Who actually has the Most Powerful Snowmaking System?

Highway Star · Nov 18, 2009

This seems to be a claim made by many resorts.....so who is it?

Mount Snow Ski report:
http://www.mountsnow.com/snowreport.html

Comments:
The big question on everyone's mind is when are we going to open? The only definite answer I have for you at this point is not this weekend (Nov. 21-22).

Are we trying for Thanksgiving, you betcha. However it's a matter of getting the cold temperatures that we need to make snow. Once Mother Nature gives us that window we’ll fire up the most powerful snowmaking system in North America and have you on the slopes in no time.

Check back with us in a few days when we get our eyes on the seven day forecast. I promise once we have our plan set you will be the first to know, because we can’t wait to see everyone with those huge first turns of the season smiles on your faces!

And they aren't the only ones:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=%22most+powerful+snowmaking+system%22&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

Last time I checked, "power" is the rate at which worked is performed.

Here's Killington's air compressor lineup, @ roughly 16,260 hp total:

http://www.killingtonzone.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27074&hilit=compressor

Killington also pumps a functional maximum of 12,000 gallons of water per minute during snowmaking ops. That's more than sunday river, hunter, and many others. Can't find numbers for Mount Snow.

Considering a Polecat fan gun has 20-25 hp of on board motors, I fail to see how 250 fan guns @ ~6000hp total is more powerful than Killington's 20+ giant air compressors at 16,260 hp total. Does Mount Snow have a bunch of air compressors? Or only a few? How much water can they pump?

Who else is in the running for this, and what are their stats?

x10003q · Nov 18, 2009

Everbody in NJ knows the answer to this question:

Vernon Valley/Great Gorge! Ski the snowmakers. :grin:

During the 1970s they claimed to have the biggest system in the world. I remember some chart showing that they had more guns than Hunter and Killington. What a joke.

billski · Nov 18, 2009

ULLR

Nice skis, huh?

severine · Nov 18, 2009

billski said:
ULLR

Nice skis, huh?

Yeah, but he's stingy with it!!!!

Honestly, who cares? Freaking Woodbury could have the most powerful snowmaking capability in the world but unless the conditions are conducive to making snow and people care to ski on it, it makes no difference.

deadheadskier · Nov 18, 2009

severine said:
Yeah, but he's stingy with it!!!!

Honestly, who cares? Freaking Woodbury could have the most powerful snowmaking capability in the world but unless the conditions are conducive to making snow and people care to ski on it, it makes no difference.

Leave it to a woman to point out that size doesn't matter. :lol:

severine · Nov 18, 2009

deadheadskier said:
Leave it to a woman to point out that size doesn't matter. :lol:

It's all in how it's used ... and whether anyone wants it in the first place.

Glenn · Nov 18, 2009

Highway Star said:
Who else is in the running for this, and what are their stats?

/thread

pepperdawg · Nov 18, 2009

Stop the noise....who cares!!!!!! Ban this fool

reefer · Nov 18, 2009

severine said:
It's all in how it's used ... and whether anyone wants it in the first place.

You got it. The owner of a small radio station said it best...........it's not the size that matters - it's the frequency...............
and you said "freaking"..........sweet!

tjf67 · Nov 18, 2009

Good question

I would like to know who has the most powerful snow making system in the East. I think most of the people that responded who cares would like to know as well if the question was presented by someone else.

So does anyone know?

2knees · Nov 18, 2009

based on what criteria? number of guns, number of compressors, water capacity? based on all things being equal in terms of temps or during marginal periods?

i'm curious too but you need i think you need to set some parameters.

Greg · Nov 18, 2009

tjf67 said:
I think most of the people that responded who cares would like to know as well if the question was presented by someone else.

I agree.

I think the better question, is pound for pound, who has the most powerful system? We had a conversation recently about number of guns. Obviously, larger areas should have more snow making capacity.

Based on casual observation, of the places I've been to, the ones with the most impressive snow making are in no particular order, Killington, Mount Snow, Jiminy Peak, Hunter and of course, the mighty Sundown.

hammer · Nov 18, 2009

Information like this is all relative...kind of like trail rating systems...

What I care more about is how many of the available trails can be covered by snowmaking, which trails can be covered, and how well the ski area manages it's snowmaking to come up with the best end product.

billski said:
ULLR

Nice skis, huh?

As mentioned, Ullr wins in the availability and coverage but can be inconsistent in the management...

severine · Nov 18, 2009

And therein lies the problem... who is the most powerful is something open to interpretation. Do you consider the most snow guns to be the winner? The most trails that can have snow blown on them? The one whose pipes are actually efficient and in working order? Too many possibilities. You'd have to pick which it is you really want the answer to.

But in the end, how much of a difference does it make as long as they're making snow?

AndyEich · Nov 18, 2009

Highway Star said:
...Killington also pumps a functional maximum of 12,000 gallons of water per minute during snowmaking ops. That's more than sunday river, hunter, and many others. Can't find numbers for Mount Snow...

Sugarloaf's GM thinks Killington is exaggerating. Is there a way to verify these claims? Maybe snowmaking claims are as reliable as areas' vertical drop claims.
________
AVANDIA SETTLEMENT INFORMATION

billski · Nov 18, 2009

hammer said:
As mentioned, Ullr wins in the availability and coverage but can be inconsistent in the management...

Yep. Ullr also has a quality control problem in the northeast. Not enough virgins sacrificed :grin:

Highway Star · Nov 18, 2009

2knees said:
based on what criteria? number of guns, number of compressors, water capacity? based on all things being equal in terms of temps or during marginal periods?

i'm curious too but you need i think you need to set some parameters.

Greg said:
I agree.

I think the better question, is pound for pound, who has the most powerful system? We had a conversation recently about number of guns. Obviously, larger areas should have more snow making capacity.

Based on casual observation, of the places I've been to, the ones with the most impressive snow making are in no particular order, Killington, Mount Snow, Jiminy Peak, Hunter and of course, the mighty Sundown.

Well, since the question is "Who has the most Powerful snowmaking system", the criteria would be......power. It would be the sum of the maximum combined compressor horsepower (stand alone and fan gun), fan gun motors, and water pump motors, plus any other power consuming/work producing components of the system. That figure would truely tell you who has the most powerful system.

Now, if you really want to split hairs, you could try to figure how much power is being delivered at the snowguns on average, after leaks and pumping losses.

Vortex · Nov 18, 2009

None of this matter unless you turn on the guns and run them. Proof is in whom is open.

RootDKJ · Nov 18, 2009

billski said:
ULLR

Nice skis, huh?

How fat do you think those sticks are? ;-):lol: The look like they are least 110's to me.

speden · Nov 18, 2009

The most "power" seems like an outdated measure. If the guns used are inefficient, then you need more power just to keep up with the more modern and efficient setups. Also a lot of power isn't going to cover all the trails if you have to manually lug around portable guns before you can make snow. I think the best snow making setups are fixed systems that use efficient guns.

Some of the smaller hills do quite well in terms of getting 100% open more quickly than the big resorts. They are also able to top off what they have to recover more quickly after a thaw event. Proportionately they can make more snow per acre for each dollar spent.

Who actually has the Most Powerful Snowmaking System?

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