Next to Mother Nature’s foot of fresh, the grooming machines that deliver the corduroy are perhaps the most important tools for delivering an appealing snow surface. Here’s a look at the state of the art in these machines, and what grooming managers think of the latest advances.


KÄSSBOHRER
Kässbohrer continues to work off of its two platforms—the PistenBully 400 and the PistenBully 600.

Kässbohrer’s answer to high productivity grooming is the PistenBully 600 Polar, which features a 490 horsepower engine (ECE) and 1,620 pounds of torque at only 1,300 rpm. “It has one and a half times more torque than our PistenBully 400, but the fuel consumption is on the same level or marginally higher,” marketing manager John Glockhamer says. “So you get a whole lot of torque without having to pay much extra in fuel costs.” The Polar’s blade is 20 percent larger than a standard blade, and can push up to 40 percent more snow. In addition, hydraulic folding flaps on the tiller can extend to 20 feet in width.

“This year (2011-12), we introduced the 4.5 winch, with 5-ton (U.S.) pulling power,” says Glockhamer. Coupled with the 600 Polar, “you have a package that can deliver nearly 500 horsepower (ECE) with five tons of rope pull,” he adds. In addition, hydraulic folding flaps on the tiller can extend to 20 feet in width.

Another new feature on the 600W, Active Boom, helps keep the cat climbing on a desired path as it approaches the top of the hill. The operator can just hit an on/off switch while actively grooming the slope. “If the driver is getting off to the side of the pick point, the Active Boom automatically generates a force to counterbalance the tendency to pull toward the pick point,” Glockhamer says.

The newest 600W machines include added features to the Can BUS information communication system to make winch operation easier. “The system now allows the operator to actually see on the screen how much cable he has on the drum. So if you’re out on trail and have 50 feet of rope and 100 feet to groom, you’ll be able to see that. Or if a section of the rope is damaged, the operator can see where the damage is and tell the mechanic, rather than the mechanic having to unspool the rope to find it.”

The PistenBully 400 is Kässbohrer’s economical, do-it-all machine. “Some people feel a bit more comfortable in a cat with tighter dimensions,” Glockhamer adds. Improvements for this year include LED headlights and load retaining valves for the rear lift frame. But the biggest change is incorporation of a 600-style torsion bar suspension that offers a more comfortable ride and requires less maintenance over the life of the vehicle.

Kässbohrer continues to work on the implementation of the stringent emission controls as mandated by the EPA for off road diesel vehicles. The PistenBully 400’s Cummins engine uses exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a diesel oxidation catalyst/particulate filter to achieve emissions reduction. The 600’s Mercedes Benz engine uses selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology.

Among the changes needed to meet the new standards: an increase in cooling capacity, raising the floor on the driver’s cab to accommodate the engine, and modifications to the air intake and vehicle frame to accommodate the increased dimensions of the engine. Both models will be available in Tier 4i versions next fall if so requested by a customer.


PRINOTH
Prinoth offers a lineup of four groomers: the Husky, a cross-country specialist; the venerable BR 350; the Bison and park-friendly Bison X; and the Beast, with its wider and more powerful design. The latter two—Bison and Beast—have the most state-of-the-art cabs and electronics. After a series of major updates and model introductions over the past three to four years, though, there are no major changes to the lineup for the next year.

For 2011-12, Prinoth introduced two upgrades to the Sherpa winches on the Bison and Beast. The winch itself became a full 5 tons, up from 4.8, and Prinoth gave it a new Win-Control system. That’s designed to auto-adjust the uphill and downhill working pressure on the winch. Automation eases the task of less-experienced drivers, without affecting the steering behavior of the cat. Drivers have the option of operating the winch manually if they prefer.

But Win-Control makes winching more efficient overall, says Greg Clowers, Prinoth’s North American sales director. Winching steeper slopes becomes easier, because it’s easier to move snow uphill. And the system reduces snow displacement by the tracks.

Prinoth’s product development philosophy is straightforward: design follows from function. “For example, operator comfort should lead to added productivity,” Clowers says. “As a result, our customers have the choice between left-hand side or center seat positions for the Beast and Bison. They can also select steering wheel or FNR sticks as driving controls.

“Our customers are asking for cost efficiency and performance, so we invest lots of effort in the areas of productivity, product quality, fuel efficiency, maneuverability, comfort and ergonomics, and ease of operation,” Clowers says.

