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While the 2014 grooming scene does not bring many new models onto the snow, the primary snowcat manufacturers, Prinoth and PistenBully, both have plenty of new developments to intrigue operators and management alike. There is also some creative thinking taking place within the grooming business, primarily coming from outside of the aforementioned “big players.” We’ll take a look at what’s new and what’s coming, and address some pertinent concerns raised by operators and resort administration.


INSIDE THE CAT
Both PistenBully and Prinoth are committed to providing the ultimate in operator comfort and intuitive controls. Some operators have expressed concern that modern snowcats are becoming too computerized, but manufacturers assure us that the latest technology will only continue to improve efficiency, reliability, and operator comfort and ability.

PistenBully believes that the new technology will be especially valued by the new generation of operators who are already familiar and comfortable with modern computer technology and touchscreen controls. Prinoth is confident that the new technology will, in fact, improve an operator’s understanding of snow and snow science, and will boost productivity and quality.

Prinoth is supplying back-up cameras as options in both the Beast and Bison, allowing greater precision and safety in reverse situations. Operators will no doubt appreciate the greatly reduced neck, back, and shoulder strain as well.

New from Prinoth, the Bison XPT Terrain Park Groomer will come with distance and slope pitch measurement capability, allowing the operator greater precision and control in park builds and maintenance, a feature particularly useful for takeoff and landing work. Not only will the operator have better control, but maintaining a precise record of distances and pitches will be a great aid for risk management purposes.

Prinoth’s Performance Manager will provide operators with even more useful information right at their fingertips. Designed to help new operators learn the art and aid veteran operators in perfecting the art, the Prinoth Performance Manager provides such useful data as snow depth measurement, average travel speed, acres groomed per hour, gallons consumed per acre, tiller cutting depth percentage, tiller speed percentage, and efficient grooming pattern information. As an added benefit, Prinoth expects that this data will continue to improve fleet performance based on friendly competition between operators.

PistenBully is focusing great attention on the new PB 400 Park Pro, a machine geared toward precision park work, first introduced last year as the PB 400 ProSeries. Key controls, including blade, tiller, engine throttle, and wipers, are all being placed on the joystick, allowing the operator quick access to these features without sacrificing instantaneous access to the other functions. Software will allow reconfiguration of these switches, with saved settings for up to four different operators.

Steering sensitivity on the Park Pro can now be adjusted based on operator preference, to -1, 0, or +1 sensitivity. Given differences in operator ability and preference combined with variations in surface and work environments, this will certainly be a welcome feature.

The Park Pro also features power side mirrors for ease of adjustment. The console has a cleaner design, providing more storage. The premium sound system includes amplifier and subwoofer, along with USB and audio inputs, and the ability to stream music from portable devices through Bluetooth technology.

Both manufacturers now offer Bluetooth systems for hands-free communication so that the operator can remain focused and engaged in his or her work while making necessary contact with coworkers.

OUTSIDE THE CAT
Anyone who has spent time as a groomer knows how important lighting is. The finished product can either excel or fall short based on how well the operator could see both the unfinished snow in front, and the finished passes behind and beside the snowcat.

Prinoth continues to offer Xenon lighting as the standard on both the Bison and Beast. For even better visibility, it has introduced illumination on the ends of the tiller as a standard feature of the Beast, and an optional feature on the BR-350 and Bison. This tiller illumination provides the operator with a better view of the finished pass and the snow surface immediately surrounding the tiller.

PistenBully has upgraded from Halogen H7 to larger and brighter Halogen H11 lighting. All PistenBully models can be ordered with even brighter Xenon packages, and new super-bright LED lighting packages are another option.

In tiller technology, PistenBully’s parent company, Kässbohrer, continues development and testing to improve the process, specifically improving the cutter bar and finisher. In response to a challenging question we presented to the manufacturers, PistenBully admits that tillers are not always ideal for all snow conditions, and laments that most areas have given up the use of the compactor bar as a complement to the tiller.

As a friendly suggestion for improved snow surface quality, PistenBully recommends that the operator “always reduce his cutter bar RPM to the slowest speed possible and the minimum cut achievable to produce a nice corduroy finish without overworking the snow.” Operators should take this advice to heart, since the action of the tiller cutter bar tends to melt and then refreeze the snow, meaning a harder surface each time the snow is tilled (until a fresh fall of snow).

