the melt-

ing snow in the spring.

How far does global warming affect technical snow?Scientists from Innsbruck University‘s Insti-

tute for Meteorology and Geophysics and from

the Tyrol and Vorarlberg regional branch of

ZAMG (Central Institute for Meteorology and

Geodynamics) have carried out research into

the conditions for snow production and their

changes over recent years. Results of the

studies: natural climate changes and winters with and without snow have existed since time immemorial.

It is not just high altitudes,

air temperature, atmos-

pheric humidity and water

temperature that are con-

ducive to making snow.

Small-scale climatic condi-

tions such as the orientation

of the area, wind infl uences

and temperature inversions

must also be taken into ac-

count. For example, due

to the narrow valley in the

Schladming area, snow-

making conditions are often

better in lower areas than in

areas above 1,000 meters.15)

Do you want to use snow-mak-ing technology to extend the winter season into the spring?No. Snow-making technol-

ogy serves principally to

ensure snow in the autumn.

Most snow days occur in the

autumn and early winter. In

most cases, the snow-mak-

ing season winds up at the

end of January. In any case,

interest in winter sports

dramatically diminishes

from mid-March. Covering

the glaciers with snow has

gained considerable impor-

tance as it enables the ski

season to begin earlier on

the glaciers and slows down

deglaciation.

14) Artifi cial snow in the Alps, alpMedia background report, December 2004, p. 12, www.alpmedia.net

15) Prof. Dr. Ulrike Pröbstl, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, 2007


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