More Zuma

Enjoy the images from Motnezuma Bowl Friday afternoon.

More Zuma

Enjoy the images from Motnezuma Bowl Friday afternoon.

Winching Columbine Step

Enjoy these pictures of our cat team working in tandem winching the Columbine Step. Usually, the winch cat anchors to one of several fixed anchors we have on the mountain. Other times, one cat can be the anchor while the other cat is lowered down. In today's case, the winch cat lowered a regular cat down "The Step." At the bottom the regular cat disconnected from the winch and free groomed the area leading to the base of Zuma Lift. When done, the regular cat re-connected to the winch cable and the winch cat pulled it back up "The Step." After doing this a few times, the snow becomes firmer and the cat can climb up on its own. Cool work that is time consuming.

Winching Columbine Step

Enjoy these pictures of our cat team working in tandem winching the Columbine Step. Usually, the winch cat anchors to one of several fixed anchors we have on the mountain. Other times, one cat can be the anchor while the other cat is lowered down. In today's case, the winch cat lowered a regular cat down "The Step." At the bottom the regular cat disconnected from the winch and free groomed the area leading to the base of Zuma Lift. When done, the regular cat re-connected to the winch cable and the winch cat pulled it back up "The Step." After doing this a few times, the snow becomes firmer and the cat can climb up on its own. Cool work that is time consuming.

Continental Divide

We have a nice view of the Divide looking East from the Base Area.

Continental Divide

We have a nice view of the Divide looking East from the Base Area.

Zuma Does Take A Little Longer

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.

Zuma Does Take A Little Longer

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.