There is natural snow, cannon snow and, of course, Kläppen snow. We often talk about powder, wet snow and sugary spring snow. Kläppen snow is based on dry cannon snow. It results in larger snow crystals and more volume. In simple terms, a drier snow gives a more stable base. The secret is to mix exactly the right amount of air and water when producing the snow, based on temperature and weather conditions.
Extra cuddly snow
If you make a snowman out of natural snow, it takes more snow to make the snowballs more compact, and with a little wind and warm conditions, the snowman melts quite quickly. Kläppen snow is already compressed and the snowman becomes more durable and the balls quickly become compact and heavy when you roll them. The main advantage is that Kläppen snow can be produced early in the season. All we need is 20–25 days of cold temperatures. When the snow is on the ground, it is able to withstand both windy conditions and warmer weather compared to natural snow. This means that even during winters with little snow, we can still have plenty of snow and fine skiing on the actual slopes. Natural snow is wonderful and may be the icing on the cake, but it is good to know that we are not dependent on it. For us, it is the cold that is important.
At least half a meter
On most of our slopes the snow is a least half a meter deep. At Kläppen we have some of the world's top snow cannons. The whole system pumps out 38 cubic metres of water a minute, which becomes 80 cubic metres of snow in a minute. The specific cannons produce around 1 200 litres of snow a minute. To create the wonderful corduroy, our piste machine operators already began work the evening before. Corduroy means that the slope has a newly-raked appearance and is the result of the levelling out of the humps and snowdrifts that had formed. If the slopes were not groomed, they would turn into moguls fairly quickly. The grooved surface facilitates freezing and the substrate becomes durable.
Each evening, every slope is inspected so we know exactly where to groom in order for you to wake to a wonderful skiing day with perfect surface.
Kläppen snow
