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Groomers are resorts' MVPs |
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Friday, December 23, 2011 07:53 |
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A snowcat grooms the slopes of Aspen Mountain on Monday night. Daniel Bayer, Aspen Times
By Scott Condon, The Aspen Times
ASPEN — One month into ski season, it's clear that the MVPs for Aspen Skiing Co. are the snowmakers and groomers, Rich Burkley, Skico vice president of mountain operations, said earlier this week.
Mother Nature has been unusually stingy in November and December. While the Great Plains got pounded by the week's snowstorms Colorado's major ski resorts weren't as lucky. Snowmass picked up 7 inches of badly needed power; Aspen Mountain and Aspen Highlands received 3 inches.
“I think we're skiing extremely well for what we have,” Burkley said prior to Wednesday night's snowfall.
He credited the grooming crews at the four ski areas for working magic with the small base of snow.
“We have a very experienced crew out there,” he said.
That's important because the pros know how to “feather” the blades and tillers of their snowcats so they don't scrape off the ground cover. They know from past experience where they need to import snow, such as on parts of Sneaky's at Snowmass that get wind scoured.
Read more about the magic worked by the Aspen/Snowmass groomers.
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