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88-464: The slopes of the mountain are predominantly east-facing, and it receives somewhat less snowfall than the resorts facing west. Since it does not currently employ snowmaking equipment, the ski area is entirely dependent upon the (usually) ample natural snowfall, and therefore often opens several weeks later than most other resorts in Utah. "The Beav" is located 27 miles (43 km) northeast of Logan, just

176-513: A humid subtropical climate , Sochi is the warmest city to host a Winter Olympic Games. Sochi 2014 is the 12th straight Olympics to outlaw smoking; all Sochi venues, Olympic Park bars and restaurants and public areas were smoke-free during the Games. It is also the first time that an Olympic Park has been built for hosting winter games. The Sochi Olympic Park was built by the Black Sea coast in

264-484: A central location. Operational parameters are: starting and stopping time, quality of snow, maximum wet-bulb temperature in which to operate, maximum windspeed, horizontal and vertical orientation, and sweep angle (to cover a wider or narrower area). Sweep angle and area may follow wind direction. Smaller versions of the snow machines found at ski resorts exist, scaled down to run off household size air and water supplies. Home snowmakers receive their water supply either from

352-660: A fifth of that budget ($ 10.8 billion) was directly related to the Olympic games, while the rest went into urban and regional regeneration and the conversion of the Sochi region into an all-year round sea and alpine resort. The breakdown table below is based on a report that has analyzed the distribution of Olimpstroy's $ 49.5 billion budget. Estimates also suggest that additional unrecoverable operational costs (including for security) could have added another $ 3 billion. With an average February temperature of 8.3 °C (46.9 °F) and

440-454: A garden hose or from a pressure washer , which makes more snow per hour. Plans also exist for do-it-yourself snowmaking machines made out of plumbing fittings and special nozzles, or pressure washer nozzles. Pressurized air is typically supplied from standard air compressors. Volumes of snow output by home snowmakers depend on the air/water mixture, temperature, wind variations, pumping capacity, water supply, air supply, and other factors. Using

528-671: A household spray bottle will not work unless temperatures are well below the freezing point of water. By the 2009–2010 ski season, it was estimated that around 88% of ski resorts belonging to the US National Ski Areas Association were using artificial snow to supplement natural snowfall. In the European Alps the proportion of ski slopes that can be covered by artificial snow varies among countries (Germany 25%, France 37%, Switzerland 53%, Austria 70%, Italy 90%). Since 1985, average aggregate temperatures in

616-524: A lawsuit against the US Forest Service and Arizona Snowbowl. Plaintiffs alleged that undertaking such a project would significantly alter and damage the cultural and spiritual nature of the mountain. This legal challenge ultimately failed in 2009. In Swedish, the phrase "snow cannon" ( Snökanon ) is used to designate the lake-effect snow weather phenomenon. For example, if the Baltic Sea

704-466: A likely increase of 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), and an average increase in temperatures in the US of between 1.7 °C (3 °F) and 6.7 °C (12 °F) by 2100. Furthermore, scientists predict that snow cover in the northern hemisphere will decrease by 15% by the end of the century with snowpack decreasing and snow seasons shortening concurrently. It's been projected that by the 2050s, fewer than half of

792-490: A mile (1.6 km) off of US-89 , the Logan Canyon Scenic Byway , a national scenic byway . Garden City, Utah is the closest town, which is around 15 miles (24 km) away. The Idaho border (42nd parallel) is less than three miles (5 km) north and Bear Lake is approximately six miles (10 km) due east. Salt Lake City is 110 miles (180 km) south. The ski area is owned and operated by

880-661: A negative cultural externality is the contention surrounding use of artificial snow at Arizona Snowbowl , a ski resort in Northern Arizona. Arizona Snowbowl is situated in the San Francisco peaks, which are one of the holiest sites for various Native American tribes in the Four Corners area, including the Navajo Nation . In 2004, Arizona Snowbowl was renting its slopes from the US Forest Service, and

968-408: A tower or on a stand on the ground. It uses higher pressure water and air, while a fan gun uses a powerful axial fan to propel the water jet to a great distance. A modern snow fan usually consists of one or more rings of nozzles which inject water into the fan air stream. A separate nozzle or small group of nozzles is fed with a mix of water and compressed air and produces the nucleation points for

