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Automated Snowmaking
- Thread starter deadheadskier
- Start date
IceEidolon
Active member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2017
- Messages
- 584
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If I owned a ski resort and had money to burn - two things that seem mutually exclusive - I'd want to have a snowmaking drag race. Have a cat with Snowsat to judge, have a couple of spots along a trail, each team gets two hydrants, two power drops, and has to make as much snow as possible in one shift. Other crews are welcome.
My insurance company would kill me, nobody'd pay people to go, I know it's not practical - but how cool would it be to get to see Jaws next to the six barrel Larchmont next to the bored out Avalanche next to the North American gun next to the Rat 5?
My insurance company would kill me, nobody'd pay people to go, I know it's not practical - but how cool would it be to get to see Jaws next to the six barrel Larchmont next to the bored out Avalanche next to the North American gun next to the Rat 5?
Newpylong
Well-known member
Peak used to do exactly that. It was at Hunter the last year before they sold to Vail. I'll see if I can find what gear won, they had a flow meter attached to then all too. I think the Jaws won but it's been some time.
drjeff
Well-known member
Brendan Ryan also oversaw a test like that a Wildcat after Peak did a bunch of work on the system there.
If memory serves, he actually wrote an article about it that was published in SAM
Newpylong
Well-known member
He also ran the one at Hunter. I got more info and the Jaws was able to convert the most water and actually could have done more but a 1.5" hose couldn't supply it enough air! Considering you should be able to get close to 1,000 CFM through that hose that tells you something.
IceEidolon
Active member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2017
- Messages
- 584
- Points
- 43
I recall Ratnik SG5 and Snow Giant 2+2 (not the baby double) were spec'd for 2.5" hoses for tower mounts, and Jaws is bigger than them. I watched the hoses on my North American gun firm up when I added a second air line. I absolutely believe Jaws could have done more with more air, and if I can find one in a boneyard I'm not leaving without making an offer.
Newpylong
Well-known member
That's crazy. We did not have any of those "ultra air hogs" we'll call them nor have I used them sadly. The K3000 was our largest firehose and that would take half our air alone. But oh so fun to bust out on days like today when you could starve it for air and really pour on the water.
