There are many forms of snow: From ice crystals falling from the sky to a soft powdery blanket that carpets the ground beneath our feet. Personally, we love seeing the freshly groomed snow glistening on our ski slopes - the more the better! At the Bad Kleinkirchheim Ski Resort, however, Jack Frost isn’t the only one responsible for our snow production. Our master snow technicians, 800 snow machines and specialised computer software also do their part.
A master snow technician: Sounds like a pretty fun job right? It’s actually very technically demanding and challenging! After all, it takes much more than the simple push of a button to jump-start operations. In addition to plenty of specialised training, master snow technicians need to be extremely familiar with the equipment, its proper maintenance, and the science behind building up snow cover. Then there are all the meteorological conditions that also play a role: In such cases, one typically refers to the ‘wet-bulb temperature’: the combination of temperatures and high humidity. Once the right weather conditions are in place, snow production can begin and this is where our snowmaking systems come into play!
In Bad Kleinkirchheim, we rely on numerous snow lances as well as propeller machines. The former are permanently installed on the ski slopes and operate with a compressor. As for the latter, the low-pressure propeller machines are mobile and generate their own airflow with the help of a built-in propeller. In any case, both machine types have one thing in common: they transform the mix of water and air inside into fine snow crystals, which are expelled at high pressure from the machine and fall gently onto the slopes. Et voilà.
Snow at the push of a button! Once the ground is covered in white, your perfect day of skiing in Bad Kleinkirchheim can begin!
