With summer only just a fading memory in the minds of most Jasperites, crews at Marmot Basin are in full swing, preparing for the ski hill’s seasonal opening—tentatively set for Nov. 14.
That’s just over a month away, but according to Marmot’s vice president of operations and maintenance, Jason Paterson, the mountain is a flurry of activity, and has been all summer long.
Right now, for example, this year’s safety patrol are being trained, and maintenance crews are scattered across the mountain putting the finishing touches on a host of summer projects.
Crews installed a new haul rope on the Eagle Express chair lift; they removed some of the chairs on the Schoolhouse lift to make it more accessible for beginners; they built a new maintenance facility mid-mountain and finished a whole bunch of erosion control, reclamation work and other projects.
“Everyone sort of has the impression that in a ski area, during the off season it’s really relaxing—that we just have lawn chairs out—but for a lot of people that’s the busiest time of the year,” Paterson said.
And while temperatures are only just starting to drop, Paterson and his crews are already eagerly awaiting that magic date, Oct. 25, when Parks Canada will give them the go-ahead to start making snow.
According to Paterson, Marmot has installed five new snow guns on the mountain this year, and with a total of 15 machines blasting out powder, he hopes getting the slopes into skiable condition will be easier than ever.
“Subconsciously you start to watch the temperatures even now,” he joked, adding that he’s always on the lookout for the two big benchmarks: -5°C (when Marmot can start making snow in earnest) and -15°C (the “magic temperature where it’s just perfect” for snowmaking).
Since his business is so weather dependent, Paterson spends more time than he cares to admit temperature watching. And since snowmakers live by the thermometer, he and his crews’ moods can swing wildly depending on the temperature.
“You see the wrong forecast and it can really throw your day off,” he joked.
And while they’re not quite there yet, Paterson said once the season gets closer, the mountain will get even busier, as trucks start trundling up full of a season’s worth of products for Marmot’s restaurants, rental shops and retail shops.
Training of the new seasonal staff will also be in full swing, as well as trail flagging and grooming, and a host of other last minute preparations.
It’s a lot to get done, but Paterson said somehow they always manage.
“Every year it kind of comes to a nice little close where for whatever reason we get it all done before opening day.”
Skiers across town are no doubt hoping that holds true for another year.
Trevor Nichols
[email protected]
