14.6.2013

Hochgurgl relies on TechnoAlpin quality

Hochgurgl in the Ötztal Valley in Tyrol is reputed to be one of the most reliable ski resorts in the Alps for snow. However, the resort still has a snow-making system just to make sure that visitors will find ideal slope conditions at any time of the season.

Now the Scheiber family, operator of the Hochgurgl lift company, has decided to renovate and improve the snow-making system for the coming winter season with the help of TechnoAlpin. The main argument which swung the decision in favor of TechnoAlpin for Mr. Scheiber was being able to source the entire solution from the company as a one-stop supplier.

One phase of the Hochgurgl project for TechnoAlpin is the pipework rebuild at the Gurgler Ache II water catchment, the renovation of the Untergurgl II and Hochgurgl II pumping plants, and the building of several valve pits. The Gurgler Ache water catchment and the Untergurgl II, Hochgurgl I and II and Wurmkogel pumping plants will also involve electrical engineering and the associated instrumentation and control technology.

TechnoAlpin has also been instructed to increase the number of yellow snow guns. Until now the artificial snow in Hochgurgl has been produced by the T60 and M20 fan guns. They are now to be joined by 20 TF10 machines. This the newest and most powerful fan gun to leave the TechnoAlpin factory has been making an impression since its launch last year with its top performance right across the board (in borderline temperatures and at record lows), its vast projection range and, first and foremost, its generation of snow of consistent quality in a wide and diverse range of conditions. Hochgurgl has ordered mobile versions of the TF10 fan guns so that they can be put back in the garage (ideally right at the start of the season) after a spell of snow-making on the slopes.

Last but not least, the control software will also be upgraded in order to be able to operate the refurbished fully automatic system in the best possible way. The ATASS software which has been used until now will be superseded by the current  ATASSplus program. This intelligent software, with which the entire snow-making system can be controlled, from the pumping plants and meteostations right through to the snow guns, is a reliable, user-friendly and low-maintenance platform which is designed to ensure that the available resources are used as efficiently as possible. So TechnoAlpin doesn't merely talk about "energy efficiency" - it is programmed into its system.