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1056-410: Is 100–150 feet (30–46 m), for fan guns 250–300 feet (76–91 m). From these hydrants 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 –2 in (38–51 mm) pressure resistant hoses are connected similar to fire hoses with camlocks to the snow machine. The infrastructure to support snowmaking may have a negative environmental impact, altering water tables near reservoirs and mineral and nutrient content of the soil under

1144-420: Is augmented due to their potential impact on lower populations and properties. Snowmaking machines generally require between 3,000 and 4,000 cubic meters of water per hectare of slope covered. Accordingly, it takes approximately 106 gallons (400 litres) of water to produce one cubic meter of snow, and snowmaking machines use about 107 gallons (405 litres) of water per minute. A significant amount of this water

1232-400: Is estimated that in years of lower snowfall, there is about a US$ 1 billion decrease in economic activity. The implementation and use of artificial snow making technologies requires the undertaking of major infrastructural projects. These projects result in significant disruptions to local ecosystems. A major infrastructural project associated with the use of artificial snowmaking technology is

1320-612: Is located between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana connecting the Olympic Park, Sochi International Airport , and the venues in Krasnaya Polyana. The existing 102 km (63-mile), Tuapse-to-Adler railroad was renovated to provide double track throughout, increasing capacity and enabling a reliable regional service to be provided and extending to the airport. In December 2009, Russian Railways ordered 38 Siemens Mobility Desiro trains for delivery in 2013 for use during

1408-485: Is located near Akhshtyr in Adlersky City District, and includes: Russian Railways president Vladimir Yakunin stated the road construction costed more than 200 billion rubles. In addition, Sochi's railway stations were renovated. These are Dagomys , Sochi , Matsesta , Khosta , Lazarevskaya , and Loo railway stations. In Adler, a new railway station was built while the original building

1496-449: Is lost due to evaporation, and thus is not returned to the water table. Furthermore, it takes approximately 3.5 to 4.3 kWh of energy to produce one cubic meter of snow; however, this number can be as high as 14   kWh, or as low as 1   kWh per cubic meter of snow. Snowmaking accounts for approximately 50% of the average American ski resort's energy costs, which amounts to about $ 500,000. Ski resorts often use mineralized water in

1584-467: Is named for founder Harold Seeholzer, who died of cancer in 1968, the year prior to its installation. Marge's Triple Lift provides access to a half-dozen intermediate and advanced runs, as well as the larger of two terrain parks on the mountain. It can only be accessed by taking the Harry’s Dream Lift. Marge is the daughter-in-law of the founder, married to his second son, Ted. The couple has owned

1672-415: Is not viable given the current technology. The photograph of Parsenn to the right demonstrates the use of artificial snow to supplement natural snowfall. The strip of white going down the mountain is a ski slope that has been opened due to extensive use of snowmaking technology. As the use of artificial snow becomes more common and efficient, developers may seek to build new or expand existing ski resorts, as

1760-553: Is not yet frozen in January, cold winds from Siberia may lead to significant snowfall. 2014 Winter Olympics The 2014 Winter Olympics , officially called the XXII Olympic Winter Games ( Russian : XXII Олимпийские зимние игры , romanized :  XXII Olimpiyskiye zimniye igry ) and commonly known as Sochi 2014 ( Russian : Сочи 2014 ), were an international winter multi-sport event that

1848-496: Is only returned to the water table through runoff. As a result of changing weather patterns, snowmaking has become a major revenue-making activity due to a shortage in the supply of natural snow. However, it poses significant environmental threats that may serve to perpetuate the issue that resulted in an increased demand for artificial snow in the first place. The EPA forecasts temperatures to increase by between 0.28 °C (0.5 °F) and 4.8 °C (8.6 °F) globally with

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1936-565: The 2018 FIFA World Cup . A new ice hockey team in the Kontinental Hockey League , HC Sochi Leopards , now plays in Bolshoy Arena. The Olympic infrastructure was constructed according to a Federal Target Program (FTP). In June 2009, the Games' organizers reported they were one year ahead in building the main Olympic facilities as compared to recent Olympic Games. In November 2011, IOC President Jacques Rogge

