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ENLARGE
Dani McCallum in front of the Village Express
The Aspen Skiing Co. has for many years been a mecca for international snow lovers who come over on an H-2B visa and run the mountain we adore.
This year, Skico had difficulty getting international visas, and the result has been more local faces at the ski lifts. Whether the boys and girls in goggles are from the area or from across the world, these dedicated lift attendants are here for one thing: Snow.
The people-mover fondly known as the Skittles lift was unveiled in the 2006/07 season. It is said that the lift got its name from the colorful cabs dangling from the cable that resembled candy.
Skittles’ lift attendants are sweet as well. Alrita left the Ute reservation in Utah to work on Snowmass ski area. Although it’s her first year, she’s already in love. “I came for the snow,” she said. Although Alrita is a Utah girl, the desert where she’s from sees little snow. Her duties include ensuring the safety of Skittles passengers and shoveling slippery snow out of the way. To keep entertained throughout the day, she chats with people and “jams out” to the music playing on her radio outside. Alrita has been snowboarding for seven years, but she hasn’t gotten the chance to hit the slopes yet. She can’t wait – her favorite thing about living in Aspen/Snowmass is obviously the sweet powder.
Down at the base of Skittles, two guys were working away. Mike Dougherty is starting his first year working for Skico, but since his parents own a place in town, he’s been coming to the area since age three. Being basically a local, he of course is a passionate skier, and prefers the Cirque and the Hanging Wall on Snowmass ski area.
He also enjoys his job. “There’s never a dull moment,” said Mike. “Every day is different.” Just last week, a kid slid off the chairlift. Luckily he fell just as the chair left the lift, so “he was more scared than hurt,” Mike assured.
Kids make Mike’s day. “The kids are cool. They’re hilarious, with skis as big as they are.” To liven up his shift, Mike cracks jokes with the children as they board. He also works the poma lift at the Cirque, when it’s open. There he gets a kick out of watching people on the poma lift, and whether they can make it up without falling and having to start all over again.
Mike Dougherty is currently studying music journalism at Metro State in Denver. But he’s not planning on moving any time soon. Although the move from Denver’s big city to Aspen was huge, Mike loves “the feel of a little town, and the mountain life. I think I’m gonna be here for good.”
His fellow liftie, Felipe Biunet, made an even bigger move. Felipe is from Puerto Montte, Chile, on break from his civil engineering studies to spend his summer vacation playing in the powder. It’s much colder here, but locals gave him a warm welcome when he arrived at the beginning of December. “I was a stranger, but everyone was so nice,” he recalled.
“I wanted to work at a ski resort,” Felipe explained. “I like it very much.” He takes his job of being polite and cheering people up seriously. “I enjoy being with people. I find it very fun.” He also loves the one or two ski breaks he gets when working at the gondola. When he gets a free moment, he heads over to Sam’s Knob where the powder is good and the slopes are steep.
The Skittles lift moves people between Base Village and the Snowmass Mall with 12 cabs that each hold six people. Skittles can run a little slowly (it averages 50 feet per minute) as it is a pulse lift. Unlike the Elk Camp Gondola or the Village Express lift, the cabs on Skittles do not detach from the cable. As three cabs simultaneously unload passengers at the top and bottom, six cabs are suspended mid-ride. Aside from its pulse-nature, Skittles is run on two small motor drives, 150 HP each, explained Master Ski Lift Technician Derek Darling.
Derek is a long-time Snowmass resident, having moved to town from Washington state 10 years ago. He has been a member of the Skico team for nine years, and has no intention of moving on. Derek adores the mountain life and “being outside with people who love to ski.” He himself is a third year telemarker, although he has been alpine skiing all his life. His favorite mountain he professed is Highlands, “the local’s mountain. It’s gonna make you hurt,” he said with a grin. As a Highlands fan, of course, his favorite run is the bowl, where you “get to mix it up with hiking.”
Derek’s duties on Snowmass consist of making sure each lift is running smoothly. He is on-call throughout the day and cruises around to check up on lift operations. One of his responsibilities is the Village Express, the fast six-person seater lift that runs from Base Village up to the mid-way point and Sam’s Knob. The lift usually runs at 950 feet per minute, and slows down to around 500 feet per minute to allow for easy boarding. It’s generated by two 600 HP driver motors and can max out at 1,150 feet per minute.
One of the Village Express lifties is Dani McCallum, who was born and raised in Aspen. Although she has been snowboarding for 14 years, this is her first venture as a Skico employee. Full of energy and smiles, Dani often has to carry younger skiers to the chair and plop them on, and she does it all slightly out of breath and radiating with cheer.
In addition to shoveling and making sure people board safely, Dani dances all day, sings aloud and pretends to stun children with the ticket scanner. She recently graduated from C.U. with a degree in neurological psychology, but like her fellow lifties, her feet are planted on Snowmass and aren’t budging.
