Grooming for winter

Photo: Contributed

Christmas came early to Silver Star Mountain Resort with the arrival of a very large present.

The Star welcomed a new regular groomer Monday and another specialty groomer was expected to arrive Tuesday.

Brad Baker, operations director for Silver Star, said the two groomers cost more than $700,000.

While the regular groomer will be used for general grooming, the specialty machine will have a more specific task.

“It's for grooming the steep black diamond runs. It winches itself up and down,” said Baker. “Not everyone has them. They are pretty common in large areas, but they are a very vital tool because they give you the ability to push snow uphill. We use it a lot in terrain park construction and maintenance.”

The new additions mean nine groomers will be working the slopes of the North Okanagan ski hill.

Silver Star has won several Ski Canada awards for its grooming of runs.

“We also have a specific cat for cross-country grooming and we have a specific cat for Tube Town,” said Baker.

Silver Star received its first significant dump of snow earlier this week with 29 cm falling on the mountain top and 23 cm in the village.

Baker said with below zero temperatures at night, it is starting to look a lot like winter on the mountain.

“We are starting to make ice on our pond,” said Baker.

Groomers are already working the cross-country trails in anticipation of the Nov. 12 nordic opening.

No word yet if the annual influx of international ski teams will be heading to the mountain.

“They tend to book at the last minute. They go wherever the best snow is,” said Baker. “Because we have really good snow, we expect to hear from them any day now.”