2024-538: The Imeretinsky Valley , about 4 km (2.5 miles) from Russia's border with Abkhazia / Georgia . The venues were clustered around a central water basin on which the Medals Plaza is built, allowing all indoor venues to be within walking distance. It also features "The Waters of the Olympic Park" (designed by California -based company WET ), a choreographed fountain which served as the backdrop in

2112-681: The Olympic flag during the opening ceremony, as India was originally suspended in December 2012 over the election process of the Indian Olympic Association . On 11 February, the Indian Olympic Association was reinstated and India's athletes were allowed the option to compete under their own flag from that time onward. Although Shiva Keshavan competed as an Independent athlete and is recorded as such, he

2200-550: The contiguous United States for the months of November through February have consistently been above the average temperatures for those months measured between 1901 and 2000 as graphed in Figure 1. Such a trend both limits and encourages the use of artificial snow. Rising temperatures will result in greater snowmelt and decreased snowfall, thus forcing ski resorts to depend more heavily upon the use of artificial snow. However, once temperatures approach 6 °C (43 °F), snowmaking

2288-484: The wet-bulb temperature of the air is as high as −1 °C (30 °F). The lower the air temperature is, the more and the better snow a cannon can make. This is one of the main reasons snow cannons are usually operated in the night. The quality of the mixing of the water and air streams and their relative pressures is crucial to the amount of snow made and its quality. Modern snow cannons are fully computerized and can operate autonomously or be remotely-controlled from

2376-423: The "Goat Trail" cat track, from which access can be had to the "Beaver Face Lift" and "Harry's Dream Lift," further up the slope. The Beaver's Face Lift (double) serves only intermediate and advanced runs. The first chairlift on the mountain, it began operating 62 years ago in late 1961. It offers access to intermediate and expert terrain. Harry's Dream Lift (triple) was originally a double chair, installed in

2464-582: The 1970s, thus increasing the demand for the production of artificial snow. Some ski resorts use artificial snow to extend their ski seasons and augment natural snowfall; however, there are some resorts that rely almost entirely upon artificial snow production. Artificial snow was used extensively at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing to supplement natural snowfall and provide

2552-571: The 2014 Winter Olympics was held on 7 February 2014 at Fisht Olympic Stadium , an indoor arena built specifically for the ceremonies. The ceremony featured scenes based around aspects of Russian history and arts, including ballet , classical music , the Russian Revolution , and the age of the Soviet Union . The opening scene of the ceremony featured a notable technical error, where one of five snowflakes, which were to expand to form

2640-487: The 21 locations historically used for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics (up to Beijing 2022) would still have reliable weather conditions. These predicted changes in temperature and snowfall patterns will induce ski resorts to rely more heavily upon artificial snow which uses significant amounts of water and electricity. As a result, ski resorts will further contribute to the production of greenhouse gases and

2728-576: The French Alps, US$ 1,005 in Austria, and US$ 415 in Switzerland. Furthermore, 50% of the average American ski resort's energy costs are generated by the production of artificial snow. Snowmaking machines allow ski resorts to extend their seasons and sustain their businesses in times of low snowfall. With changing climate trends, snowfall is becoming increasingly unpredictable, thus jeopardizing

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2816-416: The Games. A number of new competitions—a total of twelve accounting for gender—were held during the Games, including biathlon mixed relay, women's ski jumping , mixed-team figure skating , mixed-team luge , half-pipe skiing, ski and snowboard slopestyle , and snowboard parallel slalom . The events were held around two clusters of new venues: an Olympic Park constructed in Sochi's Imeretinsky Valley on

2904-453: The Olympic rings, malfunctioned and did not expand (a mishap mocked by the organizers at the closing ceremony where one of the roundrelay dance groups symbolizing the Olympic rings "failed" to expand). The torch was taken into the stadium by Maria Sharapova , who then passed it to Yelena Isinbayeva who, in turn, passed it to wrestler Aleksandr Karelin . Karelin then passed the torch to gymnast Alina Kabaeva . Figure skater Irina Rodnina took

