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Last Lift

Book Provides an Insightful & Passionate Snow Guns Before Sunrise:
A Peek Behind the Veil of Ski
Explanation of Ski Resort Operations Resort Operations
By Patrick Torsell. Harrisburg, PA:
CreateSpace Independent
Publishing Platform, 2017
ISBN 978-1981700776. Pp. 168.
BY PAUL G. RAUSCHKE
Available on amazon.com.

PICK ANY SIZE RESORT in any region of the US or any alpine area, whether in a customer-facing role or behind the
nation. Stand on the deck of the top terminal of a main scenes. For readers unfamiliar with these roles, the book
access lift and look down the line on a busy day. How many provides a good sense of what these jobs are like and
of the guests approaching have any idea of the passion, how they intersect. The chapter “Unsung Heroes” is
time, commitment, dedication, blood, sweat, and tears particularly noteworthy, spotlighting many of the people
that it takes to provide the experience they are enjoying? and jobs that our guests (and unfortunately some man-
Snow Guns Before Sunrise strives to answer that question. agers) ignore or are completely unaware of—until they
The author, Patrick Torsell, provides an insider’s look are needed. Here the essential contributions of our park-
at the management and operation of ski areas. (Torsell ing lot attendants, day care workers, line cooks, bus
“inherited the ski business addiction” from his father, drivers, and “facilities technicians” are deservedly lauded
Dan, a ski area president and GM for 40 years.) While and lifted up.
the book is geared primarily toward curious skiers and The anecdotes alone are priceless. “I used to love
riders who want to know a little more about what it takes story time with dad,” Torsell writes, “because it meant
to deliver their favorite sport to the masses, it also is a hearing about the time the power went out at Tussey
great primer for anyone interested in getting into the Mountain, PA, or the time the PB145 went haywire in
industry, and an informative introductory work for the shop, nearly driving itself through the wall, or the
operations/management programs. time Christopher Reeve’s limo driver wanted to park in
Snow Guns begins with an analogue of a city and a no-parking zone at Killington and parking foreman Jim
its various functional divisions to provide a clear, succinct O’Neil said: ‘I don’t care if you ahhr Supahman, get this
overview of resort operations, from opening to sweep, and cahhhr outta here,’ or the time an investor pulled a gun
in all the many hours before and after too. While this is in a meeting about reopening a defunct ski resort.”
familiar territory to NSAA members, the book is relayed My favorite chapter is “Measuring Up.” It is here, in
in such a way that veterans as well as new-hires will appre- an unexpected way, that Torsell’s passion for skiing man-
ciate and reflect on the different roles in these unique ifests itself. Most readers will likely ignore this chapter
“communities.” because of its title (which could easily be renamed “Ski
Torsell delves into the roles and responsibilities of Area Financing and Accounting 101”). Do not ignore
management and the executive team, providing a clear this chapter. Torsell manages to describe the financial and
sense not only of general responsibilities but also the less accounting terms and procedures that all in operations
visible nuances of being at the helm of a ski area. There have heard—and suffered under—in ways that are under-
are chap ters on patrolling and lift operations, but the standable and almost palatable.
sections on snowmaking and grooming are clearly areas of Who should read this book? All executives, new or
the author’s greatest experience and deepest passion. Even veteran, without operational experience; all new USFS
the most novice skier/rider will understand the challenge winter recreation specialists (snow rangers); all managers
and satisfaction of a gun run and the rush of controlling whose careers have been limited to less than two depart-
400+ HP with two fingers while descending an Expert ments; all employees creating a career in our industry;
slope in a $300,000 Euro-monster. and all lovers of our sport.
First-person accounts of true life in ski area opera- Snow Guns Before Sunrise is a quiet but memorable
tions will resonate with anyone who has worked at a ski little book. Make sure you read it.

62 | NSAA JOURNAL | SPRING 2019