For the new PB 400 Park Pro, PistenBully’s tiller now offers a one-touch-activated auto flex lock, which allows greater precision where a flat surface is needed, without having to manually lock the flex. Precision in lifting and lowering the tiller is also improved by means of valve-based proportional control (i.e., the controller output is proportional to the error signal as opposed to simple on/off control).

Prinoth continues to laud the tiller as the optimal implement for most conditions. According to Prinoth, the tilling process depends on more than just the tiller itself, and can be broken down into four constituent elements: the front blade, the tracks, the tiller rotor, and the comb finishers. Prinoth is committed to improving this entire process by perfecting even the most seemingly minute details, such as overall vehicle balance, grouser penetration depth, and the effect of the blade’s cutting edge on the snow structure which will then be processed by the tiller.

Prinoth’s new Posiflex tiller combines European and North American technology with a view to improved grooming in dense snow. The Posiflex Tiller also adds the ability to vary down pressure across the finishing surface and can be easily locked in a perfectly flat position. Tiller speed is also monitored, giving the operator a very precise reading of actual rotation speed.

In blade technology, the new blade on PistenBully’s Park Pro features 6” wider wings for carrying even more snow, and the ability to blade and groom beyond the track footprint. Squared edges on the wings will improve cut precision on features, and a new “one-touch straight blade” feature will automatically extend the wings to create a perfectly straight edge for back-blading applications. The new blade also boasts a stronger blade screen and vertical supports with cutouts for utility applications. Hydraulic forks, as featured on the original SwitchBlade, are still standard on the new Park Pro blade.


INSIDE THE OFFICE
Advances in grooming technology are not limited to improvements for operators. Resort management and administration are also interested in new ways to manage the fleet and improve overall productivity and performance. The costs associated with grooming are high, so sustainability and efficiency are great concerns. PistenBully and Prinoth are both working to address these concerns and provide the best value possible to ski resort operators.

Snowcats are inherently expensive machines, and not all ski resorts can afford to buy the latest and greatest. To help this market segment, PistenBully offers flexible lease programs with reasonable interest rates to supply snowcats to areas that cannot afford to purchase them. Prinoth stresses the importance of a constantly shrinking total cost of ownership (TCO). While the initial purchase price may still carry a level of “sticker shock,” Prinoth says TCO is “where you will realize savings over the life of the vehicle.” Both manufacturers continue to offer pre-owned snowcats as a lower-priced option.

With EPA Tier IV emissions standards phasing in, Prinoth and PistenBully are both on-track for full compliance with these new standards to reduce emissions from diesel engines. Prinoth notes improved fuel economy and performance along with reduced noise pollution as added benefits of Tier IV compliant engines. PistenBully’s 2013-14 machines sold in Europe are already Euro 3B (Tier IV) compliant, and they are ready to be fully compliant with the EPA’s Tier IV standards when they come into effect in the U.S.

In the harsh environments in which snowcats work, reliability is crucial. However, that same harsh environment also makes it difficult to design a machine capable of a high level of reliability. Some concern has been expressed in the industry that all of the new technological features are simply “more parts to break.”

PistenBully sees reliability and technological advancement going “hand-in-hand.” The company cites its new Magnum Sprocket as an example of modern technology supplying a more reliable component. The Magnum Sprocket is a low-wear, long lasting sprocket “made from a strong durable high-tech plastic” and contains no core to dispose of. PistenBully also points to the aircraft-quality aluminum used in its track cleats. In sum, PistenBully is convinced that new technology will only further the goal of a high standard of reliability.

Prinoth admits that reliability is a challenge due to the combination of the alpine environment and the complexity of the machines. Yet the company also believes that newer technologies are greatly improving reliability. The goal is, “No more spare groomers; every cat, every night!” One benefit of the Prinoth Performance Manager is the ability to view actual up-time data, as well as remote diagnostic capabilities to help fleet managers “analyze the where, when and how of the error diagnostic code.” These diagnostic codes and a description of the error are automatically sent to the fleet manager. This allows for immediate troubleshooting and reduced downtime.

Improved management practices are Prinoth’s preferred method of boost­ing efficiency and sustainability. The company’s analysis has concluded that alternative power and fuel are not affordable solutions for snowcats at present. Instead, Prinoth continues to seek ways of better managing existing resources. For this task, the Prinoth Performance Manager provides key metrics to manage fuel consumption in an intelligent manner, without sacrificing the finished product. Prinoth is confident that this can help resorts save even more money than they could with alternative fuels.

