IDE Snowmaker

[neil]

I'm sure pretty much everyone has heard about these machines that can make snow above freezing. I wonder if there will be any interest in getting one on the East coast. On paper it would make sense, especially given the shaky start and sudden end to the last season.

I've never really heard or read about the negatives of this machine. I imagine the cost is probably VERY high, but I haven't heard bad things about it's production, quality, cost of running etc. Does anyone know or have any thoughts?

 

[millerm277]

I *believe* Tenney Mountain tried one for a summer operation...didn't work, although they had plenty of managerial issues as well.

From my understanding, the issues with it were:
1. It's expensive to run, and incredibly expensive to purchase.
2. Snow melts really freaking fast in warm temperatures, when you hit the 70-80F range, as a result...you need to make a lot more snow than you'd think because of the speed of the melt.
3. Because of #2, #1 is even more of an issue, and it also means you need more machines.

Again, this is just what I remember from various threads on Snowjournal (NELSAP forums), I'd recommend asking around there, as they have people that know a great deal more about Tenney's attempt than me, and what went wrong.

 

[Highway Star]

I *believe* Tenney Mountain tried one for a summer operation...didn't work, although they had plenty of managerial issues as well.

From my understanding, the issues with it were:
1. It's expensive to run, and incredibly expensive to purchase.
2. Snow melts really freaking fast in warm temperatures, when you hit the 70-80F range, as a result...you need to make a lot more snow than you'd think because of the speed of the melt.
3. Because of #2, #1 is even more of an issue, and it also means you need more machines.

Again, this is just what I remember from various threads on Snowjournal (NELSAP forums), I'd recommend asking around there, as they have people that know a great deal more about Tenney's attempt than me, and what went wrong.

Tenney tried a rinkydink, small, cheap, summer snowmaker that had much less capacity. We've been over this before. NOT the same thing. It was also way out in central NH, and they just didn't have the overall draw for a few rails to make any sort of money at it.

The IDE systems are massive (50 ft tall) multi million dollar ($2M+) units that stem from industrial icemakers for mine cooling. They have been installed in europe to suppliment glacier skiing.

I can think of two ways it could be practically implemented in the east:

- In conjunction with a snowflex setup near a major metro area, with various techniques to preserve the snow.

- At high elevation with various techniques to preserve the snow.

 

[Highway Star]

I've never really heard or read about the negatives of this machine. I imagine the cost is probably VERY high, but I haven't heard bad things about it's production, quality, cost of running etc. Does anyone know or have any thoughts?

$2M+ per unit. Relatively cheap to operate.

 

[Puck it]

It could right of the Gondi house on the top of K-ton. I would have photoshopped this pic and a pic of the old top terminal but I did not have a good pic.

 

[drjeff]

The key phrase that HS said about the IDE and its use in Europe is that its generally used to augment summer GLACIER skiing! Works much better when you're producing onto a basically frozen surface instead of warm ground

 

[aveski2000]

http://www.ide-snowmaker.com/

 

[neil]

In my mind you wouldn't use this for summer long coverage in the North East, but instead use it to get over the humps of needing to make snow, but not having the temps to do it. Seems like it would help a lot both in getting open, and in keeping the season going. Of course the question is whether that alone makes sense financially.

I really wish someone would build an indoor place overhere!

 

[Highway Star]

In my mind you wouldn't use this for summer long coverage in the North East, but instead use it to get over the humps of needing to make snow, but not having the temps to do it. Seems like it would help a lot both in getting open, and in keeping the season going. Of course the question is whether that alone makes sense financially.

I really wish someone would build an indoor place overhere!

Interesting point. Consider a few things. One of these is going to cost roughly $2M, plus you need a 50ft tall building to house it and large water chiller to cool the feed water. So you might as well install two. You get about 1.5 acre ft per unit per day IIRC. Also keep in mind that the "snow" is actually ice slush spring snow, and comes directly out of the machine/building onto the ground, to be pushed around by snowcats.

Anyway, so after spending $2M++ to setup something like this, you're telling me that they would only use it for a few weeks to a month in the beginning of the season? Sure, it could have been REALLY handy at Killington from mid october through thanksgiving last year, so maybe someone would think it's practical. But for $2m they could revise the lift system for upper mountain skiing.

To me, if you're going to install something like it, it should be in an optimised location and be used for as many months of the year as possible.

 

[SIKSKIER]

I would say that even given great management of Tennys attempt at summer skiing,there really was no market to sustain it.Practically nobody will ski in the summer when their minds are on warm weather sports.