Tuesday, November 07, 2006

What Are We Up To?

People often ask what it is we are doing up here when there is no snow or during pre-season. The answer: running around like chickens with our heads cut off! Ok there is actually more order than that.

But we are extremely busy preparing for the 06-07 season. Powderhorn employs a staff of about 25 people full time/year round. This is made up of administration, marketing, food & beverage (we host 25-30 weddings every summer), Inn at Wildewood, maintenance, and mountain operations. Our staff size will jump to about 250 for the winter season.

So what is it we are up to right now? Well, as I type this, the mountain guys are placing the picinic tables and ski racks around the base lodge. Then they will work on getting the snowmaking operations ready. Lift Maintenance is finishing all the final checks and certifications for all lifts. Food & Beverage has the Sunset Grille looking like a bomb went off trying to get everything turned over for season. Ticket office is cranking out season passes as fast as their fingers can fly over the keyboards. The Rental Shop is checking in all the new gear. Alpine Trader is burried in tons of new stuff, the manager has to be checked on periodically to make sure she isn't suffocating under a pile of hoodies. Inn at Wildewood has a couple weeks to take a breather and get those little projects in before season starts. Everyone in Administration seems to be on the phone all the time. Our IT Manager is setting up new computers, getting the ticket system ready to go and, as always, answering our stupid questions about why our computer KEEPS TYPING LIKE THIS WHEN WE DON'T WANT IT TO. And us marketing/sales folks just got back in town from another ski show, this time in Denver.

Whew! But all this makes us extremely excited because that means we're close....close to seeing cars pull in with skis and snowboards on top...close to powder days...close to getting people on skis or a snowboard for the first time...close another season of fun and making memories!

1 comment:

John Linko said...

Hello:

Speaking of improvements during the off-season, I was wondering what the resort is doing to bring the facility up to 21st Century, or even late 20th century, standards for telecommunications. I'm referring specifically to providing Wi-Fi Internet access in the lodge and/or other resort buildings, and doing something about the non-existent cell phone coverage on the mountain and in the lodge.

The latter is more important, as it has a direct bearing on public safety. Given the number of cell phone users as a percentage of the general population, I would think that cell service would be a value-added feature to the resort community. I for one think it is essential, and would like to hear about your efforts and what the responses back from the cell phone companies have been.

Thanks for your time.