Snow in Winterberg!
How do you actually... - snow guns
Production of snow in Winterberg in the Skiliftkarussell
The trees are white, the slope well covered, the slopes perfectly groomed and then the sun is shining. The perfect ski day can start. With great swings it goes across all the slopes in Skiliftkarussell Winterberg . Past the St. Georg ski jump, the hallmark of the vacation world Winterberg, and almost up to the top of the Kahler Asten, then you plunge down the steepest descent north of the Alps. What do you need for this? Snow, of course! Even though there is nothing better than a fresh blanket of natural snow, sometimes you just need a little help. And that's when a wide variety of snowmakers come into play, using no chemicals at all and just water to ensure that extra snow is available on the ski slopes in Winterberg . Hence the question: How do piste rollers work?
Many factors play a role in ensuring that the snow guns run properly and produce snow in Winterberg . Among other things, the temperature must be below zero and the humidity must be right!
Snow cannon, snow lance, snow factory... there are many different types of snow guns to make snow. Today we present you the two classics. Since this season the Skiliftkarussell Winterberg is working with a advanced GPS technologywhich enables us to distribute the snow in an optimal way, so that the snow production is much more efficient.
The principle of the two snow guns we want to introduce to you is relatively similar. Both the snow cannon and the snow lance are based on the use of water and compressed air to produce technical snow. Also under the term artificial snow one knows the technically produced ice crystals. However, it is not called that because it is artificial, because like natural snow, it consists only of frozen water. This name is simply due to the production process in which man is involved in improving the snow cushion so that skiing with sufficient snow is possible at Winterberg
So how does it work now? There are several nozzles on the snow cannons with propellers. One is a pure water nozzle, the other a mixing nozzle. The mixing nozzle ejects a mixture of compressed air and water. According to the laws of physics, without going into too much detail here, this mixture freezes in the air to form small ice crystals, which are also called germs. The other water nozzles ensure that the water particles also attach themselves to the germs and freeze, making the ice crystals larger and more stable. The propeller then distributes them up to 45 metres in the air.
The principle of the snow lances is similar, because the nozzles are also used here. These generators are rods several meters high, on which the nozzles are located at the tip. Unlike the propeller cannon, the snow is not distributed here, but simply falls to the ground around the lance. Both methods require the temperature to be below zero. In addition, several other factors play an important role.
Snow lances are significantly quieter and also cheaper than snow cannons. Nevertheless, technological progress does not stop here either. The latest machines produce less and less noise and lower costs and therefore more snow in Winterberg. The aim is to continue to reduce water and energy consumption. And while we are on the subject of water: As I said, this works without chemicals. Instead, the water is only taken from the water ponds, which are filled by nature during the summer months. When the snow disappears at the end of the season, it automatically returns to the cycle of nature. The water is therefore used for the snow in Winterberg and is not consumed.
The question of how the whole thing is to be controlled remains open. In addition we look ourselves exemplarily the skiing area Kappe in Skiliftkarussell Winterberg . The centre of the action is the "snow office" where the "snow master" is sitting. Here you can preset when and under which conditions the snow guns are to start operating. To ensure that guests have a carefree skiing experience, this is usually done at night. In addition, it is then also colder than during the day. The snow master observes and checks the equipment from the snowmaking office, but this does not mean that he does not leave it. In spite of camera surveillance and control, it is possible that disturbances occur and then the snowmaker is called out. After about 3 to 4 days of snowmaking, ski operation is possible. In total there are about 10 - 12 of these in the season to improve the snow situation in Winterberg accordingly.
So which is better? Natural or artificial snow? Technical snow has its own structure and is not really comparable to natural snowflakes. The ice crystals produced have a much higher density than natural snow and lie much closer together. Riding on it therefore feels a bit icier and harder than on a fresh blanket of natural powder snow. However, this does not detract from the fun and allows us winter sports enthusiasts to enjoy the sport throughout - no matter what kind of snow you're riding on in Winterberg . In addition, the snow groomers are other machines that process both natural snow and technically produced snow in such a way as to ensure carefree snow enjoyment.
