Thorough planning with data analysis is essential for maintaining efficient operations, no matter your organization. However, ski resorts and other organizations that manage slopes and trails have some unique aspects to consider on a daily basis, including snow measurements, slope and trail conditions, and vehicle deployments. With so many factors in play, maintaining a single data source to manage them all can be a key way to stay ahead of the game. Revolutionize the way your ski resort and trail systems are maintained using SnowSat, an advanced snow management system.
Ski Cat Company offers top-tier PistenBully snow grooming machines for lease. All are SnowSat-compatible, setting our fleet apart from the rest of the snowcat equipment leasing space. Purchasing or leasing a snowcat with SnowSat compatibility can help you enhance your winter business’s efficiency and productivity.
What Is SnowSat, and Why Is It a Game Changer?
SnowSat is an advanced global navigation satellite system (GNSS) as well as a LiDAR-based snow depth and grooming data system.
GNSS and LiDAR
The global navigation satellite system not only allows the driver to guide the associated snowcat but also utilizes light detection and ranging technology, or LiDAR, to gauge snow depth. This technology utilizes specialized light-detection sensors to provide an accurate measurement of snow depth. Together, these systems enable the user to identify areas of snow misplacement (reservations), which proves helpful for boosting productivity and protecting the environment.
The GNSS also features fleet management controls, utilizing the satellite system to monitor all vehicles currently in use, including snow groomers, as well as other vehicles such as quads and cars. This enables users to determine areas where work is needed.
GIS
Another crucial feature of SnowSat is the Geo Information System (GIS), which provides real-time information on snow depth and density on both slopes and trails. GIS also provides current information regarding the spatial data necessary for operating a ski resort.
For example, information concerning slope edges and conditions, the position of snow guns, snow groomer anchor points, road conditions, and buildings is all covered by the system. This data can be collected, managed, and maintained via the network to ensure that all team members are updated on information critical to daily operations.
Intuitive UI
SnowSat also has an easy-to-use user interface that improves communication for operators. With this interface, an operator can easily assess the data to make cost-effective, data-driven decisions while grooming. As a result, snow depth measurement and snow management tools can help prepare slopes and facilitate planning to create ideal conditions.
The SnowSat can also be utilized to form grooming patterns that enhance efficiency and conserve resources through snow measurements and other relevant data.
By utilizing real-time snow measurements, operators can identify areas with minimal snow, allowing them to redistribute snow to those locations, thereby creating a stable slope safe for skiers.
With SnowSat, operators can create ideal grooming patterns featuring smooth and even surfaces, addressing areas where more snow is needed and eliminating areas with too much snow.
Benefits of Data-Driven Grooming
Access to data during grooming enables operators to make data-driven decisions, conserve resources, and save money.
Here are some of the key benefits of data-driven grooming:
Optimized Snow Management
With the help of SnowSat’s technology, the even distribution of snow is possible every day. Current snow depth and ongoing data analysis help target planning for snowmaking and snow grooming alike. Not only are your resources utilized in an efficient way, but the surface of the snow is even and smooth as a result.
Optimize snow management as you create high-quality slopes, all while reducing the resources used. Preparing before the slopes open to skiers is easier since you can plan the snow depth for each area and set target values to be achieved during grooming. During the ski season, operators can continue to set these target values while monitoring snow conditions in real-time.
Impact Reduction
Additionally, SnowSat Snow Management can help you reduce costs and your impact on the environment at the same time. Targeted planning reduces snowmaking needs for the resort and helps you minimize your environmental impact. Because you know the precise amount of snow that is needed for each area, you can save on costs and fuel usage.
Improved Trail Safety and Quality
SnowSat snow measurement gives you a clear picture of the whole area’s snow conditions. Therefore, you can see where more snow is needed as well as areas of overage. As a result, you can prevent over- or under-groomed areas and improve skier safety.
With the help of satellite-guided positioning data, you can achieve consistent conditions for skiers and snowboarders. This is possible by monitoring current snow conditions, such as the amount of snow on the slopes and trails, as well as the condition of the ski slopes. Tracking the locations of vehicles and other equipment is also possible, adding an extra safety net for skiers, snowboarders, and employees alike.
Increased Operational Efficiency
With SnowSat analysis software, all employees have access to the same information. The result is optimized workflows and routes for vehicles, as the vehicle data and snow measurements are laid out in detail on the resort’s map. With seamless workflows, operators can reduce the number of hours required to complete snow grooming.
