I’ve created a blizzard!
The Zen of snowmaking
Snowmaking sounds so simple.
I’ve created a blizzard!
We finally got prime conditions for snowmaking on Friday night. Cold temperatures and…hallelujah…no wind. Howie and I came in at midnight to relieve Glenn, who’d started up operations in the late afternoon. Glenn had made a pile of snow; the productivity of our snowmaking system is vastly improved when the wind isn’t blowing. Howie and I moved the snow gun further down the hill towards the tunnel and I offered to baby-sit it first.
When the temperature drops we try to open up more rings on the snow gun, thus raising its output. Our Areco gun has five rings, but we’ve yet to have the single digit temps necessary to open all five rings on a snowmaking night. When I started Friday we had 3 rings open. With the snow feeling quite dry, I decided I could open up the 4th ring. Then I headed off in the truck to check gauges at the pump house (we do this hourly), and to fuel up the truck.
I don’t think I was gone as much as thirty minutes, more like twenty, but when I came back to the gun, a slight shift in the breeze had occurred. The hoses and power cord, lying just along the edge of the trail, were nowhere to be seen. They were buried!
One of our snowmaking chores is to keep pulling the hoses and power cord out of the snow when they’re getting covered by a drift, but usually this is only an occasional quick pull and move. During my brief time away, they’d become completely covered.
I start digging around for them. Covered with wet snow, they get quite heavy. I’m straining, pulling, digging. Meanwhile, the snow pours down around me. I actually have to use a shovel to free the last section. I’ve created a blizzard!
Sue Wemyss
Comments
Re: I’ve created a blizzard!
on Jan 3rd 2007, 10:10 pm
A blizzard! Woop a di do da!! Must be nice. Wish I knew what snow looked like. I've finally snapped. I do what I call "Race Simulation." Sounds intimidating doesn't it? Not really. I just stand in my living room and put on several layers of long underwear under my suite and strap on my skis and poles and when I really start workin' up a sweat I switch from double pole to kick-double pole to maximize efficiency.
Re: I’ve created a blizzard!
by Ryan @ Great Glen Trails
on Jan 5th 2007, 10:18 am
Someone get that man some snow quickly! BTW, it's more effective in kitchen, with the freezer wide open...not that I've tried that or anything...
