Big snowmaking upgrade at Wildcat

[mbedle]

Maybe we should stop using the words "wind chill" in this case. It would be better to describe this potential issue as "accelerated heat loss due to increased air flow". An yes, that does affect inanimate objects. Hence the reason why a radiator in your car works.

This statement "Wind Chill does not impact inanimate objects like car radiators and exposed water pipes, because these objects cannot cool below the actual air temperature." is correct, in that wind chill doesn't apply to object that can't feel temperature. However, "because these objects cannot cool below the actual air temperature" is off a little. Neither can humans be cooled to a temperature below what the actual air temperature is.

 

[SIKSKIER]

This makes sense.Well thought out and reasonable response.

 

[dlague]

Neither can humans be cooled to a temperature below what the actual air temperature is.

Nor would you want to be unless your dead or the current temp is around 98.6.

 

[yeggous]

Nor would you want to be unless your dead or the current temp is around 98.6.

Just to play devil's advocate, yes they can if they are moist (like humans). Any skier should be aware of the concept of wet bulb temperature.


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[yeggous]

Photo tour on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152730743572359.1073741840.7959777358&type=1

 

[mbedle]

Go Health & Safety! I had to, its my job... lol

 

[Dickc]

Maybe we should stop using the words "wind chill" in this case. It would be better to describe this potential issue as "accelerated heat loss due to increased air flow". An yes, that does affect inanimate objects. Hence the reason why a radiator in your car works.

This statement "Wind Chill does not impact inanimate objects like car radiators and exposed water pipes, because these objects cannot cool below the actual air temperature." is correct, in that wind chill doesn't apply to object that can't feel temperature. However, "because these objects cannot cool below the actual air temperature" is off a little. Neither can humans be cooled to a temperature below what the actual air temperature is.

Wind chill CAN affect inanimate objects. Ever try washing the road salt off your vehicle on a 36 degree windy day? As the water evaporates, due to the wind it will freeze as it is getting chilled by the wind elevated evaporation rate. Now if the water is INSIDE a pipe and the wind is outside the pipe, it can only help carry away radiated heat faster, but never cool it below the air temp. Bash away!

 

[jimmywilson69]

so where did the gondola cars come from? I thought Wildcat only had chairs?

 

[yeggous]

so where did the gondola cars come from? I thought Wildcat only had chairs?

They run the lift as a gondola in the summer and chairs in the winter. The gondola would be slower to unload and more wind prone.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Interesting...

 

[yeggous]

Interesting...

Wildcat is a real skier's mountain. They don't bother with "resort" comforts or frills. The goal is skiing and lots of it. From their website:

Question: "Why do you only use the gondola cabins in the summer, why not use them in the winter too?"

Answer: An often asked question, the answer is that operating the Wildcat Express Summit Lift as an enclosed gondola in the winter would be inefficient for our uphill capacity and make the lift more susceptible to wind holds. In the winter, when converted back to the more traditional four-person chairs, the Wildcat Express operates at twice the speed and is arguably one of New Hampshire's fastest high-speed summit lifts and is capable of reaching the summit from the base in just over 6 minutes, as opposed to the slower approximate 12-13 minute ride time in the summer. It works in the summer better because we operate the lift slower and people aren't also having to deal with skis, poles, & snowboards. Also, for skiers and snowboarders, taking off skis or snowboard to load every single time would be a bit of a hassle. The other reason that we don't use gondolas in the winter is because the greater amount of surface area exposed and susceptible to the winter weather would expose our lift to wind holds. Something to consider when you are located directly across the street from Mt. Washington, home to the second highest wind speeds ever recorded in the world.

 

[Edd]

Photo tour on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152730743572359.1073741840.7959777358&type=1

I was looking at some tour photos of the new snowmaking setup on Twitter this morning. Very exciting changes. Hopefully they can avoid any serious start-up issues. Wildcat needs a good year.

 

[slatham]

Great to see the upgrades, especially after what I read and heard about last winter.

