Operation Better Snow
To anyone who wants Sugarbush to draw more skiers,
Hello, I've been skiing Sugarbush an average of 30 times a year for more then 22 years now. I've also been a perfect turn instructor at Sugarbush and Killington as well as an Instructor for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport at Sugarbush for 4 years. I'm also a pilot and have a strong interest in Meteorology.
About 3 years ago I suggested that Sugarbush Snowguns should be turned up at the top of the mountain and they should be on especially during snowstorms. The first part of this was done for that year, It was for the '97-'98 season and you had more snow from any snowstorm then any other mountain in Vermont. Since then you've gone back to your old ways. You seem to be loosing interest in natural snow.
Basically aiming the snowguns up at the top of the mountain and using them during snowstorms gives you more snow and a better surface for a few reasons. One is that the air is pushed up which means it gets colder and any decrease in the air temperature causes more snow since the amount of water that air can hold is directly related to it's temperature. Snowmakers seed the air by giving water particles something to form around. Since it takes longer for the snow flakes to hit the ground they grow in size and don't form what I call man made ice like they do if you point the guns down.
There is another way to increase snowfall and the feel of the snow under your skis. Sugarbush is in the best position in all of New England to do it. Everyone who skis knows that mountains tend to get more snow then valleys. This is because air lifts up as it travels from the Champlain Valley to Waitsfield. As air rises it cools an average of two degrees for every thousand feet from sea level and greater the higher up you go. The amount of water that air holds is inversely proportional to the temperature. As air cools it releases more water and so the mountains get more snow. If you want more snow the most important thing is to figure out how to give air a lift.
As I stated in my introduction, I have skied at Sugarbush for more then 22 years. For the last 10 of them I have been convinced that you can increase the snowfall whenever there is a snowstorm and probably even on those days when it is almost snowing but not quite. Nature just needs a hand. The air rushes over the mountain and all it needs is a little direction. It is already headed up because of the mountain and nature will keep it going in the same direction as long as it can.
The air in a weather system is a big mass that likes to stay together. Think of it as a mass of slime and when it hits the mountains, the slime at lower elevations has to rush up the mountain in order to catch up with the slime that is zipping over the top. This is the main cause of the increased winds at the top of the mountain.
Air is lazy and it likes to take the path of least resistance so when it reaches the top, it curls over. Why not persuade it want to continue up? This could be done by putting an air ramp or jump at the top of the mountain. I'm not suggesting building anything that will need permits. You can make these jumps with snow and ice.
For example, look at a snowboard half pipe. This would be easy to create at the top of the mountain. You could take the snow cat with the attachment that makes the half pipe to the top of organ grinder. Actually, just above it on the top of the mountain. See the pictures at the top. They are of places at both North and South that would be perfect for this. The air ramps should have a kicker on top (vertical portion) Bring up some extra snow and make a half a half pipe facing lake Champlain with a slight bend at either end to catch the wind better if it happens to be out of the southwest or northwest.
If this is done you will find that the wind will be lifted up. How high it will go is the only question but even if it only goes a couple hundred feet further it will add a couple inches of new snow to each snowstorm. A couple of inches doesn't sound like much but it adds up. To build the air ramps you will probably need to bring some more snow up to where this will be because the winds at the top tend to blow the snow off. You will also want to spray the halfpipe with water when you're done to make it even more slippery and stronger. This won't be that difficult and I think you will be pleased with the results (and all the skiers will like it as well).
Make the jumps if you can, keep the snow guns up and on during storms and good things will come of it. This is the most economical form of snowmaking that you can do and it will draw more skiers and make Sugarbush a more profitable ski area.
The primary focus of a ski area should be the skiing. If that's good, everything else will fall into place.
You can contact me at anytime if you wish. My address is nojunk4@hotmail.com.
Thanks for taking the time to read this,
Will Ploof