For Ski Area Owners, the Season Begins Long Before the Snow
While the rest of us were sipping beachfront Cape Codders, Al Fletcher, president of Nashoba Valley Ski Area in Westford, Mass., was gearing up for snow.
“Most people don’t realize the amount of work that goes into the off season,’’ said Fletcher, 42. “We’re always dipping into some project, whether it’s October or July.’’
Like many a manager before him, he kicked off this year’s “off season’’ (which lasted from May to November) by reflecting on the previous ski season and making note of where he wanted to revamp.
“It’s been a day-to-day operation,’’ Fletcher said. “We’re always thinking about what’s going to be the next step.’’
Take last summer, for example, when what started out as routine maintenance morphed into a major overhaul of one of his chairlifts, the creation of a new ski trail, and the construction of an accompanying lift.
“We literally just walked down into the woods with a ribbon in hand and figured out what we wanted to expand,’’ he said.
By the time the summer reached its zenith, his crew of 12 employees had cut down hundreds of trees and reconfigured two ski trails. Mulch all but covered the land.
“Everything that you see in the winter, we have to have ready by the fall,’’ said Vero Piacentini, 53, the general manager of Blue Hills Ski Area in Canton, Mass. “We can’t just go and flip a switch and be ready to go.’’
A lift mechanic toiled with a chairlift at Nashoba Valley Ski Area in Westford, Mass.
Piacentini, like Fletcher, has three annual inspections, from June through November, on everything from chairlift mechanisms to wire ropes and safety gates. Every nut and bolt has to be accounted for so that the cables ride straight, the sheaves are aligned with each other, and the brakes are in shape.
“You may not know it, but a chair is actually a very sophisticated piece of machinery,’’ said Piacentini, laughing.
The lifts must also be painted, carry appropriate safety signs, and have properly lubed haul ropes.
Upon final inspection in November, state-appointed agents submit a report and may give recommendations for how to improve a ski area’s equipment or procedures. Once an owner responds to these recommendations, he or she must submit required inspection reports to the Massachusetts Recreational Tramway Board with the hope of being granted a license to operate for the upcoming season.
“To get an idea for how long it can take: We hired an outside contractor to add an entire new gearbox to one of our chairlifts in the early summer, and he’s just finishing the project up now,’’ Fletcher said.
And it’s not just the chairlifts that call for extra maintenance.
Snowmaking equipment, which has grown in popularity since the early 1970s, requires its fair share of scrutiny, too.
“We have around 200 compressors, pumps, and snow guns throughout the mountain,’’ said Fletcher, “and those all have to be maintained and in some cases replaced if they don’t work right.’’
After sitting in warmer temperatures, the pipes must be checked for leaks because they are prone to rotting. When this is finished, around early November, staffers place the equipment on the hill so that it’s ready to go. They then set a pond aeration system into action that uses bubbles to keep water at an ideal temperature for the guns.
“It is just better for snow-making efficiency,’’ Fletcher explained. “The colder the water and air that you put out through your system, the more snow you’re going to make.’’
Skis must be inspected long before they hit the snow.
And let’s not forget about the thousands of skis that must be waxed, bound, and tested each year to make sure they’re in tip-top shape to rent.
“Not only do we keep track of the year’s testing for each ski, we actually have a log book so we can track over time to see if there are any changes or whatnot,’’ he said.
By the time the chairlifts are inspected, both Fletcher and Piacentini agree, the only thing keeping them shuttered is the forecast.
“We got a lot done this summer, but the true season starts with skiing,’’ Fletcher said. “I’m hoping and praying for a lot of snow this year.’’
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