Q Burke Opens Saturday Thanks To Fake Flakes
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- Created on Monday, 09 December 2013 19:32
- Written by Alex Shea
BURKE- Thanks to the technology of snowmaking, mountains across the state are opening pre-season each year.With the help from a snow-loving staff, endless night shifts and the advancement’s in snowmaking, some of Vermont’s finest ski resorts are opening up as early as October.
Following in the footsteps of their big sister Jay Peak, Q Burke Mountain is set to open this Saturday.
High pressured water and air pushes through “snow guns” or “snow canons”, spewing man-made snow onto trails giving Q Burke Mountain a chance to play weatherman.
Chris Carter, a new member of the 13-man snowmaking team said this year has been so far so good. “We started about three weeks ago, the weather has been off and on. We have been hitting it really good the past week.”
The team never stops. Working through both the day and night, Q Burke strives to ensure that snow is being made around the clock; weather permitting.
“We go out and check the hoses to make sure their running fine and not frozen” Says Carter. “We then adjust the snow guns to make sure they are blowing where they should be. Once one trial is done, we move and set up at the next location”
Warm weather can work against the team, halting all snowmaking at once. But with cold temperature also comes more risks. The snow-makers must endure freezing winds and slippery ice as they work together to make sure their customers have a proper slope for their winter sports.
“We angle the guns and blow large piles of snow that the snow-cats will push along the trail. They then will groom the trails to make it skiable,” Carter explains.
Typically ending around February, Carter says this job is something you don’t get to do anywhere else. “We’re trying to make snow top to bottom before the end of the week, that’s our goal.”
Q Burke Mountain plans to open this coming Saturday, December 14th. For information on ticketing and snow conditions, visit their website.
