monty Wrote:
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> could a group pf us not get together and start
> something??
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I've been trying tae plant the seed for ages...

All the cheap equipment is out there for snowmaking, it does not have tae be expensive cannons, although these can be made for a fraction of the original cost(excluding labour)...

If Glencoe had enough water a group of folk there would have already ran a number of tests and had a pretty basic system in place for this season... I'm not talking covering massive amounts, probaly 2 big guns that throw out a good amount of snow tae cover/build whales for certain bits that can be pushed out whenever.... I would have used 2 185cfm tow behind compressors with 2 6+hp portable fire pumps plus the guns and pipe, this would have probaly cost about 1-3grand depending where it was sourced...

This system would make a tubing run etc pretty quick if the temps were right and the guns were moved accordingly, and is better for marginal conditions than cannons...

found this great little site

[www.resortboneyard.com]

Wonder what the post and packing would be for a kassbohrer, hosing and a few cannons ! LOL
Purchase by the White Lady and Ciste Community Ski Group!

Paul

around 15-20k for one thats 10years old! a bargin i think

In response to the suggestions that snowmaking wouldn't work in Scotland because of the wind, here's a couple of pics I took off the Plattja chair in the Seetalhorn area of Graechen, Switzerland last week.

This is at 2800m, and although they have had reasonable snowfalls this season, this area of the mountain has suffered from serious wind (for the third year running) which has blasted the real snow off the mountain. The terrain is extremely rocky, and littered with massive boulders, much worse than anything on Cairngorm, and requires a massive amount of lying snow to be skiable.

Answer: snowmaking ! The installation works off tower nozzles (ie the ones that produce the lighter artificail snow), but once they get it on the ground, it stays there, while the real stuff blows away. Talking to the ski-patrol, the method seems to be make it and get the piste machines on it straight away to consolidate a snow pack.

The pics were taken the day after this part of the mountain had been scoured by 100k/h winds (while there was good relatively calm skiing elsewhere on the mountain).




Attachments: plattja.jpg (420kB)   seetalhorn.jpg (407kB)  

Its possible tae make more/better snow when its windy sometimes..

With using the guns described above and have them about 90 degrees to the wind... And these one are less prone to feezing.. While the cannons can be turned round to have the wind coming from behind them, but thes will have to be regulary checked as they are prone tae freezing...

You could get 2 used cannons for 5grand Paul, one working and one for parts, but they are simple plumbing on them and all the parts are avaliable, some jigary pokery fae someone thats clued up on farm machinery and you cauld have both them running of a pister, as for snowmaking hose/water the snowmaing hoses are pretty dear, but used fire hose is chaeper and tested to a higher standard than snowmakinh hose.. But cannons aint the best for a country that has marginalinal temps a lot- start of season and end... They are good for mid season or when the temps drop below about -5/6. The guns is Hipennine's post are the best for marginal/wind.. They do cost more tae run overall for the snow they make at say perfect temps, but the outlay for cannons and if they would get used as much as the others has tae be looked at....

A snowmaking system where all the air and water was piped throughout the mountain would be ideal. And having a few cannons at key points and the rest have stick/air water gans at them(mobile).. Then the resort could hire in the required air at the start of the season and or during certain seasons thats good for making snow.. There are loads of ways for snowmaking without having to spend fortunes..







Edited 1 times. Last edit at 18.10hrs Sat 17 Mar 07 by growwild.

A big snow event is on its way do you think the lift companies have prepared to make the most of it. Simple i saw it in the alps. For example the cas at the gorm will get blasted by the north wind and will not hold snow if thay had spent today pushing the wet snow in to strips across the slop from bottom to top
the snow will settle in between. If this was done regularly all winter the base would build mutch faster Giving more snow to pile up catching more snow. I saw them pile it 1m high in strips 10m apart on an exposed corner in Tigesthe day after the storm it was 1m deep.

Hmm I was thinking about this the other day, but I did wonder what they would do with the piles once they'd set like concrete as once the drifts were bashed out you'd have an endless run of impressive rollers!

As for wind, when there's been cold temperatures and Southerly winds snow guns could have been firing further snow into the mix across Coire Cas, with the wind entraining the snow and carrying it down the Gunbarrel where it would settle at the end of the 'tounge' of snow in the burn course - extending it downwards. As it was there wasn't enough natural snow to complete the drift down, leaving the bottom of the Gunbarrel below the M1 not complete.

I think our power might not last the night, lights are flickering!

Incidently since late afternoonSunday from available data from CairnGorm Mountain conditions would appear to have been very good for snow making - a window to put down more of a base in some key areas before things get going again on the shower/wind front.

I thought CML were to do some trial snow making this season? Have they or will they this season.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, cannae work this.. try again





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 17.08hrs Mon 19 Mar 07 by growwild.

I cannae see them doing trials somehow..

In the pic attachment below is a simple snow gun- BnQ will supply the material or any shop that supplies plumbing material....

Change the pipe and fittings to 1/1.5 inch hook up tae a big compresser(150cfm+) and a water source and play about till you get snow... Get a few pipe caps and make diffirent size holes in them till one works, Different sizes for differnt temps..

The other 2 pics are of a home made cannon and its a cracker, only a wee thing but it puts out a good amount of snow and cost 3-500 quid tae build, excluding labour..



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 17.12hrs Mon 19 Mar 07 by growwild.

Attachments: ygun_wtext.jpg (40kB)   fan-close-front-1.jpg (81kB)   fan-four-rings-1.jpg (73kB)  

As an example of how man-made snow lasts, here's a pic this morning of Grimentz in Switzerland at 1600m. This artificial pack was laid down in December, and the natural snow line is currently at about 2100m on this ESE slope at the moment. Temperatures for the past 3 weeks have been even higher than in the Highlands, but there is still a skiable run down a green mountainside

Attachments: grimentz.jpg (47kB)  

[cgi.ebay.co.uk] whos wants tae chip in???

I could have Muggs Alley and the Wall going with this bad boy, there are loads of fecking compressors on there at a good price now, typical though, I was hunting at the start of the season, now I'm skint and they are all coming oot!!!!

Rumour has it that a west coast resort had a rep oot fae a snowmaking company,(Not the best resort though). I know snowmaking will work, though there aint much point if we have to throw 1ft down first just to cover the rocks etc.. With a bit of rock removal(hand or boom boom), and an odd bridge in here and there, a very limited snowmaking system would work wonders at the best wee resort in Scotland...

I have plans, but will have to wait and see what the summer brings...

west highland way income could help the coe with snow making...also give their 2007-08 park a longer and more sustainable life...get a reputation as consitent and best outdoor park...english would flock to the coe to get riding experience...park camps could then be run...more money still

Be nice to skiers...they have enough problems already