Behind the Scenes - How Snowmaking at Ski Resorts Works

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  • Опубликовано: 14 янв 2025

Комментарии • 281

  • @sharktooth2888
    @sharktooth2888 4 года назад +16

    Don't forget all the fun parts like using the Tiger Torch to thaw the ice that often forms on the rear fanguard screens. Digging out the hoses and power cords after the night shift guys slept most of there shift. Hanging, thawing, and rolling 100 ft water hoses etc. Unsung heroes.

    • @mikeo3428
      @mikeo3428 2 года назад +4

      6am, just got back from a gun run. Im the night shift guy. 🤣

  • @johnpatterson4272
    @johnpatterson4272 7 месяцев назад +4

    Great video and well articulated as to the finite technology of snowmaking in the 21st century. The narrator has a vested interest in that local business, it's obvious, and he's a serious asset to Calabogie. Probably the best video on snowmaking in North America I have ever seen. Thank you.

    • @SlopeEdge
      @SlopeEdge  7 месяцев назад +1

      Thank you for your positive comments. Happy you enjoyed the video.

  • @michaeldougfir9807
    @michaeldougfir9807 7 лет назад +83

    In my family of six, we learned to ski as soon as we could walk. All six of us have worked in several ski areas. But the snow making equipment, when it finally came in, remained pretty much a mystery. So I was glad to see this video. I wish my parents could have seen this.
    So I thank you for this presentation.
    Now I'm going to see if Google will help me find you. I don't believe you said where you are. As a Californian, I have skied only in our mountains. So I don't know where the other ski areas are.

    • @SlopeEdge
      @SlopeEdge  7 лет назад +12

      Hi Michael. The mountain featured in the video is Calabogie Peaks, located just outside Ottawa, Ontario in Eastern Canada. www.calabogie.com

  • @juliezaremskiy3635
    @juliezaremskiy3635 6 лет назад +124

    Nothing beats the feel of natural snow though

  • @erickbanks
    @erickbanks 5 лет назад +131

    Got high and wondered how fake snow is made so now I’m here

  • @theroadnottakentravel
    @theroadnottakentravel 2 года назад +2

    5:00 “Come Christmas, our trails will be fully open” Last Christmas, this hill had 2 of their 25 trails open🤣. The weather in December was pretty cold, with the exception of one week.

  • @johnreyn19
    @johnreyn19 9 лет назад +8

    Great video! It's amazing how much infrastructure goes into snow making. Keep up the good work!

  • @domcizek
    @domcizek 5 лет назад +3

    Beautiful presentation, well written, I always wanted to know how they make snow, very detailed, nice resort also,

  • @danielshanklin7397
    @danielshanklin7397 7 лет назад +6

    Fantastic narration, Paul Murphy

  • @jakejakejakejakejakejake
    @jakejakejakejakejakejake 3 года назад +2

    That was immensely fascinating! Great video! X

  • @youandiryan
    @youandiryan 7 лет назад +7

    Awesome video! I was always so curious about snow machines. I am very close to a world class resort (Whistler Blackcombe) in Canada. I always see these machines

  • @BerHarSenSam
    @BerHarSenSam 5 лет назад +5

    Great and rather informative video. Thank you very much for putting it together. It would be great to see on how the snow is spread across the trails - ski runs where it gets made by carriage fans. Thank you.

  • @frazbfraser
    @frazbfraser 8 лет назад +66

    Most resorts in Japan have no snow making facilities.. Place to be!

    • @ProFettMoHaMett
      @ProFettMoHaMett 6 лет назад

      It is great.

    • @fulcrumthebrave5715
      @fulcrumthebrave5715 6 лет назад +16

      The main reason resorts out in Utah and Colorado make their own snow so that they can open earlier and stay open later.
      As he said in the video, man-made snow makes a better base layer. We used to be able to ski from October to June on lift-serve

  • @duncanmifsud6537
    @duncanmifsud6537 6 лет назад +12

    Great System!!! Here in Montafon Austria, they use snowmakers on almost every resort!!! Unfortunately, even in the Alps the weather is not always ideal!!!
    Greetings from Austria!

  • @DestinationsChronicles
    @DestinationsChronicles 6 лет назад +8

    I think the ski lodge I am an instructor at is one of a very few that doesn't have snow making... Wish we did!!

  • @louishurr393
    @louishurr393 29 дней назад

    That was great. Thank you.