2992-618: The Olympics, with an option for a further 16 partly built in Russia. At Sochi International Airport , a new terminal was built along a 3.5 km (2.2-mile) runway extension, overlapping the Mzymta River . At the Port of Sochi , a new offshore terminal 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from the shore allows docking for cruise ships with capacities of 3,000 passengers. The cargo terminal of

3080-608: The Olympics. In November 2013, it was reported that the fiber-optic cable that was built by the Federal Communications Agency , Rossvyaz, had no operator. With Rostelecom and Megafon both refusing to operate it, the line was transferred to the ownership of the state enterprise Center for Monitoring & Development of Infocommunication Technologies (Russian: Центр МИР ИТ ). Russian mobile phone operator Megafon expanded and improved Sochi's telecom infrastructure with over 700 new 2G/3G/4G cell towers. Sochi

3168-468: The Seeholzer family: founded by Harry (1902–1968) and succeeded by son Ted (1932–2013), it continues as a family operation under Ted's son Travis. Facilities at Beaver include a day lodge with grill restaurant, a full-service ski rental operation and a ski shop. While alpine skiing and snowboarding are the most popular activities, there is a dedicated area for Nordic (cross-country) skiers near

3256-629: The additional economic value of winter tourism in the United States is estimated to be around US$ 12.2 billion per year. These additional benefits come in the form of spending at hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other local businesses. Additionally, winter tourism supports around 211,900 jobs in the United States, which amounts to a total of approximately US$ 7 billion paid in benefits and salaries, US$ 1.4 billion paid in state and local taxes, and US$ 1.7 billion paid in federal taxes. The economic benefits of snow sports are great, but also fragile. It

3344-662: The area since 1997; Ted was previously the general manager and Marge handled ticket sales. Snowmaking Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a " snow gun ", also known as a " snow cannon ". Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliability of their snow cover and to extend their ski seasons from late autumn to early spring. Indoor ski slopes use snowmaking. They can generally do so year-round as they have climate-controlled environments. The use of snowmaking machines has become more common as changing weather patterns and

3432-505: The atmospheric humidity, the colder it must be to turn the small water droplets into snow crystals. Examples: To start a snowmaking system a wet-bulb temperature of −2.5 °C (27.5 °F) is required. If the atmospheric humidity is very low, this level can be reached at temperatures slightly above 0 °C (32 °F), but if the air humidity is high, colder temperatures are required. Temperatures around freezing point are referred to as borderline temperatures or limit temperatures. If

3520-500: The base. Beaver Mountain also owns a small office near North Logan. The Little Beaver Lift (a triple chairlift ) serves primarily beginner terrain. Originally a double chair, it became a triple in 2011; the new lift adds about 100 yards to the run, by incorporating an area previously served by a rope tow, the other runs originating from the top of the Little Beaver Lift include "Little Beaver," "Tiny Tim," and access to

3608-408: The best possible conditions for competition. The production of snow requires low temperatures. The threshold temperature for snowmaking increases as humidity decreases. Wet-bulb temperature is used as a metric since it takes air temperature and relative humidity into account. The bulb temperature is always below the outside temperature. The damper the air, the less moisture it can absorb. The higher

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3696-456: The cities of Tuapse and Novorossiysk and construction of a cable-wire powerline, partially on the floor of the Black Sea . The transport infrastructure prepared to support the Olympics includes many roads, tunnels, bridges, interchanges, railroads and stations in and around Sochi. Among others, 8 flyovers, 102 bridges, tens of tunnels and a bypass route for heavy trucks – 367 km (228 mi) of roads were paved. The Sochi Light Metro

3784-423: The coast of the Black Sea , with Fisht Olympic Stadium , and the Games' indoor venues located within walking distance; and snow events in the resort settlement of Krasnaya Polyana . The 2014 Winter Olympics were the most expensive Games in the history of the Olympics. While originally budgeted at US$ 12 billion, major cost overruns caused this figure to expand to US$ 51 billion, more than three times

3872-434: The composition of snow produced using snow guns differs from that of natural snow, and as such provides for improved conditions for winter sports competitions. It is often favoured by professionals for being fast and "hyper-grippy" but also raises their fear of falling on it. The most visible negative externalities resulting from snowmaking are the adverse environmental impacts. However, in addition to environmental impacts,