In contrast, PistenBully looks at alternative means of power as a direct solution for efficiency and sustainability. Last season the brand introduced and delivered, to two resorts, the first full-sized snowcat with a diesel-electric drive, the PB 600 E+, which uses technology similar to modern locomotives. In the diesel-electric system, a diesel engine powers two electric generators which feed electric motors at the track drive and tiller. This technology improves efficiency and sustainability by consuming less fuel and producing fewer emissions, and also improves performance with instant torque and power. Kässbohrer is “very excited about it and [we] feel it is without a doubt the most exciting innovation for snowgrooming vehicles in the past 20 years.” In a recent press release about a PB 600 E+ delivered to St. Vigil in Italy, Kässbohrer CEO Jens Rottmair said: “Not just talking, but doing—that's our company's motto.” The development wasn’t easy, he says, “but we are proud that we went in this direction and that the ultimate result is a genuine PistenBully.”

Aside from diesel-electric technology, Kässbohrer has brought its DualFuel system to the market, which uses a diesel engine capable of burning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), reducing carbon dioxide emissions while providing efficient power.

Fleet management by means of GPS/GIS systems continues to improve. PistenBully’s SNOWsat GPS system can produce a cartographic image of the slopes, and helps to save time, energy, and snowmaking costs with its snow depth measurement.

Prinoth’s Performance Manager now includes GPS to a GIS imaging overlay to provide real-time snow depth visualization, along with mapping of grooming patterns, runs groomed, and machine location. The Prinoth Performance Manager can also generate automated reports “on a daily, weekly and monthly basis for vehicle maintenance personnel.” Additionally, the Prinoth Performance Man­ager can create customizable historical reports and statistics calculations, animated playback of grooming patterns, along with Excel export ability and email reports for managers, maintenance personnel, and marketing.


OUTSIDE THE BOX
There have been many recent advances in snowcat technology, but by and large this growth has been confined to a very well-defined set of parameters. Since the advent of the power tiller and the winch, the basic grooming process has not changed, and the improvements have been limited to tweaking and perfecting existing equipment. Yet creative thought in the grooming industry is not dead, as evidenced by some recent developments from EcoGroomer Inc.

Daniel Osborne, EcoGroomer CEO, began with grand plans of unleashing the EcoGroomer, a new concept grooming machine designed to cover three times more acreage than a standard alpine snowcat on each pass. Development of the EcoGroomer continues, but Osborne has also turned to some smaller projects that should be turning heads.

One is intended to provide a softer surface. As John Neuhauser of Canyons said in SAM’s 2012 groomer report, “We’ve been using the tiller 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.”

Osborne may have the answer to this in his new Powdermaker 2.0, which he plans to introduce to the market within the next year. Video of a prototype test showed promising potential for the Powdermaker 2.0 as an alternative or complement to the power tiller for certain snow conditions. Expect to see more details about this new grooming implement in the coming months.

EcoGroomer is also working to bring Graphit to the US market. Developed by the French company Aztec, Graphit is a grooming machine which uses a synthetic winch cable system. The synthetic rope system delivers performance equivalent to wire rope, while boasting such advantages as improved safety and a significant weight reduction over comparable wire rope systems. According to Aztec, the Graphit is powered by a Caterpillar C13 and offers an impressive weight to power ratio at just 48 lbs/hp. Talks are ongoing with several resorts with major announcements expected soon.

With these new developments, EcoGroomer seeks to redefine grooming, looking at it as a craft rather than just another process. “Greater competition and innovation are good things… they support and encourage advancements in the art of snow grooming,” says Osborne.

Prinoth is also thinking outside the box. “Snow How” is a new brand they have introduced to improve overall grooming practices. Snow How encompasses Prinoth Vehicle Fleet Telemetry, Prinoth Snow Depth Management and Prinoth Slope Grooming Consultation based on key performance indicators and best practices in slope grooming. With Snow How, Prinoth is looking beyond just manufacturing solid grooming machines, focusing on the end product while keeping its brand in the eye and the mind of its customers.

A 2009 Colorado Mountain College Ski Area Operations graduate, Patrick began grooming at Sugarbush in 2008, working up to winch and park operator, and still spends some nights in the cat weekly at Ski Cooper. Patrick has also founded MogulSkiing.net and SlopeGroomer.com.