  • @awesomegaming8617
    @awesomegaming8617 Год назад

    9:45 Kinda like sprinklers during the summer when you're under very crappy droughts all summer long! It makes so much sense now! We do it when fricken weather doesn't! Now I want a snow machine! Probably wouldn't have a very welcoming water and electric bill though... 😂🤣

  • @sevenwind688
    @sevenwind688 5 лет назад +18

    the technique part starts from ~ 5:22

  • @olegvelichko1659
    @olegvelichko1659 6 лет назад +212

    Did I just watch over 10 minutes of an ad fro a ski resort that I will not likely EVER go to?!?!

    • @travisk5589
      @travisk5589 6 лет назад +8

      Of course the areas with artificial snow will last longer. It's got twice as much snow as the other areas.

    • @travisk5589
      @travisk5589 6 лет назад +3

      Yeah, I'm wondering where the hell Calabogie is.

    • @ektorasbountioukos1251
      @ektorasbountioukos1251 6 лет назад +1

      Oleg Velichko yos

    • @goldenretriever6261
      @goldenretriever6261 6 лет назад +2

      Near Ottawa.

    • @niel7250
      @niel7250 6 лет назад +5

      Just went there last weekend, poutines not bad and 40 bucks for a day pass

  • @death2man666
    @death2man666 5 лет назад +4

    being a snow maker at my local ski resort was my all time favorite job! i think i still have my SmoMaker swiss army knife, the rep gave me.

  • @one2three4our
    @one2three4our 6 лет назад +2

    Surprisingly good, interesting and informative video.

  • @turtlezed
    @turtlezed 7 лет назад +25

    Great production guys, i didn't realise all that hard work went on behind the scenes, I am now well informed, Thank you :¬)

    • @Smegma_pirate
      @Smegma_pirate 6 лет назад

      by behind the scenes you must mean behind that blue curtain they used a s a blue screen for this shoddy ass production.

  • @Timotheus157
    @Timotheus157 6 лет назад

    Excellent example for other ski resorts to follow.

  • @thurst0n
    @thurst0n 7 лет назад +3

    This was very interesting. Thank you!

  • @DonegalOverlanding
    @DonegalOverlanding 2 года назад

    That was really interesting, thanks for making the video for us.

  • @ethankondor7181
    @ethankondor7181 9 лет назад +2

    Very very interesting video. I thought that it was all natural snow because the workers told me its all fresh snow , but now I know it's a snow maker machine
    Great Vids!!!⛄️I subscribed to you. I love skiing too I love how you made like a interview in a vid

  • @vmiximv
    @vmiximv Год назад

    Thank you for making these informative videos❤

  • @peppeddu
    @peppeddu 9 лет назад +36

    Those snow making machines are not fail safe, in case of a power/motor failure they should automatically drain all the water out to prevent pipe breakups.

    • @Smegma_pirate
      @Smegma_pirate 6 лет назад +7

      you must be an engineer, congrats on noticing something fairly small that wasn't worth mentioning in the video

    • @pauloconnor3056
      @pauloconnor3056 4 года назад +2

      @Peppe Ddu thank you so much, I've got a question though, are all other types of snowmaking machines like this, or is it a common problem you encounter with all snowmaking machines

  • @XivicX
    @XivicX 3 года назад

    Such an awesome video on snow making!

  • @Sc0ttPrian
    @Sc0ttPrian 5 лет назад +1

    passing through the snow machines is the best part.

  • @glnassa5589
    @glnassa5589 6 лет назад +2

    It's really educative and full of knowledge. Many thanks for sharing this update. All the very best!! Best regards, Nassa

  • @traditionalfood367
    @traditionalfood367 6 лет назад +5

    Early snow this fall.
    Likely to be a long season.

  • @tijsenmoses4819
    @tijsenmoses4819 8 лет назад +1

    At Stratton vt, a trail had 25-30 feet piles in May.

  • @thomasbarlow4223
    @thomasbarlow4223 5 лет назад

    Looks like a fun job

  • @jonirons1625
    @jonirons1625 2 года назад

    Great video!

  • @jeramijohnson529
    @jeramijohnson529 6 лет назад +2

    Very informative.. nice job !!!

  • @jakerossino4594
    @jakerossino4594 9 лет назад +2

    Wow! That's actually really cool.

  • @KD-xo2fx
    @KD-xo2fx 6 лет назад +1

    Cool informative video..... :)

  • @campanerosdelaltoojaezcara6761

    great !!!

  • @RyanBrown01
    @RyanBrown01 4 года назад

    Excellent info!

  • @phishinfool
    @phishinfool 7 лет назад +1

    Very good video it's a art to it and you guys know the way to do it !