Those were many of the main arguments for the Beast when it debuted two years ago (and, to a lesser extent, for the Bison, too). Greater size suits it to bigger resorts and wider slopes, where its 40 percent of extra width can cut the number of passes needed. But operators also say an unaided Beast can groom some trails that formerly required winching.

While the initial cost of the Beast is higher than the smaller Bison and other similar-sized machines, the Beast’s greater width, power, and grooming speed allow it to cover more ground in less time. By deploying fewer machines, areas can reduce labor and maintenance costs and more than recoup the extra upfront expense.

As with Kässbohrer, Clowers says Prinoth is deeply involved in the development and testing of a product that will meet Tier 4i standards, with several vehicles currently being tested in North America as well as in Europe. Availability will be based on customer demand.


WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Beyond near-universal complaints about the rising cost of groomers, snow surface managers say that efficiency and utility have increased over the years. Many feel too much attention has been paid to creature comforts, but applaud features such as snow depth measuring systems.

Tom Kendrick, director of slope services at Telluride, says that fuel economy has improved. In the early ’90s, some cats burned 12 to 13 gallons per hour. Ten years ago, the 270 hp Bombardier BR 400 Plus burned 6 1/2 to 8 gallons per hour. “Then the PB Edge came along and would groom faster and had 330 horsepower, so it was much more productive, and ran at 4 1/2 to 5 gallons per hour,” he says. “We’ve found similar savings with the BR 350, which has 355 horsepower. It’s been a big improvement.”

Managers have mixed feelings about cabs’ amenities. “I’m not going to knock the creature comforts; I still do some operating,” says John Dumas, Solitude’s slope maintenance manager. “But I do think some of the GPS and snow depth stuff is a waste of money.”

Kendrick, on the other hand, downplays comfort but values snow-depth measurement tools. “I’d like to see some type of snow depth measuring device as standard equipment. That feature is useful,” he says. Canyons Resort trail and grooming manager John Neuhauser wishes for a sonar-type system that could print a map of a trail’s snow depth.

Dumas believes that snowcat manufacturers are looking too much at the quantity of work a cat can do, rather than quality. “We are the opposite,” Dumas says. “If you want a good snow product, you can only groom so fast.”

Still, current machines can be very efficient. Canyons has added four Prinoth Beasts over the last three seasons, and Neuhauser says they burn less fuel than smaller cats relative to how much work they do, and require fewer operators.

Kendrick wonders why today’s more powerful cats haven’t grown wider. “You could put that horsepower and fuel to use with a wider machine and tiller and get your money’s worth out of the fuel you’re burning,” he says.

Kässbohrer’s Glockhamer hears the message. “The end product out of the snowcat is the most important thing. Our struggle is to keep it functional, but keep costs down. That’s number one on an engineer’s list. We have a saying: ‘Is it nice to have or need to have?’”

He points to the Alpine Flex tiller, which the company introduced a few years ago, and to a 30 percent improvement on the lifting speed for the blade on the PB 600 as examples of performance enhancements. PistenBully also offers its Level 4 GPS snow depth measurement system as an option.

Clowers echoes those sentiments: “We understand the costs concerns, and will bring in technological advances only if it means added value for the customers.

“We are getting to the plateau when it comes to cab amenities. So, we are focusing on customer needs, but also on productivity and total cost of ownership over the life of the vehicle.”



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WHAT IS THE NEXT POWDERMAKER?
A few years ago, when a high-pressure weather system left Canyons with the same, old frozen corduroy day after day, John Neuhauser and his grooming team turned to an industry dinosaur, the Powdermaker, to improve their snow quality. Canyons bought three of the machines, which were popular in the 1970s and 1980s, from neighboring Park City.

“I’ve been running cats for almost 30 years and I just remembered how useful those Powdermakers were,” Neuhauser says. The Powdermakers do not make a pretty corduroy surface like today’s snowcats, he says, but he believes the old machines help the snow ski better.

“The age-old conundrum with grooming machines is, what do you do to recondition the snow?” he asks. “We’ve been using the tillers for 30 years now. Ultimately, they make the snow harder unless you get some new snow on top. I’d love to see manufacturers come up with something that does what the Powdermaker does, but in a more modern way.”