Adirondack Sports March 2024
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MARCH <strong>2024</strong> 43<br />
COMMUNITY continued from 41<br />
This makes a big difference for the mountain, with the<br />
most terrain of any ski area in New York. Gore is three<br />
times the size it was two decades ago, yet it uses about the<br />
same amount of energy as it did back then.<br />
“The higher-efficiency system is not just to get it done<br />
quicker, but with climate change and our cold-weather<br />
windows getting smaller and less of them, we have to have<br />
more efficient equipment, or we’re just never going to get<br />
it done,” Dan explained.<br />
The snow guns pull from a reservoir halfway up the<br />
mountain that holds 30 million gallons of water. Since<br />
Gore uses about 300 million gallons of water to make<br />
snow each winter, it pumps up from the Hudson River to<br />
fill the reservoir.<br />
Dan explained that Gore has been using water from<br />
the reservoir since 1976 and additionally drawing from<br />
the Hudson River since 1996. These pipes and snowmaking<br />
equipment require nonstop maintenance, which is a<br />
massive part of the snowmakers’ job.<br />
“When you move 300 million gallons of water through<br />
above-ground pipes when it’s ten below zero, stuff tends<br />
to break,” Dan explained.<br />
His seasonal crew includes about 25 employees, who<br />
work around the clock over three shifts: 7:30am to 4pm,<br />
3:30pm to midnight, and 11:30pm to 8am. They work<br />
closely with the grooming team to ensure they follow the<br />
same plan and everyone is safe, especially when sharing<br />
the trails with groomers at night.<br />
In the summer, Dan can keep about six staff members,<br />
including himself, on his core team. Two of them have<br />
been working at Gore for over 20 years. This marks Dan’s<br />
16th season.<br />
This year, the crew earned their first nomination to<br />
the annual I AM a Snowmaker contest to recognize “the<br />
hard work, determination and camaraderie of snowmakers,<br />
and recognize their critical contributions,” according<br />
to Ski Area Management magazine. They were asked to<br />
create a “Day in the Life” video to capture the essence of<br />
their snowmaking team, which they did with the help of<br />
Gore’s marketing department: youtube.com/watch?v=w-<br />
90sUpD7gk4.<br />
While they didn’t win, (Greek Peak Mountain Resort in<br />
Cortland won), Dan said they appreciated the recognition.<br />
“We’re the behind-the-scenes guys,” he noted. “Nobody<br />
sees what we’re doing or how we’re doing it. I think there’s<br />
a misconception that you just turn some valves on, go<br />
home, come back in the morning, and everything’s fine,<br />
but you have to be walking the trails constantly.<br />
“Guns and pipes freeze; the system and equipment can<br />
be temperamental. It’s never-ending work,” Dan added.<br />
“If I didn’t have these guys, especially my core group of<br />
year-round guys… I wouldn’t be able to get this stuff done.<br />
They’re the ones who know what they’re doing.”<br />
<strong>Adirondack</strong> <strong>Sports</strong> would like to thank and recognize<br />
ALL the snowmakers and groomers at Gore, Whiteface,<br />
ski areas of New York, and across the Northeast, who have<br />
made the most of a challenging winter!<br />
● MEMBERS OF GORE’S<br />
SNOWMAKING TEAM. ▶<br />
Alex Kochon (alexkochon@gmail.com) of Gansevoort<br />
is a freelance writer, editor, and outdoor-loving mom<br />
of two who enjoys adventuring in the <strong>Adirondack</strong>s. A<br />
longtime journalist and former ski reporter, she has<br />
covered Olympics, world championships, and athletes<br />
of all calibers. She shares her passion for sports and<br />
recreation as a sales and content contributor for<br />
curated.com.<br />
● SNOWMAKING MOUNDS.<br />
● HKD SNOWMAKERS<br />
ON THE SUNWAY TRAIL.<br />
GORE MOUNTAIN/OLYMPIC AUTHORITY