    • @SlopeEdge
      @SlopeEdge  7 лет назад

      Thank you for the feedback. Happy that you enjoyed the video.

  • @breker19er
    @breker19er 2 года назад

    That was interesting!

  • @sean8081a
    @sean8081a 5 лет назад

    Super interesting.

  • @tonysmith5465
    @tonysmith5465 6 лет назад +2

    outstanding video. thanks a lot. SC Navy vet

  • @JimmysTractor
    @JimmysTractor 6 лет назад +1

    5:50 the pressure is generated at the snow gun- that fire hose would burst well below 600psi.

  • @polyannamoonbeam
    @polyannamoonbeam 4 года назад

    Very interesting.. pity it’s raining so much more. When you need those dry cold days to make snow. How expensive is it, running this system..?

  • @tv.8066
    @tv.8066 3 года назад

    와우 넘좋아요 잘보고갑니다 열열히 응원합니다 3종세트 선물입니다 풀청하고 갑니다 감사합니다 디딤돌tv영상감독.
    👍💯🙏✍

  • @trevortodd6060
    @trevortodd6060 3 года назад +1

    How do you keep your water pipes and hoses from freezing?

  • @tommarello01
    @tommarello01 6 лет назад +1

    Most informative, thank you.

  • @harrymartin1
    @harrymartin1 7 лет назад +3

    Thanks for a rather awesome window into the ski industry!

  • @postal3212
    @postal3212 3 года назад +1

    So how do you keep the water from freezing at those temps between the pump house to the machines?

    • @timmyteabag69
      @timmyteabag69 3 года назад

      You keep it flowing, I was making snow last night at -32 and if you have a problem and water quits moving for over a minute you’re pretty well screwed, I run a mobile unit with a big generator and water tank in a sea can with a high pressure pump pushing water to the snow maker, tank is filled by a 3 inch water pump running at pretty well idle

    • @postal3212
      @postal3212 3 года назад

      @@timmyteabag69 interesting stuff.

  • @Typistss
    @Typistss 3 года назад +2

    This video felt like a school project

  • @jacobmurphy7333
    @jacobmurphy7333 6 лет назад +3

    1:30 Colorado resorts stay open for more than half the year

    • @MrSeahawks40
      @MrSeahawks40 6 лет назад +1

      Colorado is different, idiot.

  • @raysimeral4296
    @raysimeral4296 6 лет назад

    Nice system. I work at a resort in pa that has a system that has 90 techno alpines and a portable fleet of pole cats that is an automated system with e-motors that run water hydrant.

    • @shreyjaiswal1683
      @shreyjaiswal1683 2 года назад

      7 springs? Pgh resident here 🙋🏽‍♂️

  • @tirkentube
    @tirkentube 7 лет назад +45

    @7:48 "those motors use less electricity (horsepower), great for the environment. @9:12 "key to making snow is horsepower, we've increased our horsepower dramatically."

    • @Eric-lf6yx
      @Eric-lf6yx 6 лет назад +21

      Kilowatts is equal to horsepower, not "electricity". Electricity is a vague term and he could have easily meant that the efficiency has gone up, not that kilowatts went up. Efficiency=mechanical power output / electrical power input (power=kilowatts). Two electric motors could use different amounts of kilowatt hours and produce the same horsepower (kilowatts) if one is more efficient that the other. Had the guy said kilowatts instead of electricity, you'd be correct, but he didn't.
      Sincerely,
      A Mechanical Engineer.

    • @stevenbryant4718
      @stevenbryant4718 6 лет назад

      smaller hp is less power usage. The duty of the motors are going to be similar. you know that.

    • @BrewPub
      @BrewPub 6 лет назад +2

      He would have meant the motors are more efficient than the previous system or systems used by some of the lodges.

    • @blove142
      @blove142 6 лет назад +5

      do you want to ski or not?

    • @inothome
      @inothome 6 лет назад +1

      By less electricity he means less kWh of energy needed than before.1 HP equals 746 Watts, it's set number and efficiency has nothing to do with it. Demand, measured in "Watts", over time is measured in "Watt hours" (Wh). Example, a 10 HP motor will draw 7.64kW. That motor in one hour, at a full constant load will use 7.46kW hours (consumption) of electricity. What Paul was saying is the new (well 4 years ago...) fan guns only use 15 HP (11.190 kW) each, which is 40% less kW than the old system of having huge compressors that would feed all the fan guns compressed air. The new guns compress the air themselves, and by doing that are 40% more electrically efficiently than using one central source of compressed air for all the guns. Which is unrelated to the pumps for the water, that both the old and new system still need.

