The Snow Makers

Snow in the desired quality, the needed amount, at the right place and at the right time: efficient and environment-friendly. In the 80ies, snow guns were used for particular spots only, nowadays artificial snow is produced for entire ski runs.

Snow making facilities are complex and comprise a myriad of components. Just as unique as the ski resort are its snow making facilities. The snow guns have to be properly adapted to the natural conditions. We have a so-called "master plan", accurately representing the individual snow making facilities on the Hauser Kaibling.

Operating state of the system and usage of ressources can be checked and evaluated most accurately - no set-up time, optimised operating cost, and a constand snow quality for the entire ski runs. Almost all ski areas in the Alps use this fully automatic facilities.
 

Generally, there are two different systems:

1. Low pressure facilities

The built-in fan blows the ambient air through a large tube (low pressure piece). At the end of the tube, water under pressure (about 8 – 20 bar) is sprayed into the air jet and carried with it about 20 to 45 m, before the water, that is now frozen, falls back on the ground. In these snow making facilities, there are built-in nucleators acting as mixing jet, that accelerate the freezing process. A little water is mixed with compressed air to accelerate the building of ice nucleuses.

Propeller snow making

Their main characteristics are a large throwing range, low wind sensibility, and a flexible use. This is why they are mainly used on wide ski runs, at parts of the piste where a lot of snow is needed, on steep slopes, or at exposed areas.

At the Hauser Kaibling resort, solely these low pressure facilities in use!

• 200 snow guns - 73 of which are positioned on fixed, 4.5 metres high towers.
• 7 on a 10 metres long swivel arm 
• 120 mobile snow guns

Per hour, about 6000 m³ snow can be produced on the Hauser Kaibling, this equals to about 600 truckloads of snow! In case they work round the clock, they produce 150,000 m³ of the white splendour – these would equal to 15,000 truckloads. If the required temperatures ‘co-operate’, the basic snow making for the entire resort can be done within three days only!