This morning came pretty early after last night’s Barn Party. We trust everyone had fun. Making last call can mean missing that last bus – we’ll have that dialed in better for next week.
Congratulations to (Super) Dave Brougham and Andre Labine, recipients of Winterstart Belt Buckles last night. It was also an honor for us to award the 2016 Winterstart Award to Bruce Hamstead in front of so many of his Sled Dog friends. Bruce will be formally honored during the Ladies race weekend on the Saturday evening. It was great to see both Bruce and Deidre at the Barn last night. Congratulations Bruce!
It was a grey day today. With the Glacier chair being offline for a couple of hours it gave everyone a bit of variety in getting up the mountain as we took the Gondola. Hopefully, you all found your way to the base of the Top of the World chair from there.
As planned, a helicopter flew several loads of equipment into position for us and for DX3 – yup, those were a couple of Port-a-Potties flying over your head this morning. Great job on the Gully Bypasses – it was a relatively easy slide to get to Sunset Flats as opposed to the ‘hold your breath’ scratch down the Gully.
Winch cats were doing some heavy pushing today at Coaches shaping the line and building the jump and in Gunbarrel pushing whales and grooming out the line. Thank you for moving safely through the areas where the winch cats were working.
More Willy bags went up on net cables and trees at Claire’s Corner. DX3 is starting to raise TV camera positions and they will see the installation of Willy bags and air fences for protection as well. Our Medical team is starting to stage their toboggans and the Timing crew is stealthily working behind the fences setting up their systems.
With the snowguns removed from DT Cutoff down to Claire’s, B Net crews got busy punching systems in along skiers left and then cycled back and installed B Nets above Fallaway Net. We took ‘possession’ of Upper Wiwaxy as the skiers left spec fence went in. It was Groundhog Day for snowmaking: Guns continued to produce snow at Sunset Flats, Fallaway, C Turn, Timing Flats, Claire’s and the Finish area on Easy Street. I asked the snowmakers that I came across how they were doing, they said ‘They were having a ‘whale’ of a good time with us’. We are getting there.
Tomorrow, Friday is Hug a Net Monkey Day – our high safety professionals have been working hard here for nearly two months. Show them how much you appreciate their efforts with us.
And…….Happy 60th, Darrell!
Cheers all,
Brian