Maurer Rides, a leading designer and manufacturer of roller coasters and transport solutions, has announced its latest product, the Spike Snow Coaster. Designed for ski resorts and mountain resorts, this coaster provides airtime over snow-covered hills, with a long curve by a quiet lake, a non-inverted loop in a winter forest and a surprise reverse ride with an extra start-up over a mountain.
For this innovative and interactive snow coaster, the company has put a motorised snowmobile on a track, for a fun winter landscape experience.
Patented spike drive
Riders will enjoy a fast ride over the treetops into a non-inverted loop, before a quick descent and a running jump over the next hill for some airtime. This is followed by ups, downs, and curves with a descent into a deep gorge and an ascent back up towards the mountain. For a surprise element, the ride appears to get stuck and slide back down the rock face, before speeding back up and over the ridge. After some more curves and twists, riders then glide back into the station.
The Spike Snow Coaster is unique due to its patented spike drive, meaning that it has 100% traction as every part of the track. This spike drive sits on the vehicle and each rider is able to control their own speed. Reaching top speeds of 80 km/h (50 mph), the ride can accelerate up the hill to extend the airtime or brake and take time to enjoy the scenery.
Thanks to the modern gear drive, operators have full control and there is precise position detection of the ride vehicles at all times.
In addition, the innovative spike drive is able to recover braking energy for use on the next include, meaning that Maurer’s latest coaster is more environmentally sustainable.
Last year, Maurer Rides presented the first-ever roller coaster at sea, in collaboration with Carnival Cruise Line. The line’s newest ship Mardi Gras is home to BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster – a thrill ride with nearly 220m of exhilarating twists, turns and drops that reaches speeds of almost 60km/h.