  • @caine-chow
    @caine-chow 4 года назад +1

    for the water distribution, how do you keep it from freezing?

    • @timmyteabag69
      @timmyteabag69 3 года назад +2

      You keep it flowing, water doesn’t freeze easy when it’s moving at a high rate of speed

  • @jeremiahblocker8909
    @jeremiahblocker8909 8 лет назад +38

    Where can I buy this machine?

  • @mike1022
    @mike1022 7 лет назад +5

    whats the avg cost of running one of these per hour ?

  • @Michener215
    @Michener215 4 года назад +1

    How do they stop the pipes or hoses from freezing?

    • @mikeo3428
      @mikeo3428 2 года назад

      The water at my hill is pumped out at 5 degrees celsius. The water is warm enough when traveling through the hose to keep it from freezing. If the pump fails and water sits idle in the hose, its a different story.

    • @mikeo3428
      @mikeo3428 2 года назад

      Pipes are underground and our system sucks the pipe dry when you shut the water off.

  • @alexmurdoch3828
    @alexmurdoch3828 3 года назад +1

    How do they prevent the pipes from freezing?

    • @Hexarth
      @Hexarth Год назад

      when the pumps aren't running the water drains back into the lake, leaving empty pipes

  • @davejohnsen8540
    @davejohnsen8540 5 лет назад +1

    Just watched a new Marines recruit video before this and was waiting for this guy to start yelling at me!

  • @antingchang3258
    @antingchang3258 7 лет назад +1

    9:14 ya, one of the pump's packing is fucked lol

  • @austintousant8595
    @austintousant8595 7 лет назад +5

    How does the water lines not freeze

    • @SlopeEdge
      @SlopeEdge  7 лет назад +8

      As long as the water is pumping through they will not freeze in most cases. The danger is when the power goes out and the pumps stop, the snowmaking crews have very little time to disconnect the hoses and drain the water before the snowguns get damaged. Because of that, it becomes dangerous and risky to do snowmaking as it gets extremely cold (-20'c and beyond).

    • @raysimeral4296
      @raysimeral4296 6 лет назад

      The water lines from the lake to pump house and from pump house to each gun station is buried in the ground over two feet deep. Than has a lateral from main water line connected to a hydrant that has drains on the bottom of them which are also buried .

    • @raysimeral4296
      @raysimeral4296 6 лет назад +2

      The ski resort I work at has 103 automated pole cats and techno alpine system. That have back up batteries that work a e- motor that sits on hydrant that shuts them off and drains

    • @mike99ify
      @mike99ify 6 лет назад +2

      I’m a snow maker and a piston bully operator. The lines do freeze sometimes. Gotta get out there and unfreeze them. 300psi water 90pst air and 480volts all in one little spot. I love my job.

  • @edv9019
    @edv9019 4 года назад

    Where can I learn about equipment, operational costs, production efficiency, snow quality differentials of spraying steam vs liquid water???🤔

  • @BuffaloBuffaloQuasar
    @BuffaloBuffaloQuasar 9 лет назад +6

    Cool.

  • @ellstackeradventures
    @ellstackeradventures 5 лет назад

    Cool

  • @gregschulz4921
    @gregschulz4921 6 лет назад

    Interesting

  • @JohnS916
    @JohnS916 4 года назад +2

    That was informative. It would be ideal if they could power those big electric motors with renewable energy, like wind power.

  • @jaggass
    @jaggass 6 лет назад +55

    It would make my life at university more comfortable if i had this instead of the other snowflakes there.

  • @chriscook215
    @chriscook215 6 лет назад

    Your saving money with your new system. Are you lowering the price of the tickets for your place?

  • @amazingjourneyrider5151
    @amazingjourneyrider5151 5 лет назад

    IS THIS POSSIBLE IN TERAI REGION?

  • @RealtorSkool
    @RealtorSkool 6 лет назад

    How much did this system cost???

  • @krisconneely5977
    @krisconneely5977 4 года назад

    How do we donate please

    • @SlopeEdge
      @SlopeEdge  4 года назад

      What are you inquiring to donate to?

  • @alfredwilliam1184
    @alfredwilliam1184 5 лет назад

    Very impressive, thank you for a great insight into stopping the global warming scam.

  • @BallerDan53
    @BallerDan53 4 года назад +1

    Is no one concerned about the large water leak? 9:10

  • @leonst99
    @leonst99 6 лет назад +1

    With TechnoAlpin equipment you can start making snow even at temperatures above 0 degrees.

