A Nordic patroller’s day on the Santiam Pass Ski Patrol

• 8:00am: Arrive by 8:00am to unpack your equipment and attend the morning meeting. On Saturday shift (if it hasn’t already been done) you will need to get the snow mobiles out of storage, gas them up, check oils, etc and bring them down to the lodge. You may be asked to put out the SLOW signs on the ski runs.
• 8:15am: Morning meeting – see who is on patrol that day, get any news of mtn. problems, events, policy changes, etc.
• 8:30am: Get into your x-c boots and gear and head out to open the trails. Knock snow off signs, raise and reposition signs if buried and to break ice off that may be forming, look for hazards. If you are on the upper trail system make sure the out of bounds signs are posted and visible. If divided up, the opening assignment can take about +/- 1 hour.
• 9:45 – 10:30am: Check snow mobiles for gas, oil, etc if you haven’t already. Note and make any minor repairs that have to be done on the machines. Dig out storage bay doors so the rescue sled can be retrieved quickly if needed. Dig out snow-mo storage bays (Sunday) so they can be put away easily that evening.
• 10:30am: Depending on the day and conditions, repairs that have to be attended to, maintenance projects, hill chief request, first aid training, and other non-scheduled activities, you may be spending the next hour, or two, or three?? in and around the aid room/lodge performing these duties. Other times, you may be able to go get a few turns in if you are not needed.
• 12:00ish: Lunch
• 1:00-3:30pm: Check in and help out with aid room staff if needed, assist with training, complete annual “get wet” activities, review first aid problems/equipment, basically be around and ready to help with anything that may be requested. If it’s a slow day you may be able to go out and make more turns :)
• 3:45pm: Get ready to “sweep” Nordic trails on the snowmobiles. Let visitors know that the trails are closing at 4pm.
• 4:15ish: Prepare to put the snowmobiles away (Saturday: park the snowmobiles after sweeps are completed – Sunday: put them back into storage). Keep at least one available until the mountain has been cleared of any incidents, searches, etc.

So that’s the typical day. But, always expect the unexpected. Be ready to head out into the back country for a rescue/search. You may stay until 9pm or later helping with a search on the mountain. Be flexible and ready. Have your pack supplied and ready for an over-night stay. And lastly and most important – have fun.