3960-629: The cost of the 2012 London Olympics and even surpassing the estimated cost of US$ 44 billion for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The 2014 Games achieved a record broadcast audience of 2.1 billion people worldwide. In 2016, an independent report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed allegations that the Russian Olympic team had been involved in a state-sponsored doping program , active from at least late 2011 through August 2015. The program

4048-495: The day of the opening ceremony, 7 February 2014. It is the longest torch relay in Olympic history, a 60,000-kilometre (40,000-mile) route that passes through all regions of the country, from Kaliningrad in the west to Chukotka in the east. The Olympic torch reached the North Pole for first time via a nuclear-powered icebreaker ( 50 Let Pobedy ) . The torch was also passed for the first time in space , though not lit for

4136-529: The direct effects of the production of artificial snow, snowmaking practices result in various secondary effects. Positive externalities resulting from the production of artificial snow include positive impacts on local economies, increased opportunities for physical activity, and improved competition conditions. Furthermore, producing artificial snow allows ski resorts to extend the amount of time that they are operational, thus increasing opportunities for people to participate in outdoor physical activities. Finally,

4224-636: The duration of the flight for safety reasons, on flight Soyuz TMA-11M to the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft itself was adorned with Olympic-themed livery including the Games' emblem. Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazansky waved the torch on a spacewalk outside the ISS. The torch returned to Earth five days later on board Soyuz TMA-09M . The torch also reached Europe's highest mountain, Mount Elbrus , and Siberia's Lake Baikal . The opening ceremony of

4312-460: The early 1970s. Many ski resorts depend heavily upon snowmaking. Snowmaking has achieved greater efficiency with increasing complexity. Traditionally, snowmaking quality depended upon the skill of the equipment operator. Today, computer control supplements that skill with greater precision, such that a snow gun operates only when snowmaking is optimal. The key considerations in snow production are increasing water and energy efficiency and increasing

4400-412: The economic success of ski resorts. Between 2008 and 2013, American ski and snowboard resorts experienced annual revenues of about US$ 3 billion. Such high levels of revenue increase the demand for predictable and adequate amounts of snow cover, which can be achieved through artificial snowmaking practices. While the economic benefit of ski resorts has been around US$ 3 billion in recent years (see Figure 2),

4488-416: The environmental window in which snow can be made. Snowmaking plants require water pumps – and sometimes air compressors when using lances – that are both very large and expensive. The energy required to make artificial snow is about 0.6–0.7 kW h/m for lances and 1–2 kW h/m for fan guns. The density of artificial snow is between 400 and 500 kg/m and

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4576-548: The estimated $ 44 billion cost of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, which hosted 3 times as many events. Dmitry Kozak was the main overseer for the events in Sochi. In its final budget published in June 2014, Olimpstroy—the state corporation that oversaw the Sochi Olympics development—reported the total allocated funds for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics of 1,524 billion rubles (US$ 49.5 billion). However, only about

4664-494: The estimated combined cost of the 2014 Winter Olympics had topped US$ 51 billion. This amount included the cost for Olympic games themselves and cost of Sochi infrastructural projects (roads, railroads, power plants). This total is over four times the initial budget of $ 12 billion (compared to the $ 8 billion spent for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver), and made the Sochi games the most expensive Olympics in history, exceeding

4752-480: The fall of 1969. Already slated for replacement, a failed bearing in March 2006 closed the lift for the balance of the season. Over that summer and fall, the entire lift was replaced by a more modern triple chair. It unloads near the summit, with fabulous views of the surrounding countryside; all types of terrain served are served, and it also provides the only way to access the base of Marge's Triple Lift (q.v.). The lift

4840-700: The first time ever, all of the current members of the European Olympic Committees participated at the Winter Olympics. Kristina Krone qualified to compete in her second consecutive games for Puerto Rico , but the island's Olympic Committee once again chose not to send her to compete. Similarly, South Africa decided not to send alpine skier Sive Speelman to Sochi. Algeria also did not enter its only qualified athlete, Mehdi-Selim Khelifi . India 's athletes originally competed as Independent Olympic Participants and marched under

