Expandable Snowmaking Solutions

When you start researching snowmaking for your backyard, it is easy to focus on one question: How much snow can I make? But another question is just as important: How much snow will I want to make in the future?

We designed our snowmaking systems with that question in mind. Our Forecaster and Cold Front snow guns can be expanded over time, allowing you to increase water flow and snow production as your snowmaking needs grow. Instead of replacing your snow gun every time you want more production, you can build on the system you already have.

That makes expandable snowmaking a practical option for backyard snowmakers, larger residential projects, and even small commercial applications.

What Makes a Snowmaking System Expandable?

The amount of snow you can produce is closely tied to the amount of water flowing through the snow gun. We measure that water flow in GPM, or gallons per minute.

As a general rule, 1 GPM can produce approximately 1 inch of snow per hour when conditions are right. A 2 GPM system can produce approximately 2 inches per hour, a 5 GPM system approximately 5 inches per hour, and so on. Actual production will vary based on snowmaking conditions and the area being covered.

This is where an expandable snow gun becomes valuable. As you increase the amount of water flowing through the system, you can increase your potential snow production without necessarily changing the snow gun itself.

There are several ways to expand a system:

• Use a higher-GPM pressure washer
• Add another pressure washer
• Add multiple pressure washers in a train system
• Add expansion equipment as your system grows

The key is choosing a snow gun that is designed to handle the amount of water flow you eventually want to use.

Start With a Simple Setup

For someone new to snowmaking, starting with a single pressure washer is one of the simplest ways to get started.

Our Forecaster Snow Gun has a water-flow range of 1–6 GPM and is fully expandable. That means you can start with a lower-flow pressure washer and increase the water flow later as you want to make more snow.

Your pressure washer provides the high-pressure water needed by the snow gun, while an air compressor supplies the compressed air needed for nucleation and snow formation. As you become more familiar with snowmaking, you may decide that you want more production or greater coverage.

That's when the expandable design gives you options.

Upgrade to a Higher-GPM Pressure Washer

One way to increase snow production is to upgrade the equipment supplying water to your snow gun.

Because the GPM rating of your pressure washer or pump directly affects potential snow production, moving to a higher-GPM machine can allow you to produce more snow through the same compatible snow gun. The pressure washer or pump must meet the required pressure and remain within the snow gun's flow range, and the appropriate nozzles must be used for the total water flow.

This gives you a simple upgrade path: keep the snow gun and increase the capability of the equipment feeding it.

For example, you could begin with a Forecaster and a lower-GPM pressure washer. Later, if you decide you want more production, you can move to a higher-GPM pressure washer rather than purchasing an entirely new snow gun.

Expand With Multiple Pressure Washers

You don't have to rely on one large pressure washer to increase your water flow. Another option is to combine multiple pressure washers into a Train System.

A Train System connects multiple pressure washers to one snow gun so their water flow can be combined. If two pressure washers each produce 2 GPM, for example, the combined system can provide approximately 4 GPM of water flow. Three 2 GPM pressure washers could provide approximately 6 GPM.

The total GPM of the pressure washers determines the total water flow entering the snow gun, and the appropriate nozzle configuration is selected for that flow.

This gives you another way to expand your snowmaking system without replacing the snow gun.

Why Use a Train System?

A Train System can be useful when one larger pressure washer isn't the best fit for your situation.

For many homeowners, available electrical power is an important consideration. Rather than relying on one very large machine, multiple smaller pressure washers can be combined to increase total water flow. A train system can also give you a more flexible path for increasing production over time.

A multi-pressure-washer setup does require the proper hoses, fittings, manifold, electrical connections, and water supply. Each pressure washer also needs adequate water and electrical power for its operation, so these requirements should be considered before expanding your system.

The Forecaster: A Snow Gun That Can Grow With You

We designed the Forecaster to give snowmakers flexibility.

With a 1–6 GPM water-flow range, the Forecaster can be used in a simple setup with one pressure washer or expanded with multiple pressure washers through our Train Packages.

You might begin with one pressure washer and a simple setup. Later, you could move to a higher-GPM pressure washer. If you want to increase production further, you can add another pressure washer and use a Double Train configuration.

The important part is that the snow gun can remain the same while the equipment supplying it grows.

That is what we mean when we say the Forecaster is fully expandable.

The Cold Front: Built for Higher Production

If you already know that you want to make a lot of snow, or you are planning a larger residential or small commercial application, the Cold Front Snow Gun provides a higher-flow option.

The Cold Front can handle up to 10 GPM of water flow and is designed for higher-flow pressure washers or high-pressure pumps. Its optimal flow range is 5–10 GPM, with potential snow production increasing as water flow increases when conditions are right.

The Cold Front can also be configured with multiple pressure washers or pumps in a Train System. This gives you the ability to build a higher-production snowmaking system around the same snow gun rather than having to replace it as your operation grows.

For example, a Cold Front can be used in a simple setup with one pressure washer or pump, or it can be expanded into a multi-machine system. We offer a Cold Front Train Package for customers who need that additional capacity.

The Cold Front is a strong option for large backyard snowmaking projects, tubing areas, snow-related events, and small businesses that need to produce more snow over a larger area.

Expand Your System Over Time

One of the biggest advantages of an expandable system is that your first setup doesn't have to be your final setup.

You may begin snowmaking with one pressure washer because you are learning how the process works. After your first season, you may decide you want to cover more area, build deeper snow, or produce snow faster.

Instead of starting over, you have options.

You can upgrade to a higher-GPM pressure washer or pump. You can add another pressure washer. You can also add the expansion equipment needed to support your new configuration.

The best approach depends on your goals, water supply, available electrical power, the area you want to cover, and how much snow you want to produce.

Choose the Right Snow Gun for Your Goals

When you're researching snowmaking equipment, we recommend thinking beyond the setup you want today. Consider what you may want your snowmaking system to do in the future.

If you are looking for a flexible system for backyard snowmaking, the Forecaster provides a wide range of expansion options. You can start with one pressure washer and build toward a multi-pressure-washer system as your needs grow.

If you want higher production from the beginning or are planning a larger residential or small commercial application, the Cold Front provides a higher-flow platform with expansion options up to 10 GPM.

Choosing an expandable snow gun gives you more flexibility in how you build the rest of your system.

Build Your Snowmaking System With Backyard Snowstorm

We believe your snowmaking equipment should work for where you are now and give you room to grow. That's why we developed our snowmaking systems with expansion in mind.

Our Forecaster and Cold Front snow guns can be configured in simple setups or expanded with higher-flow equipment and multiple pressure washers or pumps. Our Train Packages and expansion equipment make it possible to increase your system's water flow and snow production without automatically replacing the snow gun at the center of your setup.

Whether you're building a backyard sledding hill, creating a larger snow play area, building a tubing track, planning a snow-related event, or looking for a snowmaking solution for a small business, we can help you build a system around your goals.

Start by choosing the snow gun that fits where you want your snowmaking system to go, then explore our packages and expansion options to build from there.

Ready to make more snow? Explore our Snowmaking Packages and find the expandable system that's right for you.