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Show ...... .:-'-' ' - I.--.-:-' :iV:-VK.V.r,.-:';;:..., s - -vs - m f V- WW ' - y. '-' JX, I if I x f f 1 V- t - WRKERS ADJUST A SNOW MAKINii MACIIINK a! I ., k '.. ti ...... . -r, Jatlocalskiareas as the resorts patclu,, ba, ot gn,1 ,hW, t- ,,,iU'""M'S ar" b,""" :l " horn! (Snow Shot From Gun Deer Valley and Park West are using SMI systems. According to Wayne Ragland, mountain manager at Park West, the SMI Boyne system is used because it's one of the more energy efficient systems. The old system, used by Sun Valley and several Colorado areas, uses compressed air to mix and then force water, in droplet form, into the air to be frozen. Ragland says the Park West system uses cost-efficient fans, large ones, to blow the water, in droplet form, into the air to freeze as it falls to the ground as snow. "Park West," says Ragland, "has over $400,000 invested in snowmaking. "About the only thing we need to make snow," he says, "is water, air and cold nights.. We make, pur .best snow when the air temperature is around 28 degrees or colder. Primarily, what we use the equipment equip-ment for is to produce a base. Man-made Man-made snow makes a great base . . . man-made snow has a much higher water content than natural snow (40 to 50 percent as compared to 7 for natural) and thus is harder to wear through." The way the SMI Boyne system works is . . . water, under pressure, is sprayed into the air in droplet form. A powerful fan pushes air through the water to help freeze each droplet into snow. "The park West system," Ragland continues, "requires two crews working through the night. On a typical night we will use about 500 gallons of water per minute, or about 360,000 gallons of water per night. More and more ski areas are electing to take a little of the chance sat ml of snowfall. . . that is, they are err ;oing to man-made snow, or, jj. " iterally, snow shot from guns. rj!r "It's getting to where we can't (K fiord to be without it," explains Dick "rost, vice president at Park West ski J, ra in Utah, one of three with wmaking capabilities. "Resorts Et can't take the chance anymore. 11 "One snowless winter can kill a ski ie"'; irea. Last year, for example, was a an year. Many of Utah's resorts lered. We were lucky, we made HW." Sun Valley in Idaho was able to do pits te same. While other resorts in the ii, pern part of the country were wely handicapped, Sun Valley shaving one of its better. seasons,. Sanks to snowmaking." Because of .. last season, and :;dows of the drought year of 1975-.15, 1975-.15, many more resorts are looking to, or planning to build into their feas snowmaking equipment, specially ;out West. Jim Vanderkelen, president of ;sw Machines, Inc. (SMI), wmaking has been a vital part of astern skiing for many years. "It's fcessary at eastern and V eastern areas. Out in the .; Blern part of the country, though, is ; Sere the sudden surge in interest is. ; r West resorts like Park West and Valley are using snowmaking to j i Element their regular snowfall ' f adit works well." ' Wen the ski season opens, Sun 7 lalley will have expanded swmaking capabilities, and so will I prk West. Deer Valley will have the j inning of a new system. |