Snowmaking for Clubs - USSA
Snowmaking for Clubs - USSA
Snowmaking for Clubs - USSA
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<strong>Snowmaking</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Clubs</strong><br />
HKD Snowmakers<br />
Mark Horton
About HKD Snowmakers<br />
§<br />
Founded in 1990, HKD Snowmakers has over 400 Customers worldwide. <br />
§ Our Mission is to remain the industry leader in energy efficient, user <br />
friendly snowmaking soluBons. <br />
§ HKD Snowmakers is the Official <strong>Snowmaking</strong> Supplier to the U.S. Ski <br />
Team. <br />
§ We love to ski and ride <br />
on the product we make.
HKD’s Offer<br />
§ To work closely with the Club and training facility,<br />
to assist in the process of engineer the most<br />
effective and compatible snowmaking solution.<br />
§ To help clubs confidently deliver early season<br />
terrain <strong>for</strong> their athletes, utilizing efficient and<br />
af<strong>for</strong>dable snowmaking solutions.
2011 Notable Projects<br />
!<br />
!<br />
Loon Mountain, NH 610 Impulse Towers <br />
StraJon Mountain, VT 300 SV10 and Impulse Towers <br />
Gore Mountain, NY 130 SV10 and Impulse Towers <br />
!<br />
Copper Mountain, CO<br />
US Ski Team <br />
Breckenridge, CO <br />
87 Fully AutomaBc SV10 <br />
and Impulse Towers <br />
15 Fully AutomaBc Impulse <br />
Towers, 150 Manual Towers <br />
Holiday Valley, NY 28 Fully AutomaBc SV10 <br />
and Impulse Towers <br />
Camelback, PA 40 Semi AutomaBc Fan guns <br />
and 50 SV10 and Focus Towers
Benefits of Club <strong>Snowmaking</strong><br />
• Athletes increase time on the snow.<br />
• Tremendous marketing value to bolster<br />
enrollment in club/academy.<br />
• Revenue opportunity through rental of<br />
early season training space/lanes.<br />
• Extends the season <strong>for</strong> club affiliated retail<br />
stores, food and beverage, lodging, and<br />
lessons.
That’s great but…<br />
Other Energy<br />
Needs<br />
<strong>Snowmaking</strong> represents<br />
67% of a resort’s<br />
winter energy expense<br />
33%<br />
67%<br />
<strong>Snowmaking</strong><br />
Energy Demand
TradiBonal <br />
Air/Water <br />
<strong>Snowmaking</strong> 101<br />
-Tools of the Trade-<br />
Low Energy <br />
Air/Water <br />
Electric<br />
Fan
A lot of Energy & Ef<strong>for</strong>t
<strong>Snowmaking</strong> Costs (per acre foot)<br />
Bottom-‐line: <br />
26° F - 28° F Wetbulb<br />
$349<br />
$2,424<br />
Low-‐Energy air/water <br />
& fans are the most <br />
effective way to <br />
achieve significant <br />
operational savings. <br />
24° F - 26° F Wetbulb<br />
$328<br />
$218<br />
$208<br />
$891<br />
$1,238<br />
Air/Water Gun<br />
Fan Snowgun<br />
HKD SV10201<br />
20° F - 24° F Wetbulb<br />
$174<br />
Approximately “6” <br />
times more expensive <br />
to run traditional air/<br />
water in marginal <br />
temps. <br />
11° F - 19° F Wetbulb<br />
$176<br />
$402<br />
$121<br />
$135<br />
$272<br />
Below 10° F Wetbulb<br />
$85<br />
$135<br />
$0 $500 $1,000 $1,500 $2,000 $2,500
Air/Water Tower (Breckenridge, CO)
Air/Water Towers (Crested Butte, CO)
Air/Water Towers (Steamboat, CO)
Air/Water Portable (Aspen, CO)
Tower Fan (Camelback, PA)
Portable Fan (Buttermilk, CO)
Just Make us Some Snow
Reality of Alpine Resorts<br />
• Availability of resources: air, water, energy,<br />
& labor.<br />
• Challenge of early season snowmaking<br />
temperatures.<br />
• Access to efficient & effective snowgun<br />
technology.<br />
• Balancing the priority between the Club’s<br />
needs and that of the Public.
Partnership with Operations<br />
• Mutually beneficial relationship with<br />
mountain operations is key.<br />
• Understand the limitations of their<br />
snowmaking plant.
U.S. Ski Team Speed Center
U.S. Ski Team Speed Center<br />
-Copper Mountain-<br />
• Only early season, full length downhill training run in the<br />
world.<br />
• Nearly 2 miles long with 2,300’ of vertical drop.<br />
• 100 acre feet of snow needed.<br />
• 40 football fields covered with 2 feet of snow<br />
• 18 M gallons of water<br />
• Limited snowmaking temps be<strong>for</strong>e Thanksgiving.<br />
• Annual opening date of November 1 st.
Here’s How They Got it Done
HKD KLIK Automation
HKD KLIK Automation
Independent Control
U.S. Ski Team Speed Center<br />
-Copper Mountain-
Mission Accomplished
Nordic Solutions<br />
• Top 3 Priorities: “Water, water, water”<br />
• The majority of your capital cost is in pumping and pipe.<br />
• Strategic pipe placement is key to effect maximum<br />
terrain.
HKD Super Blizzard (Trapps, VT)
HKD Turbo Fan (Trapps, VT)
<strong>Snowmaking</strong> Checklist<br />
-Alpine & Nordic-<br />
• Amount of terrain being covered.<br />
• Depth of snow needed.<br />
• Average temperatures.<br />
• Desired date <strong>for</strong> opening terrain.<br />
• Gallons of water available on the trail.<br />
• CFM of air available on the trail.<br />
• Snowguns being used on the trail and their<br />
respective per<strong>for</strong>mance curves.
Interesting Factoid<br />
The world’s highest automated snowgun (we think)<br />
is installed at Copper Mountain.
Mark Horton<br />
Contact In<strong>for</strong>mation<br />
617 Osgood Hill Road<br />
West<strong>for</strong>d, VT 05494<br />
(802) 735-5285<br />
Mark@HKDsnowmakers.com<br />
www.HKDsnowmakers.com
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