 Poster: A snowHead
|
Just watching live WC skiing program on Eurosport. Reporter suggests they are taking 'desperate measures' to save to course. Recent + warm temps have seriously affected the area. They are just preparing for the second run they have resorted to spraying chemicals on the slope to drop the temp (endothermic, or that's what the commentator stated). The surrounding area appears snow free, except for the pistes. They appear to be skiing on slush ! Very steep piste but it's a 'dead surface' hence the spraying. The later racers in the 2nd run (ie the current leaders) may be disadvantaged. Its a much straighter run the 2nd time down, so that may help.
This is only February but I'm glad I'm not spending my ski holiday in that area!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
They are continuing to apply the chemicals (ammonium nitrate) during the race.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
its Just water and salt they are adding to the piste, the same stuff the put on pretzels
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| papasmurf wrote: |
| its Just water and salt they are adding to the piste, the same stuff the put on pretzels |
That's what Austrian television reported (indeed, one of the reporters ate some of the salt). The skiers said (after the first run) that the course wasn't too bad apart from breaking up at a few gates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| papasmurf wrote: |
| its Just water and salt they are adding to the piste, the same stuff the put on pretzels |
On Eurosport they reported amonium nitrate (fertilizer). They were spraying a slush onto their slope then hand adding the chemical.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I was there Saturday and Sunday. Yes they were spaying the course extensively on Sunday between the first and second run, and at times between racers during the second run. Conditions on Sunday were however much better than on Saturday. On Saturday it was very warm, and anyone with a first run start number above about 10 had no chance whatsoever. The course was totally cooked by about 10:30. Temps stayed constant (and quite a bit colder) throughout Sunday. Conditions were much more consistant throughout throughout the race.
The pictures looked really bad, through, with just a white strip and green all around. Bear in mind that the mountain that the slalom was held on tops out at about 960 m. There is more snow higher up in the region.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| BMF_Skier wrote: |
| On Eurosport they reported amonium nitrate (fertilizer). They were spraying a slush onto their slope then hand adding the chemical. |
defo just water and salt, you can use the same process to cool wine, or at BBQs keeping your beer cold in an ice bath.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I can understand how ammonium nitrate works - but if you are saying sodium chloride was used, I don't understand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
salt reduces the freezing point of water, so I presume in terms of piste prep the water at a tempt below minus helps bind to the exisiting snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are 7 or 8 different things they can put to snow to make it "freeze". Salt is one of them, fertilizer is another, and then there's few more. It depends on snow, temperatures humidity etc. what they will use. But no matter what you do, you pretty much destroy snow in long run (exactly what happened after combi slaloms for races on Saturday and especially on Sunday). I don't know what they were using yesterday, even though I was standing on course  But problem was, that especially in middle part of course (bottom section of steep part), they had huge problems with snow. They purred whole lot of water for combi SL races, and there wasn't enough cold, that water would freeze below surface. This way (with added chemicals) they got about 5cm deep frozen surface and totally rotten snow under it. You could see that, when Pieren tried to drill course, and first few centimeters were ok, but then drill just dropped to bottom.
Saturday SL went through normally, since women never ski the way men do, so it didn't even look that bad. With men races, it's totally different. They ski with a whole lot more power, forces working on snow are whole lot different, and therefore holes on course are whole lot bigger... and they are there a whole lot faster. So higher up on course, conditions were everything but great.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
They must be gutted that sods law, within hours of it finishing the temps drop and it snows again properly for the 1st time in ages.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Ammonium nitrate is used (amongst other things) the hydration of ammonium nitrate is an endothermic process (i.e. it pulls heat from its surroundings) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium_nitrate this is why it assists the freezing process. It is also why some farmers don't object too much to artificial snow making as it makes for lush grass growth in the spring (fertiliser). However, it builds up in ground waters and causes pollution in other areas of the ecosystem and this is why environmentalists have big problems with it. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hitler would never have let this happen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| BMF_Skier wrote: |
| They are continuing to apply the chemicals (ammonium nitrate) during the race. |
What? Were they after some gay sex.......?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