    • @ewanachard4133
      @ewanachard4133 6 лет назад

      With smi too if you speek in wet temperature

  • @neeko6464
    @neeko6464 6 лет назад +7

    this must have been such a joke to the snowmakers to see these guys talking about this lol

  • @stevedoe1630
    @stevedoe1630 5 лет назад

    Lifting water was the main driving factor for the invention of the heat engine. Water is heavy. This is not lifting water out of a well. This is lifting 2,000 gallons of water up a mountain every minute for up to a week at a time, nonstop...that’s a lot of work/energy.

  • @ndutimenang4539
    @ndutimenang4539 8 лет назад +2

    I want that machine

  • @kimberly1567
    @kimberly1567 5 лет назад +1

    Some interesting content to a limited audience that just doesnt want to watch so many ad's from a greedy person with only 1.78K subs. Greed never wins

  • @mightymotoxkid
    @mightymotoxkid 6 лет назад +7

    So many Jerry's in the background

  • @81794mn
    @81794mn 6 лет назад +2

    Might want to fix your seal leaking on your shaft from your electrical motor on that water pump....

  • @LegendLength
    @LegendLength 6 месяцев назад

    It would seem better to have a water tank at each pump. That way you wouldn't need any central high pressure system.

  • @paydenrivera9041
    @paydenrivera9041 9 лет назад

    do ya not have cooling towers?

  • @markdezuba
    @markdezuba 4 года назад +1

    Snow is time released water

  • @funkylosik
    @funkylosik 7 лет назад

    That intro, lol)

  • @brandonc3956
    @brandonc3956 Год назад

    I’m interviewing to do this job later and I figured I’d get a better hourly pay if I made it sound like I knew what I was doing 🤣

  • @goldenretriever6261
    @goldenretriever6261 6 лет назад +2

    He keeps calling it a mountain. Calabogie is a speed bump.

  • @JF2it
    @JF2it 2 года назад

    You may be able to set up for Mtb bikes to help get through the other 265 days.🤷‍♂️

  • @anthony9343
    @anthony9343 5 лет назад +6

    Not enough footage of the snow blowers actually running

  • @dietrichcheney8258
    @dietrichcheney8258 7 лет назад +4

    Powder Mountain UT does not even have snow makers and their yearly average is 500".

    • @jondstewart
      @jondstewart 6 лет назад +1

      Dietrich Cheney I haven’t been to that one, but know it’s a lot grittier and non-touristy that the main six as I call them (Alta, Snowbird, Park City, Deer Valley, Brighton, Solitude)

  • @clevelandbci9562
    @clevelandbci9562 3 года назад

    You couldn't turn one on up close??????

    • @timmyteabag69
      @timmyteabag69 3 года назад

      You wouldn’t be able to hear anything they are extremely loud

  • @tylerwatt12
    @tylerwatt12 8 лет назад +1

    Jeez that's still 11KW per snow maker.

    • @LeossJ433
      @LeossJ433 8 лет назад

      yeah nothing environmentally green about this whole operation..

    • @jamie91433
      @jamie91433 8 лет назад

      Tyler Watthanaphand nope, not enough snow.

  • @MikeMarchlik
    @MikeMarchlik 6 лет назад

    Why doesnt the water freeze and burst the pipes?

    • @zachcarter1191
      @zachcarter1191 6 лет назад +4

      Mike Marchlik all the underground pipe is below the frost level. Also as long as the water is constantly flowing it won’t freeze

  • @nickdawn3985
    @nickdawn3985 4 года назад +3

    He lost me when he tried to tell me that artificial snow is better..... just a guy who has a ski resort with not enough snow. Just explain how it's done and don't try to sell people bs. I never liked artificial snow and when it's not packed it's like skiing on glue.

  • @jeremyu3773
    @jeremyu3773 4 года назад

    6:30-7:24 for those who really want to know 🤓

  • @ILIK3HATERZ
    @ILIK3HATERZ 6 лет назад

    I'll buy 1 just for the 45 acres of land I purchased !

  • @WhiteBuffalo032
    @WhiteBuffalo032 4 года назад +2

    Well that does explain the extremely overpriced lift tickets

  • @harrycarrey1225
    @harrycarrey1225 6 лет назад

    I live in Hawaii and they dont make snow here ...so we dont get to go skiing.

  • @donroo736
    @donroo736 2 года назад

    I wonder what has more gas, those fan guns or the presenter hehehe