Riley McClintock said she never could have predicted that within three years, she would go from an amateur snowmaker to the leader of the slope maintenance team at Granby Ranch.

“Two years ago, I started at the bottom of the barrel,” she said. “I did not see myself where I’m at now at all.”

She moved to Grand County in 2023 from her home state of Arizona, where the summer heat had become unbearable, she said. Accustomed to working outside and with her hands, she quickly fell in love with making snow and grooming the slopes at the ski resort south of Granby. 

The job consists of long overnight shifts and familiarity with heavy machinery, but McClintock said she finds the work gratifying. She shows up around 8 p.m. each night ready to work, even as her day-to-day changes unexpectedly.

“There are a lot of unexpected factors,” she said. “It kind of depends on the weather, and also having a good crew really matters — people willing to work their asses off, honestly.”

Working through the night

As soon as the night crew clocks in for their 12-hour shift, they assess the temperature and conditions before they start blowing snow. McClintock references the wet-bulb temperature, which is a combination of the actual air temperature and the amount of moisture in the air.

Snow can only be made in temperatures under 27.5 degrees, she said. Once the threshold is hit, crew members whip out one of the several different types of snow guns used at Granby Ranch. Stick guns and fan guns use pressurized air and water, but she prefers the automatic machines that she can start up using a computer.

“Basically, you let the gun rip, and you go and check it during a two-person gun run,” she said. “You make sure hoses and cords are intact, make sure you’re not nuking any trees, and you check the quality of the snow.”

Snowmaking requires a scientific and engineering background. The machines must produce the correct water droplet size, cool the droplets to below the freezing point, provide a place for ice crystal formation to begin and then allow the droplets to freeze — all before the newly-made snow hits the ground.

Due to the demanding nature of the job and the graveyard shifts, McClintock said the industry sees a lot of turnover, especially among female employees.

“There are a couple that come in and out, but I’ve pretty much been the only female that has stuck with the job,” she said. “There’s a big turnover, but I kind of made it a full-time job because I decided that I actually really like living here. And it’s been a good change.”

Snowmakers are secret to success

This winter, the snowmaking team has been crucial to keeping the resort open. With minimal snowfall, the window for snowmaking has extended, meaning more work for McClintock and her team. Last year, they wrapped up by December. But this year, the warmer temperatures have limited snowmaking capacity, creating a season McClintock described as “pretty brutal,” yet still rewarding.

“It’s very accomplishing to know that the ski resort would be open if it wasn’t for the snowmaking crew,” she said.

In her new role as senior supervisor of slope maintenance at Granby Ranch, McClintock will take on new leadership roles with the snowmaking team and during terrain park builds. She will also oversee daily park management, lead grooming operations and the summer trail crew. 

As she steps into the new position, she said she looks forward to hiring workers with a similar level of ambition, as well as recruiting more women into the field. 

“It’s a different role than what I’ve had, and so I’m learning to people management and learning how to approach things,” she said. “So I think I’m excited to challenge myself in that aspect, and I can’t wait to put more awesome features in the park.”

This story is from SkyHiNews.com.