4928-637: The formation of ice crystals at relatively high temperatures, so that the droplets will turn into ice before falling to the ground. The bacterium itself uses these ina proteins in order to injure plants. The pipes following the trails are equipped with shelters containing hydrants, electrical power and, optionally, communication lines mounted. Whereas shelters for fan guns require only water, power and maybe communication, lance shelters usually need air hydrants as well. Hybrid shelters allow maximum flexibility to connect each snow machine type as they have all supplies available. The typical distance for lance shelters

5016-732: The host city in July 2007, during the 119th IOC Session held in Guatemala City . It was the first Olympics to be held in a CIS state and former Warsaw Pact state after the Revolutions of 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic previously hosted the Summer Olympics in 1980 . A record ninety-eight events in fifteen winter sport disciplines were held during

5104-529: The issue of water scarcity . In addition to long-term environmental impacts, artificial snow production poses immediate environmental challenges. Artificial snow takes around two to three weeks longer to melt than does natural snow. As such, the use of artificial snow introduces new threats and challenges to local flora and fauna. Furthermore, the high mineral and nutrient content of the water used to produce artificial snow changes soil composition, which in turn affects which plants are able to grow. In addition to

5192-532: The largest Winter Olympics to date. Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events contested in each separate discipline. On 6 April 2011, the IOC accepted a number of events that were submitted by their respective sports federations to be considered for inclusion into the official program of these Olympic Games. The events included a Figure skating team event, Women's ski jumping, Mixed relay biathlon, Ski half-pipe , and Team relay luge. On 4 July 2011,

5280-523: The main media centre in Olympic Park and in the mountain village of Estosadok . In addition to standard services, customers had access to unique services including two new products, Fotomarka and Retropismo. Fotomarka presents an opportunity to get a stylised sheet of eight souvenir stamps with one's own photos, using the services of a photographer in the office. Retropismo service allows a customer to write with their own stylus or pen on antique paper with further letters, winding string and wax seal affixing. All

5368-636: The medals awards and the opening and closing ceremonies of the event. The new venues include: A street circuit known as the Sochi Autodrom was constructed in and around Olympic Park. Its primary use is to host the Formula One Russian Grand Prix , which held its inaugural edition in October 2014. In January 2015, work began on adapting Fisht Olympic Stadium into an open-air football stadium to host matches during

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5456-669: The mountain reservoir. Many mountain reservoirs are embankment dams that feed underground water pipelines, and pose significant safety risks to nearby populations and ecosystems. In addition to the hazards posed by conventional reservoirs and dams, mountain reservoirs are subject to a variety of mountain-specific hazards. Such hazards include avalanches, rapid flows, and landslides. Approximately 20% of mountain reservoirs are built on avalanche-prone sites, and about 50% are prone to very high hazards. Additionally, mountain reservoirs expel water very quickly, causing massive floods, and significantly jeopardizing public safety. The severity of these hazards

5544-464: The new sites and post offices in Sochi were opened during the Olympics until late night 7 days a week, and employees were trained to speak English. On 29 September 2013, the Olympic torch was lit in Ancient Olympia , beginning a seven-day journey across Greece and on to Russia, then the torch relay started at Moscow on 7 October 2013 before passing 83 Russian cities and arriving at Sochi on

5632-431: The newest equipment for the television coverage of the Games arrived in the port of Adler . Prepared specifically for the Games, a team of regional specialists and the latest technology provide a qualitatively new level of television production in the region. The fiber-optic channel links Sochi between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana. The 46-kilometre-long (29 mi) channel enables videoconferencing and news reporting from

5720-504: The popularity of indoor ski resorts create a demand for snow beyond that which is provided by nature. Snowmaking machines have addressed the shortage in the supply of snow; however, there are significant environmental costs associated with the artificial production of snow. According to the European Environment Agency , the length of snow seasons in the northern hemisphere has decreased by five days each decade since

5808-618: The power supply of the Sochi region was presented by Russian energy experts during a seminar on 29 May 2009, held by the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, and attended by International Olympic Committee (IOC) experts and officials from the Russian Ministry of Regional Development , the Russian Ministry of Energy , the State Corporation Olimpstroy and the Krasnodar Krai administration. According to

