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Glencoe Snowmaking - Crowd Funding Appeal

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'll be chipping in. Seems a long shot for this winter but good luck to them:

https://www.pledgesports.org/projects/glencoe-mountain-snow-making-project/
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Massive news and hats off to Glencoe. If smaller ski areas can make it work then so can they..
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
This is very progressive and ambitious, however at £320k it's a lot to source through crowdfunding. Reading the information it looks like it will be used to keep the nursery slopes open throughout the season and not the more interesting pistes on the upper mountain.
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On youTube there are
clips of the TechnoAlpin Snow Factory being used in Whakapapa, New Zealand (and elsewhere - I don't think the action in the clip is in NZ). Does seem to work, though I don't know what weather conditions they had at the time.

The interview on the crowdfunding site does suggest that, as well as the beginners' area, the snow created might be used during the season to patch other runs. I haven't seen any details about the costs of operating the Snow Factory anywhere. Hopefully it would bring in more business than it costs to run.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Not very eco-friendly.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Good luck to them. I'll be chipping in too.

Quote:

Not very eco-friendly


They reckon 'new technology means power usage of the unit is relatively low. We also plan to use the unit as little as possible. It will be a great backup for when nature doesn't provide. Last season we used much more diesel snow farming than we would have done running the Snowfactory. Future plans at the resort include a hydro scheme so eventually we will make our own power.'
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Crowdfunding? Isn't that what lift ticket revenue is for???
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Hope it succeeds. I have now chipped in my bit
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
swiftoid wrote:
Good luck to them. I'll be chipping in too.

Quote:

Not very eco-friendly


They reckon 'new technology means power usage of the unit is relatively low. We also plan to use the unit as little as possible. It will be a great backup for when nature doesn't provide. Last season we used much more diesel snow farming than we would have done running the Snowfactory. Future plans at the resort include a hydro scheme so eventually we will make our own power.'


You cannae brake the laws of physics, as a famous Scotsman said.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
essex wrote:
Crowdfunding? Isn't that what lift ticket revenue is for???


Not with 32 days skiing last year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
espri wrote:
On youTube there are
clips of the TechnoAlpin Snow Factory being used in Whakapapa, New Zealand (and elsewhere - I don't think the action in the clip is in NZ). Does seem to work, though I don't know what weather conditions they had at the time..


Indeed. The clips of the guy talking is in Whakapapa but the clips of the machine in action are not.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Quote:
Crowdfunding? Isn't that what lift ticket revenue is for?....Not with 32 days skiing last year.

I'm assuming you're not aware of the set of up at Glencoe ski area Essex??

It's not a "ski resort" as such - it's a tiny, basic ski area (the first to open in Scotland, 50 or 60 years ago), 40 mins from the nearest town, with no accommodation at the base other than a few basic cabins and a camp site.

Lift infrastructure is also basic, some of it no doubt dating back to the dawn of Scottish skiing. Although there is a two person chair that takes you up to the snowline, the only chair serving the pistes is a slow and ancient single seater. Other than that, there are 5 or 6 drag lifts.

However....the scenery is fantastic and the skiing is great, with some challenging slopes, including the fearsome Flypaper black run - Scotland's steepest on-piste run and very steep by any ski area's standards.

As mentioned, last season was a disaster for all 5 Scottish ski areas - the snow was generally terrible to non-existent. There were some good ski days from time to time but the snow just never hung about on a consistent basis.

Having said that, Glencoe generally has a pretty good snow record and a season that can stretch into May.The owner of the mountain has done fantastic work to make a good go of the ski area - he has put in a new drag lift that has massively improved lower slope capacity; work is underway on an additional chairlift to improve access to the upper mountain; the cabin accommodation at the base has been introduced; the base station cafe stays open into the evening; mountain bike trails have been built to attract summer visitors; and a zip wire is planned on the same basis.

So crowd funding it is Smile
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Small cheeky bump for this.

Hopefully can get this project off the ground.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
The. Sin thing about this is it is a good idea.

All too often it is very cold but not enough snow. This would be excellent for that.

Other times it is snowing but then rains and it gets washed away, only to turn really cold and everyone saying.... if only it hadn't rained it would be great.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Fantastic.

The biggest news for U.K. Skiing since the Glenshee Tiger chair replacement. snowHead
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
£17,080 out of £320,000 so far Smile
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
GlasgowCyclops wrote:
The. Sin thing about this is it is a good idea.

All too often it is very cold but not enough snow. This would be excellent for that.

Other times it is snowing but then rains and it gets washed away, only to turn really cold and everyone saying.... if only it hadn't rained it would be great.


Sounds like the Alps
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
carsey wrote:
£17,080 out of £320,000 so far Smile


Rumour is that HIE are about to gift Cairngorm / Natural Retreats the full 750k for a snow factory machine next month...
Despite them already having used public funds to methodically destroy Coire na Ciste over last 10 years.

The crowd funding appeal might be pre-emptive protest at inequality of funding among the five Scottish ski areas wink
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Hopefully not. Although it wouldnt surprise me in the slightest.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
That would be scandalous Evil or Very Mad
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Haggis_Trap wrote:
carsey wrote:
£17,080 out of £320,000 so far Smile


Rumour is that HIE are about to gift Cairngorm / Natural Retreats the full 750k for a snow factory machine next month...
Despite them already having used public funds to methodically destroy Coire na Ciste over last 10 years.

The crowd funding appeal might be pre-emptive protest at inequality of funding among the five Scottish ski areas wink

To quote Parkswatch....

Natural Retreats cut costs at Cairngorm in the first year they owned it by over £400k
At the same time administrative costs increased by over £300k sucking money out of Cairngorm into another company owned by the Natural Retreats group
Natural Retreats, owners of CML, have huge debts to a hedge fund manager which are rapidly increasing – on paper its a financial basket case
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