Tag: Grand Mesa

  • Elevation, and a Season Not Yet Gone

    Elevation, and a Season Not Yet Gone

    Snowy spring meadows at West Elk Creek. (Photo: John Kelly)

    It’s the nature of the old English teacher who still resides within me: I fiddle with the words, revisit the definitions, consider the etymology. English words generally mean a thing, combining roots from Latin, from Greek, from the Germanic to express meaning by combining different parts. Today’s word: elevation, one we generally take to mean being higher. But it’s more than just high compared to low . . .

    el·e·va·tion — /ˌeləˈvāSH(ə)n/
    E/ex, meaning “out,” and Lev, meaning “light/lightness” (e.g., levitate, alleviate, level). Elevation, then, describes a circumstance that “brings out the lightness.” Yes, it does: the crispness, the freshness, the purity of the air at higher elevations always seems to bring out the lightness in me. And spring is definitely the season to seek it out.
    Spring conditions at West Elk Creek. (Photo: John Teaford)

    In many corners of North America, increased elevation preserves the snow even under the melting power of spring’s longer, sunnier days. The West Elk Trails above Newcastle, Colorado, are high enough (8,000+ feet) that spring skiing continues even after the grooming season has ceased. Early April snow showers keep replenishing the cover, offering snowy trails on this ridge top high above valley’s trending towards spring’s green.

    On Colorado’s Grand Mesa, the Grand Mesa Nordic Council announced that grooming on their 50 kilometers of trails (at 10,000+ feet) will continue through April 30. Winter stays long on this miraculous island in the sky.

    Taking a break in the spring sunshine: Tuckerman’s Ravine on Mount Washington. (Photo: Wyatt Teaford)

    Today in the northeast, Mount Washington (6,288 feet) is being buffeted by a late season nor’easter, a storm wheeling in off the Gulf of Maine and dropping late season snow (or rain) on Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine. The avalanche danger will be high for a few days, followed by sunny spring skiing well into May.

    Mount Bachelor has long been known as a destination for late spring/early summer skiing, and members of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team are due to arrive for next season’s first on-snow training camps. The Nordic Center’s elevation (6,400 feet) on the north side of this extinct volcano means that winter’s snow will last well into summer.

    It may be spring, but the high places still hang on to the last vestiges of winter.

    Elevation: the circumstance in which the lightness comes out. I ski the high trails in the company of definitions and derivations, trivial word-puzzles and researched etymological solutions that make up my internal monologue as I ski these high kilometers. And the longer the season goes on, the more such revery I can pursue. Luckily, it is elevation that makes the longer snowy season possible, and allows the lightness to come out.

    The author (and Paddy) enjoying seasonal blessings in the higher elevations of West Elk Creek. (Photo: John Kelly)

     

     

  • Grand Mesa Nordic Council (GMNC) Operations/Volunteer Coordinator

    Summary: The part-time, seasonal, Operations/Volunteer Coordinator (“Coordinator’) serves GMNC (http://gmnc.org) members by managing all phases of grooming operations on GMNC trails on the Grand Mesa in western Colorado and effectively recruits and deploys volunteers. This is a seasonal position from mid-October through mid-April. Weekend and holiday work is required. The Coordinator can expect to spend at least 20 hours per week on duties and is expected to be on call during all grooming operations which typically fall between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

    QUALIFICATIONS

    The Coordinator should have the following skills and experience:

    -Two seasons of grooming experience or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience as paid staff at cross country ski area given preference.

    -Management experience.  Experience as recreation, non-profit, or operations manager given preference.

    -The ability to communicate with, supervise and empower groomers and volunteers to be effective in their roles.  Experience with volunteers given preference.

    -The ability to work cooperatively with different types of personalities.

    -Knowledge and understanding of grooming issues, including trail conditions and grooming quality.

    -Commitment to GMNC’s goals and mission.

    Physical Requirements:

    -Ability to operate a snowcat, snowmobile and grooming equipment including necessary dexterity, eye-hand coordination, visual acuity, and ability to lift and maneuver up to 50 pounds.

    -Ability to work out-of-doors in extreme weather conditions which may include temperatures exceeding 25 degrees below zero, white-out snowfalls, deep and pervasive drifts of snow, and wind speeds in excess of 40 mph.

    -Ability to ski Grand Mesa Nordic trails to assess grooming conditions.

    RESPONSIBILITIES

    Operations Management:

    -Consults frequently with Board President on Operations and Volunteer efforts and with grooming staff, involving them in decision-making

    -Communicates with grooming staff on daily basis to receive updates on trails groomed and snow conditions, and uses that information to update the GMNC website regarding current trail conditions

    -Ensures that all grooming operations are conducted with safety as the first priority

    -Develops and implements safety plan for grooming operations

    -Coordinates search-and-rescue mock operation in pre-season

    -Ensures that trail markers, maps, and signs are installed and taken down each season

    -Schedules staff weekly for grooming operations, making adjustments to grooming schedule as necessary for events, races and weather conditions

    – Skis trails at least 3 times per week to check on quality and effectiveness of grooming as well as providing a presence on the Grand Mesa for GMNC members

    – Provides feedback to grooming staff by recognizing outstanding efforts and excellent work as well as constructively confronting issues that arise

    – Performs grooming on Sundays and as backup on other days as needed (the Coordinator is paid for grooming work on an hourly basis)

    – Reports Staff hours to Treasurer for payroll

    – Monitors grooming budget through budget reports and communications with Treasurer and adjusts grooming operations as needed due to keep expenses within Board approved budget.

    – Acts as Operations Liaison with Forest Service staff – communicates pertinent issues such as snowmobile encroachment, sign placements, trail maintenance and events

    – Acts as Colorado Department of Transportation Liaison – communicates road issues (slides) to CDOT, receives updates on road closures, avalanche danger from CDOT and communicates to membership via e-mail and website

    – Prepares monthly Ops and Volunteer report for Board of Directors and attends monthly Board meetings (held the first Tuesday of the month, alternating between Delta and Grand Junction)

    – Coordinates and/or conducts training for ongoing development of grooming staff

    – Oversees maintenance, disposal, and purchase of grooming equipment, negotiating terms and conditions with equipment vendors

    – Conducts end-of-season evaluations of grooming staff, copying the Board President.

    Volunteer Coordinator:

    -Consults and coordinates with Board Members to assess volunteer needs and recruit volunteers for various GMNC projects

    -Coordinates volunteer and membership recruiting events

    – Arranges volunteer work projects for trail maintenance, and recruits, schedules, and trains volunteers for same

    – Solicits volunteer feedback and adjusts efforts as needed

    – Sets up end-of-season volunteer recognition

    -Attendance at events, outreach activities

    – Solicits participation from members

    ACCOUNTABILITY

    The Coordinator is hired by the executive committee of the GMNC.  The Coordinator reports directly to the President who is responsible for his/her performance evaluations

    COMPENSATION

    This position is a part-time seasonal position paying $7500 per season. When grooming trails, Coordinator is paid on an hourly basis, which is in addition to Coordinator’s position.

    A candidate well-suited to both aspects of the job (operations manager and volunteer coordinator) is preferred, but if necessary, we may consider applicants for these two divisions separately, with the salary split between the jobs accordingly.

    GMNC exercises discrimination in hiring based on job-related qualifications only. We do not exclude people due to non-job related factors such as race, color, national origin, marital or family status, genetic information, medical conditions, political beliefs, religion, age, sexual orientation, or handicapping conditions.

    To apply, send resume and letter of interest to grandmesanordic@gmail.com.

    Review of applications will begin September 15.