Fully automated snow making at Ohau is now a reality. At 8.10pm on Tuesday 5th June, the Techno Alpin system burst into operation as the first four of 23 new A30 lances began producing snow. Then as the temperatures continued to drop, further clusters of snow guns began making snow in the still, clear Mackenzie country night air. The lights of the snow guns illuminate the slopes and the plumes of snow making a spectacular sight.The system is fully automated with the snow guns opening up automatically during the night without any need for operator intervention on the mountain.

Mountain manager Craig Ovenden monitored the action on his laptop at home in the Lake Ohau Village and just to make sure it was actually happening as it should, he was able to look out his window to check that the gun lights were on. The system worked perfectly and the Techno System did its job under the cover of the chilly night sky.

With the low temperatures, the guns operated through to 10 am the next day. ‘” If skiers came to the upper slopes today, they’d need snorkels,” announced an exuberant Craig.

The user friendly software is so simple to use. The start up of the pumps and compressors is driven by a signal from the guns that there are at least four of them ready to make snow based on the optimum conditions - 3oC wet bulb temperature (a combination of air temperature and relative humidity) and light winds. The parameters are set for each gun, auto is selected and the snow-making action commences automatically when the conditions are just right.

It is calculated that the system will take around 100 hours to cover the main trail from the top of the chairlift and the learner slopes with 30 cms of snow and that by the 28th of June Ohau will be set to open as planned. Snowmaking continued on Wednesday night.

The project has taken just under 4months to complete, on time and within the $2.2 million budget. “This is an incredibly pleasing achievement and all thanks to excellent contractors, great professionals, an innovative designer, a technically advanced and supportive supplier and a relentless drive from Craig our mountain manager and site project manager”, says Mike Neilson, owner and operator of Ohau Snow Fields.

S123 A3 lance: Techno Alpin snowmaking lance ready for action at Ohau

Ohau Team: Mike Neilson and the development team celebrate the completion of the snowmaking project at Ohau