Technology

The near public hysteria centered on the catchword “ecology” will be felt even more strongly in ski areas this season. While little public outcry results when hundreds of miles of timber are cut and bulldozed to build an interstate highway, the conservationists scream when a 4,000-foot-long, 200-foot-wide ski trail is cut. In a number of sections of the U.S.A., legislation prohibits the burning of trees. Water usage requires specific approval in certain regions. The area operator must keep his expansion and development plans in harmony with these new requirements. Publicity should be given to those ski areas where preservation of the natural environment has been a concern for years before “ecology” became a catchword. Look at the small area in Massachusetts where extensive evergreen plantings were started years ago. Al DeGrace, at Mt. Watatic, planted thousands of spruce seedlings which are now several feet high. His definite plan to transpose this mountain from poor hardwood cover to green conifers is well underway.

Airless Snowmaking

Belleayre Ski Center in New York’s Catskills has spent the past season testing and evaluating the Wollin airless snowmaker. These 7½ h.p. units have operated from sub-zero temperatures to near freezing temperatures. At zero temperatures, over 20 g.p.m. water were converted to snow. At temperatures in the mid-20s, production dropped to about 6 g.p.m. Units were both skidmounted (near the ground) and boommounted. A nearly complete absence of freeze-ups was reported and the units are extremely quiet. Dispersion of the snow when there is no wind leaves a great deal to be desired, but for an area where temperatures in the low 20s on down are prevalent, and where snow dispersion does not present a problem, the concept appears feasible. Power distribution and relocation of the snowmakers will require detailed study for any area contemplating using these snowmakers.

Tests conducted on a more limited scale in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania (Big Boulder and Camelback) showed lower operating temperatures were vital for successful operation, resulting in a preference for conventional air-water systems when making snow at 26 – 32 deg. F.

1970 Lift Construction—additional data

Lifts installed by Mueller Ltd., of Vernon, B.C., were inadvertently omitted from the February issue’s 10th annual survey of new lift and area construction.

With the new data, lift construction in Canada totaled 21 surface lifts and nine chairlifts, 13,700 VTFH. This brings the North American construction totals to 45 surface lifts and 86 chairlifts, with total VTFH at 68,700.

Mueller’s share of the 19ft market was slightly more than 10 per cent in terms of VTFH and places the company in fourth spot.

The lifts omitted are as follows: