Smart ways to move groomer tillers, dispense sidewalk grit, and enable guests to charge their mobile devices. GRIT DISPENSER “Not sure who originated the idea, but we have been making these dispensers in-house for quite some time. We have modified the construction a little over the years to make them more rugged. Each is made out of three pressure-treated 4X4s and a couple bolts, so the cost is less than $50 per rack. The barrels are repurposed from another department; some are actually recycled lime juice barrels. The dispensers are located in high traffic areas so staff can easily mitigate a slippery surface without taking the time to retrieve material. We usually have a flap of rubber covering the opening to keep unfrozen precipitation from getting into the stored ‘grit,’ a highly processed crushed stone that does not track as much of the fine material indoors as often happens with sand. We use the grit for sanding walkways, driveways, and our roads.” — Jim Shands, construction and maintenance manager, Killington, Vt. TILLER MOVER “This is a device the guys in vehicle maintenance at Mount Snow made to move PistenBully tillers. Once the tiller comes off the groomer, it is challenging to move around using a front loader and a chain or sling. Instead, they bought a PistenBully “blank”—which would typically attach to the groomer’s rear receiver—and fabricated the other end to match up to the loader, which is a Caterpillar 930. The fabricated “blank” mounts to the loader so it can easily drive right up to the tiller, pick it up, and move it. The static position also allows techs to apply torque to the tiller when working on it. Plus, it saves labor, since using a chain or sling to hang the tiller from a loader takes two people—one to operate the loader, another to man the tag line attached to the tiller so it doesn’t rotate or swing in transit—and the fabricated blank carries the tiller in a static position. It’s just plain safer for the employees to pick up, move around, and work on.” — Ryan Lavoie, risk manager, Peak Resorts. FREE CHARGE For guests, forgetting their cell phone chargers can be a real drag. And so is carrying one around during a day at the mountain. So Park City has installed these multi-device charging stations in just about every lodge and dining facility on the mountain. Each station is equipped with a total of 12 chargers for a variety of mobile devices. Regardless of your device, there’s a plug for you. Such stations are common in many public places, but unlike some, PCMR provides the service for free. The chargers are easy to install and benefit the resort as well as guests: Charged phones allow guests to take pictures and share them on social media. Free charge = free hype.
