How much snow is there at different points? With SNOWsat Z you’ll know exactly! The software displays the snow depth situation across the whole ski resort with an accuracy of up to +/- 3 cm. The system also shows snow guns and anchor points. By calculating and monitoring snow volume, you can optimise the snow groomers’ driving behaviour and optimise snow production throughout the entire season. This improves snow-making measures and saves costs season after season. SNOWsat Z also provides an interface for exchanging snow depth data with the snow-making facilities. This equates to the networking of your ski resort, and individual areas can then be provided with snow and worked on specifically as required. Benefit from a substantial saving potential for water and energy for machine-made snow and avoid damaging the ground and infrastructure.
SNOWsat Z Web software acts as the “heart” of a ski resort’s snow management. Use SNOWsat Z to benefit from a substantial saving potential for water and energy for machine-made snow and avoid damaging the ground and infrastructure.
Overview of SNOWsat Z:
Slope managers and snow production managers can access the snow depth data from anywhere – slopes, office or living room – as snow depth view can be used on all mobile end devices like smartphones and tablets and on all operating systems (Android and iOS).
Required vehicle system: SNOWsat V3
Optimise snow gun use: the production of machine-made snow is one of the biggest cost factors in a ski resort. SNOWsat delivers detailed information on which snow guns need to be activated and when. This enables the resort to optimise use of the snow groomers and produce snow only as needed. An enormous financial advantage, which covers the investment costs in a surprisingly short time.
This is hugely beneficial for slope managers and snow production managers: precise knowledge of snow depth can be used to identify the work required for snow production and snow grooming.
Snow deposits are detected and used at other locations
The position, number and settings of the snow guns can also be analysed precisely and optimised. The resulting efficient management of snow-making facilities during the season not only increases snow quality, but also corresponds to a saving potential of 15 %.
This guarantees total snow cover for the whole season for minimal costs.
Required vehicle system: SNOWsat V3
It is essential for a ski resort to understand the snow reserves and to use them efficiently. Understanding the extent of these reserves and the opportunity for optimal snow distribution is particularly crucial in years with very little snow – a key criterion when deciding whether to buy SNOWsat.
John Burton, Marketing Manager of the Timberline Lodge ski resort on Mount Hood, the only ski resort in North America that is open 12 months of the year:
“SNOWsat enables us to map the freestyle runs much better, because we now know precisely where we have snow and where we need to move it.”
Snow depth measurement is the most important function for Timberline.
“Sometimes you might only have 60 centimetres of snow in one spot and then it’s 6 metres just a couple of steps away. It is vital that we know where these valuable snow deposits are!”
Numerous training camps are held each summer on the Palmer Snowfield – also possible thanks to SNOWsat.
Required vehicle system: SNOWsat V3
Targets can be set for particularly sensitive areas of the ski resort – high-traffic slopes, snow parks, World Cup courses – and the required snow volumes can be defined.
The comparison between actual and target values and the resulting extra snow volumes required can be displayed graphically on the map of the ski resort with the help of SNOWsat.
SNOWsat provides a more detailed view of the actual and target snow values in the defined target areas by displaying the snow data in tables.
The snow machine operators can use this data to identify quickly where and how much snow is needed and to deploy the snow guns accordingly.