Fleet management enables the tracking of all vehicles’ locations and provides directions on which areas require attention. An understanding of the precise amount of snow in each area also helps you make decisions regarding grooming. As mentioned, with this information, you can reserve fuel and minimize costs, plus extend the life of your machines.
SnowSat in Action: Proof from the Field
PistenBully’s SnowSat also provides effective snow management for mountain lifts, bringing all areas of operation onto one digital platform that is always expanding. SnowSat digital solutions bridge the gap between software and hardware systems across different operational aspects, keeping all data in a single central location. It serves as a connection between employees, data concerning the current snow conditions, and the necessary workflows.
SnowSat proves its value in practice in several ways. First, it revolutionizes snow depth measurement with SnowSat LiDAR, which has significantly aided in optimizing all aspects of the process. With this technology, our partners agree that “decisions [are] based much more on facts,” including decisions on how much snow must be created or where it must be removed and/or added. Before this technology was developed, partners stated that this assessment was “done much more by gut feeling.”
SnowSat has proven extremely valuable in snow grooming, as it is both effective and reliable. Grooming snow is intricate work, especially when there is not as much snow available to work with. If only a thin cover of snow exists, grooming is especially tricky due to the risk of damaging the ground beneath the snow. In these instances, SnowSat offers the necessary support by displaying the thickness of the snow under the snowcat.
SnowSat has also been shown to help reduce the amount of snow made by machines by up to 30%. Fabian Wolfsperger, an employee from the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research, discusses how much easier the operator’s job is when using this technology.
With the SnowSat, he states, the operator can evenly distribute mounds of snow. He also claims that many users have reported success after utilizing the SnowSat, as one ski resort calculated […] savings of about 25 to 30 percent” of manufactured snow.
Why SnowSat Compatibility Sets Ski Cat Company Apart
Ski Cat Company offers snow groomers with SnowSat compatibility, which sets us apart from the competition. We know the efficiency that SnowSat offers is crucial to your business’s success, and we’re proud to help you access the many benefits of SnowSat via our leasing program.
Full Fleet Compatibility
When you lease a snowcat from Ski Cat, know that every machine in your fleet will be primed for SnowSat integration. While new snowcats will lose much of their value every year after the purchase, leasing from Ski Cat Company ensures you have the most up-to-date machines on the market. All maintenance costs are covered by Ski Cat Company for leased machines, saving you from costly repairs. Additionally, all Ski Cat Company machines undergo extensive maintenance in the off-season to prepare them for heavy use during the ski season.
Whether you don’t currently have the budget necessary to purchase a fleet of heavy machinery or simply wish to take advantage of all the benefits leasing can offer, Ski Cat Company can help you achieve full fleet compatibility. All models, including the Pistenbully 100, Pistenbully 400 Trail, and all other equipment, are SnowSat ready.
Ideal for Resorts, Clubs, and Municipal Trail Systems
SnowSat-ready machines are crucial for winter recreation businesses striving to keep guests safe and protect the environment. With the snow depth measurement capabilities of SnowSat, the terrain experiences less damage because operators can address areas with little snow immediately.
For businesses like yours that prioritize data accuracy, snow groomers with SnowSat integration offer an unmatched understanding of the snow’s depth. You can measure the amount of snow underneath the blade using LiDAR technology in real time. Accurate data enables more efficient snow grooming and management, ultimately improving your overall operations.
Is SnowSat Right for Your Operation?
If you‘re still unsure if SnowSat is right for your operation, answer the questions below to get an idea of whether you could benefit from this technology:
- Do you manage a large or complex trail network?
- Are you looking to reduce operational costs?
- Do you want to make grooming decisions based on real-time data?
If you answered yes to one or all of these questions, consider leasing a SnowSat-ready snow grooming machine from Ski Cat Company.
Ready to Lease a SnowSat-Compatible Machine?
SnowSat-compatible grooming equipment can be a game-changer for your winter recreation business. Whether you maintain slopes for skiers and snowboarders, groom trails to provide access to remote terrain, or something else, you need the unmatched access to data SnowSat can offer. With a SnowSat-ready Pistenbully machine, you can increase productivity and efficiency while also conserving resources and protecting the environment.
At Ski Cat Company, we are committed to modern, efficient, and environmentally conscious trail management. Resorts and municipalities dedicated to upgrading their grooming strategy can contact us directly to learn more. If you are in need of snow grooming equipment and believe that leasing is the option for you, consider leasing a SnowSat-compatible machine from Ski Cat Company.
