The denser nature of machine made snow (it only falls a few metres max insted of thousands) make it more resistant to thaw than natural snow. The systems used in mine cooling are high temperature snowmaking - they actively chill the water/air. There is an aussie company building fan guns with build in cooling - they can produce granular spring like snow up to 30c - at a cost!

It is possible to raise the melting point by adding chemicals to the water - but has issues of its own.

Pulling snow from the Access Roads and Carparks is potentially useful - the salt ultimately will make for harder snow as it creates a thaw/freeze action within in the snowpack.

a week or even 2 weeks from an artificial base could give you 1500 to 3000 skiers paying say £15 could give £45,000 from ticket sales only.

It has been said that we need the specific data for specific runs, I would be very surprised if a role for snow making is deamed uneconomical

The argument that man made snow will melt, and therefore unviable, is spurious (at least to me)

There are always (many) periods during our winters of a week, maybe two or three, at a time, when temperatures are low, but the big dumps are not there. If the guns can be fired up during this period then there will be skiers. If not, there won't be. Now, if, after two or three weeks, that snow melts, then who cares? The next dump or cold snap is never far away. The goal, surely, is to get people up the mountain. And snow making, nowadays, is important for that.

Now, it will take a brave business man, and brave financiers to back such a scheme, (considering what I have been reading here about banks not financing ski slopes below 1000m). I think the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Sport, and maybe even the national government in Westminster, has a big hand to play in this. A nation of lard arses is, largely, oblvious the the snow on their doorstep.

BILLIONS are going to be spent on the poxy olympics, which is guaranteed money down the drain for a two week event, but fraction of that could be INVESTED in outdoor sports that hundreds of thousands, or millions, of people could enjoy for several decades at least. I'm sure an aggressive approach to outdoor winter sports in our country could pay off. I'm sure of it. It will involve snow making, professional advertising and marketing, infrastructure. But only if the people involved want it to work.

It was -3°c at the Top Station at 9am so even with 90%+ humidity snowmaking with air/water systems would be possible - last night, today and tomorrow could be enough for the Ptarmigan Bowl and Trainer Tow to bounce back.

Is it possible for us to keep a tally on days from say, November to April, in which the weather is good for snow making?

Over in Oslo right now and it's not been that cold. Just dipped below freezing tonight and the local ski resort has fired up the cannons.

Quote:
There are always (many) periods during our winters of a week, maybe two or three, at a time, when temperatures are low, but the big dumps are not there. If the guns can be fired up during this period then there will be skiers. If not, there won't be.

That is how the Australian ski resorts are a viable entity.



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 17.26hrs Sat 16 Dec 06 by Big Sly.

Exactly, and why ours are, winter-by-winter increasingly marginal.

Added to the fact that Australians' attitude towards sport and the great outdoors is a lot healthier than ours.

Today would have been a perfect day to make snow in the Zig Zags on CM. It was clear, cold and calm all day There would then be a complete run from the Ptarmigan to the mid station. I reckon that would expand demand...there were very few people there today. A contributing factor to the lack of demand will be the limited terrain. I doubt that too many will travel very far just for the Ptarmigan Bowl and Ciste Fairway (although both were in surprisingly good shape..the piste crews had done a really good job...thanks guys)

Regards
Olderalan

I didnt go out skiing today, due to same terrain as last weekend and not "interesting" enough terrain to make the near 3 1/2 to 4 hour round trip worthwhile,
a day on ciste fairway gets a bit dull...

and had my brother staying over with a new mountain bike that needed showing some good trails, nice to bike on frozen mud too!

Olderalan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A contributing factor to the lack of
> demand will be the limited terrain. I doubt that
> too many will travel very far just for the
> Ptarmigan Bowl and Ciste Fairway.

Exactly. A 320 mile return journey for the top bowl just isn't worth it at the moment.

[Admin] - Hit the wrong button, this post hasnt been edited!



Edited 2 times. Last edit at 11.38hrs Mon 18 Dec 06 by alan.

Olderalan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Today would have been a perfect day to make snow
> in the Zig Zags on CM. It was clear, cold and calm
> all day There would then be a complete run from
> the Ptarmigan to the mid station. I reckon that
> would expand demand...there were very few people
> there today. A contributing factor to the lack of
> demand will be the limited terrain. I doubt that
> too many will travel very far just for the
> Ptarmigan Bowl and Ciste Fairway (although both
> were in surprisingly good shape..the piste crews
> had done a really good job...thanks guys)
>
> Regards
> Olderalan

I would have gone today if there was cover to the middle station - a 5 hour round trip is hard to justify for 2 open runs (I've done it once this season already) However good on them for being open
How much were they charging?


go slide....

£21 last weekend - thats 1/2 day or beginner ticket price, no beginner/limited area 1/2 day option AFAIK

like you II i have been over to CGM a couple times this season, but novelty factor worn off for now until more terrain is available
if i had been over at parents place in Ardersier i would have gone though!

I had made sure that the decks were clear this weekend, but the ciste alone just wasn't enough to get up at 4.30am to be on the road for 5am, but probably would have if the cas had been open.

StevieMcK Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Olderalan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A contributing factor to the lack of
> > demand will be the limited terrain. I doubt
> that
> > too many will travel very far just for the
> > Ptarmigan Bowl and Ciste Fairway.
>
> Exactly. A 320 mile return journey for the top
> bowl just isn't worth it at the moment.
>

While an argument for snow making, this is an even stronger argument for a Summit Tow.