5896-473: The production of artificial snow results in significant negative cultural and social externalities. Such externalities include issues regarding land use and land rights. Many ski resorts rent out mountains and slopes from the US Forest Service , which raises questions surrounding how the land can and should be used, and who should be the arbiter of determining appropriate uses. A specific example of

5984-400: The production of artificial snow, which has adverse impacts on surrounding ecosystems and water tables. Mountain reservoirs are often filled with highly mineralized water, and the runoff from these reservoirs affects the mineral and chemical composition of groundwater, which in turn pollutes drinking water. Furthermore, mountain reservoirs do not allow water to seep back into the ground, so water

6072-462: The seaport would be moved from the centre of Sochi. Roadways were detoured, some going around the construction site and others being cut off. In May 2009, Russian Railways started the construction of tunnel complex No. 1 (the final total is six) on the combined road (automobile and railway) from Adler to Alpica Service Mountain Resort in the Krasnaya Polyana region. The tunnel complex No. 1

6160-425: The snow crystals. The small droplets of water and the tiny ice crystals are then mixed and propelled out by a powerful fan , after which they further cool through evaporation in the surrounding air as they fall to the ground. The crystals of ice act as seeds to make the water droplets freeze at 0 ° C (32 ° F ). Without these crystals the water would supercool instead of freezing . This method can produce snow when

6248-586: The snow itself. There are many forms of snowmaking guns; however, they all share the basic principle of combining air and water to form snow. For most guns the type or "quality" of snow can be changed by regulating the amount of water in the mixture. For others, the water and air are simply on or off and the snow quality is determined by the air temperature and humidity. In general there are three types of snowmaking guns: internal mixing, external mixing and fan guns. These come in two main styles of makers: air water guns and fan guns. An air water gun can be mounted on

6336-412: The strategy, the capacity of the regional energy network would increase by two and a half times by 2014, guaranteeing a stable power supply during and after the Games. The power demand of Sochi at the end of May 2009 was 424 MW. The power demand of the Olympic infrastructure was expected to be about 340 MW. Earlier plans also include building combined cycle (steam and gas) power stations near

6424-406: The system. Man fan-type snow guns have on-board electric air compressors, which allows for cheaper and more compact operation. A ski area may have the required high-output water pumps, but not an air pump. Onboard compressors are cheaper and easier than having a dedicated pumping house. The air is generally cooled and excess moisture is removed before it is sent out of the plant. Some systems even cool

6512-455: The systems, and worked with other technology partners to provide athletes, dignitaries and fans information about the Games. The 2014 Olympics is the first "fabric-enabled" Games using Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) technology. The network is capable of handling up to 54 Tbit/s of traffic. Infrastructure built for the games included: During the Games, the core networks of Rostelecom and Transtelekom were used. In January 2012,

6600-663: The torch and was met by former ice hockey goalkeeper Vladislav Tretiak , who exited the stadium to jointly light the Olympic cauldron located near the center of Olympic Park. A record 88 nations qualified to compete, which beat the previous record of 82 set at the previous Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The number of athletes who qualified per country is listed in the table below (number of athletes shown in parentheses). Seven nations made their Winter Olympics debut: Dominica , Malta , Paraguay , Timor-Leste , Togo , Tonga , and Zimbabwe . The Winter debut of Malta meant that for

6688-465: The water before it enters the system. This improves the snowmaking process as the less heat in the air and water, the less heat must be dissipated to the atmosphere to freeze the water. From this plant the air travels up a separate pipeline following the same path as the water pipeline. The water is sometimes mixed with ina (ice nucleation-active) proteins from the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae . These proteins serve as effective nuclei to initiate

6776-531: The water consumption for producing snow is roughly equal to that number. Snowmaking begins with a water supply such as a river or reservoir. Water is pumped up a pipeline on the mountain using very large electric pumps in a pump house. This water is distributed through an intricate series of valves and pipes to any trails that require snowmaking. Most resorts also add a nucleating agent to ensure that as much water as possible freezes and turns into snow. These products are organic or inorganic materials that facilitate