Ashlee Fairey’s e-mail address is afairey@snowmasssun.com
This year, Skico had difficulty getting international visas, and the result has been more local faces at the ski lifts. Whether the boys and girls in goggles are from the area or from across the world, these dedicated lift attendants are here for one thing: Snow.
The people-mover fondly known as the Skittles lift was unveiled in the 2006/07 season. It is said that the lift got its name from the colorful cabs dangling from the cable that resembled candy.
Skittles’ lift attendants are sweet as well. Alrita left the Ute reservation in Utah to work on Snowmass ski area. Although it’s her first year, she’s already in love. “I came for the snow,” she said. Although Alrita is a Utah girl, the desert where she’s from sees little snow. Her duties include ensuring the safety of Skittles passengers and shoveling slippery snow out of the way. To keep entertained throughout the day, she chats with people and “jams out” to the music playing on her radio outside. Alrita has been snowboarding for seven years, but she hasn’t gotten the chance to hit the slopes yet. She can’t wait – her favorite thing about living in Aspen/Snowmass is obviously the sweet powder.
Down at the base of Skittles, two guys were working away. Mike Dougherty is starting his first year working for Skico, but since his parents own a place in town, he’s been coming to the area since age three. Being basically a local, he of course is a passionate skier, and prefers the Cirque and the Hanging Wall on Snowmass ski area.
He also enjoys his job. “There’s never a dull moment,” said Mike. “Every day is different.” Just last week, a kid slid off the chairlift. Luckily he fell just as the chair left the lift, so “he was more scared than hurt,” Mike assured.
Kids make Mike’s day. “The kids are cool. They’re hilarious, with skis as big as they are.” To liven up his shift, Mike cracks jokes with the children as they board. He also works the poma lift at the Cirque, when it’s open. There he gets a kick out of watching people on the poma lift, and whether they can make it up without falling and having to start all over again.
Mike Dougherty is currently studying music journalism at Metro State in Denver. But he’s not planning on moving any time soon. Although the move from Denver’s big city to Aspen was huge, Mike loves “the feel of a little town, and the mountain life. I think I’m gonna be here for good.”
His fellow liftie, Felipe Biunet, made an even bigger move. Felipe is from Puerto Montte, Chile, on break from his civil engineering studies to spend his summer vacation playing in the powder. It’s much colder here, but locals gave him a warm welcome when he arrived at the beginning of December. “I was a stranger, but everyone was so nice,” he recalled.
“I wanted to work at a ski resort,” Felipe explained. “I like it very much.” He takes his job of being polite and cheering people up seriously. “I enjoy being with people. I find it very fun.” He also loves the one or two ski breaks he gets when working at the gondola. When he gets a free moment, he heads over to Sam’s Knob where the powder is good and the slopes are steep.
The Skittles lift moves people between Base Village and the Snowmass Mall with 12 cabs that each hold six people. Skittles can run a little slowly (it averages 50 feet per minute) as it is a pulse lift. Unlike the Elk Camp Gondola or the Village Express lift, the cabs on Skittles do not detach from the cable. As three cabs simultaneously unload passengers at the top and bottom, six cabs are suspended mid-ride. Aside from its pulse-nature, Skittles is run on two small motor drives, 150 HP each, explained Master Ski Lift Technician Derek Darling.
Derek is a long-time Snowmass resident, having moved to town from Washington state 10 years ago. He has been a member of the Skico team for nine years, and has no intention of moving on. Derek adores the mountain life and “being outside with people who love to ski.” He himself is a third year telemarker, although he has been alpine skiing all his life. His favorite mountain he professed is Highlands, “the local’s mountain. It’s gonna make you hurt,” he said with a grin. As a Highlands fan, of course, his favorite run is the bowl, where you “get to mix it up with hiking.”
Derek’s duties on Snowmass consist of making sure each lift is running smoothly. He is on-call throughout the day and cruises around to check up on lift operations. One of his responsibilities is the Village Express, the fast six-person seater lift that runs from Base Village up to the mid-way point and Sam’s Knob. The lift usually runs at 950 feet per minute, and slows down to around 500 feet per minute to allow for easy boarding. It’s generated by two 600 HP driver motors and can max out at 1,150 feet per minute.
One of the Village Express lifties is Dani McCallum, who was born and raised in Aspen. Although she has been snowboarding for 14 years, this is her first venture as a Skico employee. Full of energy and smiles, Dani often has to carry younger skiers to the chair and plop them on, and she does it all slightly out of breath and radiating with cheer.
In addition to shoveling and making sure people board safely, Dani dances all day, sings aloud and pretends to stun children with the ticket scanner. She recently graduated from C.U. with a degree in neurological psychology, but like her fellow lifties, her feet are planted on Snowmass and aren’t budging.
Ashlee Fairey’s e-mail address is afairey@snowmasssun.com
