Getting Montezuma Bowl open does take a little longer than getting much of the Front Side open for a few reasons. There is no snowmaking in Zuma. When we designed and built the trails, we did not do any earth work to minimize our impacts. Much of the ground is smooth tundra, but there are a few rough spots that take longer to get covered with snow. Grooming and dozing snow on the Back Side is more difficult and time consuming than on the Front Side. We have to do the cat work one step at a time leap-frogging our way down the hill. Whatever the drivers go down, they must come back up. If they don't get the snow prepared properly, the cats can't climb back up hill. We could get the snowcats (and the snowcat drivers) stuck back there and the drivers are not into the "stuck thing". They like to go home at the end of their shifts.
All the work makes for great skiing, it just takes a little longer. It is worth the wait.
