Snowmaking on Kreischberg
Kreischberg has made a name for itself over many years as a ski resort with guaranteed snow and an efficient snowmaking system. A great deal is regularly invested in this system in order to produce technical snow even more efficiently and energy-consciously.
The “heart” of the snowmaking system on Kreischberg is the large reservoir which is located at 1,800 metres above sea level and holds 250,000 m³ of water, making it the largest snowmaking pond in Styria.
115 km of pipelines have been laid into the slopes and supply 196 snow machines. In addition, a cooling tower system was installed in 2014 to cool the water for snowmaking and thus increase its efficiency.
With this powerful snowmaking system, it is possible to cover over 90 percent of the ski area (approx. 140 hectares in total) with snow in just a few cold days!
How the snowmaking system works
Technical snow is the basis for optimum snow conditions in the ski area. Kreischberg has one of the most efficient snowmaking facilities in Austria. A snowmaking system essentially consists of three parts:
Reservoir
The reservoir fills up over the summer months through natural inflow and precipitation. This means that no water has to be pumped up from the valley, and the location high up on the mountain also saves energy costs for snowmaking.
Pumps/ pipelines/ hydrants
To distribute the water on the mountain, there are hydrants where snow guns can be connected with a hose. Hydrants are sometimes next to the slopes.
Snow guns
WWhen the water reaches the snow gun, the water is finely atomised and then either thrown out with the help of an air jet (“classic snow cannon”), or the water droplets fall to the ground as with a snow lance. In both cases, the water droplets freeze as they move through the cold air. The finished technical snow is then ready for use and guarantees excellent slope conditions.
The snowmaking system is computer-controlled, which means that snow production can be ideally coordinated with the weather conditions. However, technical snow production is only possible at sub-zero temperatures.
Piste grooming
The quality of snow production and slope grooming are the prerequisites for a perfect skiing experience.
Kreischberg regularly receives the highest awards for this quality, for example as part of the “International Ski Area Test” or by the rating portal “skiresort.de”.
In addition to the technical requirements, i.e. modern snowmaking equipment and piste bashers, a team of employees is needed who ensure perfect conditions and satisfied guests every day with a lot of experience, know-how and passion. And we are rightly proud of this team!
Piste grooming
The quality of snow production and slope grooming are the prerequisites for a perfect skiing experience.
Kreischberg regularly receives the highest awards for this quality, for example as part of the “International Ski Area Test” or by the rating portal “skiresort.de”.
In addition to the technical requirements, i.e. modern snowmaking equipment and piste bashers, a team of employees is needed who ensure perfect conditions and satisfied guests every day with a lot of experience, know-how and passion. And we are rightly proud of this team!
