Slopegroomer.com

The question I would like to put forward is this something the industry would use? What I’ve seen most areas train their own. Learning the basic functions and the operation of a groomer is like driving any piece of equipment, but getting it to be productive with any piece of equipment takes time.
What is your opinion on Snow Cat Operators Training school?

I believe that grooming classes can be extremely beneficial. Our company has spent roughly three years in developing snowcat operator classes. We offer basic classes, and specialized classes. So far we have launched our classes and they will be available next season.
Benefits of a class:
-Makes an operator become a groomer
-Provides uniform operating proceedures
-Educates operators and give them a better understanding of the equipment and their capabilities
-Provides a standard of operation across the board
-Creates an efficient groomer

I agree with you that alpine grooming is an art and unfortunately many people treat alpine grooming just the same as running any other piece of equipment.

feel free to contact us further for class information and our experience with the classes.

www.mtnventuresllc.com

After over 28 years of training new operators, I have some opinions (valid or not). First off, an 8 hour ride along and then throwing them to the "wolves" is definitely not the best method anymore. What worked long ago in a Thiokol 2100 or 3700AC will not pass muster in todays modern, sophisticated machines. New operators today need more of a structured training including didactic (in the classroom) style learning so that they can learn about the intricacies of the machines, snow conditions and morphology, and our snow surface expectations. Of course new operators also need dedicated seat time training both watching a "master operator" and then trying things with the "master" providing direct feedback and suggestions. Like a lot of other industries, it is hard for our management teams to dedicate this type of time to effective training because of the perceived need for immediate production (i.e. we need to get that trail open or the 1/2 pipe needs cutting, etc.). The foreman can't be spared so put the new guy in with the other new guy that just started last month.

I realize that normal heavy equipment operations are not very similar to snowcat grooming and slope maintenance, however, I feel very strongly that a new operator that has been trained on a dirt blade and knows about level grade and cuts and fills and efficient dirtmoving will perform at a much higher level both initially and long term in a snowcat. Training in heavy equipment also allows the new operator to gain perspective about diesel and hydraulic systems that will help them become a "master operator". Two other benefits are the exposure to safety concepts and things like rigging (chains, slings, wire rope) that can round out their training and make them a future complete operator.