 

[doublediamond]

Was only the Skiers-Right side replaced, or did they replace all the pipes?

 

[yeggous]

Was only the Skiers-Right side replaced, or did they replace all the pipes?

They save they replaced something like 8 miles of pipe, but I'm not sure how to interpret that. It's about 2 miles top to bottom, and there is both a water and air pipe on every trail. So... that math means only two trails saw new pipes? Lynx and Polecat were the two shown in the photo tour.

 

[yeggous]

The latest from Management:

Since the beginning of May, our Mountain Operations team, with the help of Peak Resorts, has been on a mission to improve Wildcat’s snowmaking system. This process began in the fall of 2013 and if the construction schedule holds, we will be moving water through 55,000 feet of new pipe by next week!

A day in the life of a Wildcat snowmaker is enough to make most skiers that much more thankful for the snow under their feet. Hard work, cold conditions and long shifts often make a snowmaker dream of relaxing summer days, but not this summer. That same crew that works 24 hours a day in the winter, has been tasked with installing the largest snowmaking upgrade that Wildcat Mountain has ever seen! 55,000 feet (over 10 miles) of new pipe, hundreds of new guns and a new booster pump house are the milestones that highlight the 2 million dollar snowmaking improvement that has been going on this summer.

In the eyes of a Wildcat Snowmaker, working this hard all summer will certainly pay off for them this winter. Trying to keep the old, antiquated, run down system up and going last year was painfully difficult. But just as they always do, the crew worked through it and with their hard work, and the help of Mother Nature, Wildcat was (for the 8th year in a row) the last resort to close in New Hampshire. With a new state of the art pump house, reliable pipe and the most efficient guns on the market, Wildcat snowmakers will certainly have an easier job while seeing the quality and quantity of snow they produce sky rocket! Wildcat Snowmakers are excited, have taken ownership of and are proud of the work that has happened here this summer.

As we move forward, we also know that “the proof is in the pudding”. Our goal with this snowmaking project is to:

1. Replace much of the pipe that could simply not hold water at pressure due to its age
2. Make sure that we can reliably get water to the summit, at a pressure and flow rate that we can safely and effectively make snow with
3. Enhance the quality and quantity of the snow we make
4. Allow us to open with a quality product as early as possible
5. Make snow as efficiently as possible

What it all comes down to is that we are all passionate about skiing and snowboarding! We’re making snow, not secret weapons, so there is little I will not share with you. From the “50,000 foot view” Wildcat Mountain is planning on making snow as soon as Mother Nature allows and will open as soon as we have a quality product. As of meow, our early season snowmaking plan is to make snow on Lynx top to bottom.

Fall is here, the autumn colors are changing, the night time temps are dropping, I’m having a hard time giving up waterskiing and we are on track to finishing up the largest snowmaking upgrade that Wildcat Mountain has ever seen.

To view an album of photos taken during a recent tour of the snowmaking project, click here.

Please stay tuned as I promise to keep you informed as we move forward! - BH

Brian Heon, General Manager, Wildcat Mountain

 

[xwhaler]

^^ Like. T2B on Lynx as soon as Mother Nature allows sounds very promising. As mentioned before they could really grab a lot of early season market share from K/SR if they offer 2k' of vertical off a HSQ. That would be quite impressive if they pull it off.

 

[deadheadskier]

Nice words but still doesn't address which specific trails received pipe. Anywhere else on the hill receive some love other than Lynx and Polecat?

 

[yeggous]

Nice words but still doesn't address which specific trails received pipe. Anywhere else on the hill receive some love other than Lynx and Polecat?

Great question. Some purely speculative math:

Top-to-bottom is about 2 miles. There is a water and air pipe, so 4 miles per route. Lynx and Polecat alone could account for all the pipe.

 

[Savemeasammy]

Lynx would be a much better offering than what Killington serves up. Wildcat would definitely earn my early season business (assuming comparable pricing... I would love to see some 2fers like what Killington offers).


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