Duty Day

Below is a general timeline and what is expected of patrollers on a typical Duty Day, however it is not exhaustive and depends upon the weather, maintenance, and snow conditions.

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07:45 - Park in the employee parking area being sure to park beyond the designated EMPLOYEE PARKING sign. Be sure to account for road conditions on Ski Run Road and the time to walk in order to be on time for the morning brief. 

08:00 - Take skis and poles to the patio outside the patrol room, put boots on, get radio, check opener assignment. Try to arrive early so you are able to clear the locker room prior to the pro patrollers arrival.
08:10 - Patrol Manager briefs weather forecast, special mountain considerations, and work projects. This is the time to clarify your opening assignment to ensure you understand your tasks if not clear.
08:15 - Ride Triple Chair up to drop personal packs off at Dispatch if assigned Lower Mountain, open Dispatch, and open assigned runs. Take drill and place signs, rope lines, and chicane. Check snow stakes. Fix rope lines, adjust padding on towers and snow making equipment, mark unmarked hazards, and report safety concerns to Dispatch.
09:00 - Guests begin loading lifts. Equipment check and pack inventory at patrol station using the checklists posted on the inside of the doors. Start the wood stove fire at Hancock Hut during cold weather and arrange tables and chairs. Coordinate with patrol lead and practice skiing runs in the area of responsibility, get in your toboggan work, and complete training tasks on your sign-off sheets. At Summit, one patroller should always be at the desk to monitor radio/phone and be attentive to guests exiting the Griz lift in the event they need assistance.

Aid Room clean-up - The Pine Ridge patroller is responsible for opening Midway Lodge, moving ski racks off the Midway deck and onto the snow, straightening up the aid room, checking equipment and documentation forms, cleaning counter-tops, and cleaning floors. The vacuum cleaner is in the locker room, and trash and recycling should be taken to the golf cart next to the Bierstube when full.
14:00 - Dispatch assigns upper and lower mountain closing assignments and calls Summit patrol with assignments.
14:45 - Cole Creek patrollers begin closing Headwaters.
15:30 - Last chair Grizzly Peak and Cole Creek.
15:30 - Close North 40 rope and Drifter gate.
16:00 - Last chair Triple Chair and Willow Creek. The Stache Express lift is “ghosted” with the lower lift operator notifying the upper lift operator the last loaded chair number. Close runs, pull ropes, chicane, signs and secure.
16:00 - Close Lobo, Winchester, Paradise, Columbine ropes, if open.
16:30 - Meet outside base patrol for end-of-day brief. Store skis, poles, boots. Change.
 

Notes​

• The aid room doors remain open during the day for "walk ins".

• Last patroller out of base patrol locks the locker room door.

• Check the blue rooms periodically for TP and notify Dispatch if service is required.

• Check outdoor trash and recycle and take full bags to the Midway bins.

• Pay attention to the low battery on the drill and place it on the charger.

• Turn down your radio volume when you enter Dispatch to avoid echo when Dispatcher transmits and turn up when departing.

• Guests come into Dispatch to purchase shirts and hats so become familiar with the purse and how to process credit card purchases using the Dispatch cell phone.

• Clear the Campbell snow unit during end of day sweeps when snowing.

• Do not load toboggans on the Willow Creek chair lift.

• Injured/ill guests will be transported to base in a toboggan, not on the back of a snowmobile.

• If you are the last chair during closing runs, the lift operator will give you a small carabiner with high vis tape. When you exit the lift, give the biner to the lift operator at the top as a means of verifying they can shut down the lift and no guests are on it.

• When you sweep the Midway bathrooms, turn off the lights, ensure the exterior bottom door is closed, pull the two door pins to the doors at the top of the stairwell and place them on the sill. We also put the ski racks on the deck so groomers can groom.

• Be considerate to slower skiers at the end of the day when closing runs and ask if you can assist. Kindly remind them the mountain is closing if they are unaware.

• Keep an extra trails map in your pocket to give to guests if needed.

• Do not enter the Bierstube in uniform unless to attend to a guest requiring medical attention. 

• Plan accordingly for road conditions and be prepared to come up early to help clear snow from the base area during heavy snowfall and prepare the mountain for opening. This may require being driven, towed uphill by the snowmobile using a tow-rope if lifts are not yet turning.

• Patroller etiquette requires you own up to your mistakes, learn from them going forward, and provide beverages for the patrol, and particularly the person who bailed you out.

• Do not wear your uniform and carry alcoholic beverages at the end of the duty day.