RORY BURKE GROOMER / OVERNIGHT GROOMING SUPERVISOR ! 6ERMONT NATIVE 2ORY GREW UP IN 0OULTNEY ATTENDED #ASTLETON 5NIVERSITY AND CAME TO 3TOWE FOR THE SNOW SPORTS AND MOUNTAINEERING (E S A TELEMARK SKIER CLIMBER AND MEMBER OF 3TOWE -OUNTAIN 2ESCUE AND HE WORKS PART TIME WITH THE -OUNT -ANSFIELD 3KI 3NOWBOARD #LUB HELPING SET UP RACES !T THE BEGINNING OF THE WINTER SEASON HE MAKES SNOW /NCE THERE S ENOUGH SNOW ON THE GROUND HE TRANSITIONS TO PUSHING IT AROUND IN A SNOWCAT
` x { { { P W z { = y{ {D h4HE JOB REQUIRES MANY HOURS OF TRAINING 7E ATTEND CONFERENCES TRAINING SESSIONS AND TRADE SHOWS )T TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO BECOME A GOOD GROOMER v
i {y w P Z } w w yw D h-Y MAIN JOB DURING THE WINTER IS BUILDING TERRAIN PARK FEATURES ) DRIVE A SPECIALIZED SNOWCAT CALLED A PARK CAT )T HAS MORE ARTICULATION IN ITS IMPLEMENTS BLADES AND ANGLES AND THE CONTROLS ARE MEANT FOR PARKS ) ALSO DRIVE A WINCH CAT )T S USED ANYWHERE THERE S A STEEP PITCH 7E HOOK INTO ROCKS OR MANMADE ANCHOR POINTS OR TO OTHER CATS )T S THE ONLY WAY TO GROOM STEEP TERRAIN
j }~{ w P j~{ ~ D h"EING UP ALL NIGHT ON THE MOUNTAIN CAN BE STRESSFUL ON THE BODY $URING BIG PROJECTS ) LL WORK SIX NIGHTS A WEEK TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST SKIING SURFACE POSSIBLE ,AST YEAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT BUT WE HAVE THE BEST EQUIPMENT IN THE INDUSTRY 7E CAN WORK THE MAN MADE SNOW IN A SEASON WHERE THERE IS NO SNOW v
X{ w P j~{ }~ D h) HAVE THE PLACE TO MYSELF )T S VERY PEACEFUL NO ONE IS GIVING ORDERS 9OU HAVE TO BE SELF RELIANT AND SELF DISCIPLINED TO GET THE JOB DONE .O ONE IS HOLDING YOUR HAND ) ALSO LIKE THAT ) M IN CONTROL OF THE PRODUCT ) M CREATING )T S A SOLITARY EFFORT AND WHEN ) M DONE ) CAN BE PROUD OF THE PRODUCT ) MADE ) LOVE THE CHALLENGE OF DOING FINESSE WORK WITH A BIG HEAVY MACHINE v
k w }~ } P X } x { D h) SEE A LOT OF SNOWSHOE HARES AND PORCUPINES !ND SKIERS )T S COOL THAT THEY ARE OUT BUT IT CAN BE SCARY FOR ME TO COME AROUND A CORNER AND SEE A SKIER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT v
m { { { y{P i { ^ | {D h) WAS WORKING THAT NIGHT AND DROVE THE FIREMEN UP IN THE GROOMER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT v
X{ {| P o{ 7 h) AM A YEAR ROUND EMPLOYEE AND ) HAVE GREAT BENEFITS !ND OF COURSE ) LIKE THE PASS ) TRY TO SKI EVERY DAY WHEN ) GET OFF WORK v
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