6864-453: The water molecules to form the proper shape to freeze into ice crystals . The products are non-toxic and biodegradable. The next step in the snowmaking process is to add air using an air plant. This plant is often a building which contains electric or diesel industrial air compressors the size of a van or truck. However, in some instances air compression is provided using diesel-powered, portable trailer-mounted compressors which can be added to

6952-470: The wet-bulb temperature drops, more snow can be produced faster and more efficiently. Snowmaking is an energy-intense process, and has environmental impacts, both of which inherently limit its use. Americans Art Hunt, Dave Richey, and Wayne Pierce invented the snow cannon in 1950, but secured a patent sometime later. In 1952, Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel became the first in the world to use artificial snow. Snowmaking began to be used extensively in

7040-547: Was active during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, and athletes had benefited from the cover-up . The IOC stripped thirteen medals from Russian athletes in 2017, but nine were reinstated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport . In December 2017, the IOC voted to suspend the Russian Olympic Committee , with an option for whitelisted athletes to compete independently during the 2018 Winter Olympics . Sochi

7128-470: Was elected on 4 July 2007 during the 119th International Olympic Committee (IOC) session held in Guatemala City , Guatemala , defeating bids from Salzburg , Austria ; and Pyeongchang , South Korea. This is the first time that the Russian Federation has hosted the Winter Olympics. The Soviet Union was the host of the 1980 Summer Olympics held in and around Moscow. As of October 2013,

7216-621: Was held from 7 to 23 February 2014 in Sochi , Russia. Opening rounds in certain events were held on 6 February 2014, the day before the opening ceremony . These were the first Olympic Games under the International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidency of Thomas Bach . Both the Olympics and Paralympics were organized by the Sochi Organizing Committee (SOOC). Sochi was selected as

7304-671: Was in Sochi and concluded that the city had made significant progress since he last visited eighteen months earlier. According to the FTP, US$ 580 million would be spent on construction and modernization of telecommunications in the region. Avaya was named by the Sochi Organizing Committee as the official supplier of telecommunications equipment. Avaya provided the data network equipment, including switches , routers , security, telephones and contact-center systems . It provided engineers and technicians to design and test

7392-463: Was looking to build new ski slopes and increase the production of artificial snow. The proposed project would involve the clearing of approximately 74 acres (30 ha) of forest, the use of reclaimed water to produce artificial snow, the construction of a three-acre holding pond for reclaimed water, and the installation of an underground pipeline. A group of plaintiffs made up of members from six Native American tribes and various other organizations filed

7480-485: Was permitted to walk under the flag of India at the Closing Ceremony. During the Games some countries had a national house, a meeting place for supporters, athletes and other followers. Houses could be either free for visitors to access or have limited access by invitation only. The 2014 Winter Olympics featured 98 events over 15 disciplines in 7 sports. A total of twelve new events were contested, making it

7568-811: Was preserved, and in the Olympic park cluster, a new station was built from scratch, the Olympic Park railway station . Another new railway station was built in Estosadok, close to Krasnaya Polyana. Funds were spent on the construction of hotels for 10,300 guests. The first of the Olympic hotels, Zvezdny ( Stellar ), was rebuilt anew. Significant funds were spent on the construction of an advanced sewage treatment system in Sochi, designed by Olimpstroy. The system meets BREF standards and employs top available technologies for environment protection, including tertiary treatment with microfiltration . Six post offices were opened at competition venues, two of them in

7656-556: Was the case with the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort. Such an action could cause significant deforestation, the loss of fragile and rare ecosystems, and cultural opposition. The high costs associated with the production of artificial snow serve as a barrier to entry for its use. It was estimated that in 2008 it cost approximately US$ 131,000 to purchase a snow gun and develop the necessary infrastructure. Overall, approximately US$ 61 million have been invested in snowmaking technology in

7744-601: Was the first Games to offer 4G connectivity at a speed of 10 MB/sec. In January 2014, Rostelecom reported that it had connected the Olympic media center in Sochi to the Internet and organized channels of communication with the main media center of the Olympic Games in the coastal cluster and press center in Moscow. The media center was built at total cost of 17 million rubles. A five-year strategy for increasing

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