SnoVolution: How to steal the soul of a sport with engineering…
Just saw this on SkiRebel.com.
“The British SnowVolution machine is a snow covered rotating planar disc up to 300 metres (985ft) in diameter, inclined at 25 degrees, divided into four to six concentric rings each 15-30 metres (50-100ft) wide.
The rings rotate independently in either direction at tangential speeds of up to 15 metres/per second. Adjacent rings rotate in the same direction, and with a separating static or stationary ring, the remaining rings rotate in the opposite direction. Skiers and snowboarders are spread across the whole width of the disc giving high levels of utilisation.” read more
I’m sure it’ll be immensely popular and hopefully will divert all the gapers from our favorite resorts during winter powder days. Perhapse it’ll put them all out of business and the Turn-Earners will rule the peaks!
Fake snow has been around for a while. I remember seeing a visa ad showing a conveyer belt ski hill in some athletic store (that didn’t take american express) back in the 80′s. But I’ve yet to lay eyes on one in person 20+ years later.
-M