Mobile snow cannons improve track quality
The last preparations are right now being made to welcome over 65,000 skiers to Vasaloppet's Winter Week. The cold has returned again and the chilly winter has been very favourable for snow production. Vasaloppet is now testing a new approach with mobile snow cannons along the course to further improve the track quality of the event.
Despite limited natural snow in large parts of Sweden, there are good winter conditions in northern Dalarna. Vasaloppet’s snow factory in Oxberg has been running since November and so far produced over 125,000 cubic metres of snow. This year the Vasaloppet course opened the whole stretch between Sälen and Mora as early as January 15.
After two warm winters, resulting in poor tracks, Vasaloppet is now testing an expansion of their snow production by using mobile snow cannons in selected locations. The aim is to strengthen the Sälen–Evertsberg stretch and get better track quality during the race. Artificial cannon snow is more compact than natural snow and can better withstand weather and wear and tear from skiers.
”Thanks to a good winter in the Sälen mountains we have been able to borrow their cannons and place them along the course, something we have not tried before. Hopefully it will lead to more stable tracks on the first part of the course, just like the last 10 km from Oxberg where we always use cannon snow as a base. If it works well we will have better tracks as well as fewer heavy snow transports along the roads,” says Vasaloppet’s Arena Manager Anders Holmberg.
Instead of transporting all snow from the warehouse in Oxberg, mobile cannons are placed, to start with, by the start in Berga by and in Tennäng. The possibility of another unit in Evertsberg is also being explored.
”Other than that, we are following our comprehensive plan to ensure snow, and if the cold persists there may be very good conditions when we start Vasaloppet’s Winter Week on February 26,” says Vasaloppet’s Arena Manager Anders Holmberg.
For the February 13–14 weekend the stretch Vasslan–Mora (37 km) was groomed and prepared for use by exercising skiers. On other parts of the course there may currently be machines at work, which is why there are no tracks at present.
