Groomers in Manigod
Presentation
Groomers, pisteurs, snowmen... these shadowy jobs are nevertheless essential to the smooth running of ski resorts. Through the portrait of Raphaël Dupont, discover this week the job of groomer.
Raphaël Dupont is in charge of the Manigod-Labellemontagne grooming team. He has been a groomer in Manigod for about ten years, and the sectors of Manigod no longer hold any secrets for him!
What is a Groomer?
The job of a groomer consists of preparing the slopes for their opening, which is why groomers work at night or early in the morning before the slopes open, depending on the snowfall. In Manigod, the ski area is also open at night, so they start their sweeps at around 9.30pm.
The role of the snow groomer is essential both for the proper use of the ski runs and for the safety of the sites. They can indeed be called upon to spot anomalies on a piste and to report them.
What is a Groomer?
The job of a groomer consists of preparing the slopes for their opening, which is why groomers work at night or early in the morning before the slopes open, depending on the snowfall. In Manigod, the ski area is also open at night, so they start their sweeps at around 9.30pm.
The role of the snow groomer is essential both for the proper use of the ski runs and for the safety of the sites. They can indeed be called upon to spot anomalies on a piste and to report them.
Groomer at Manigod-Labellemontagne.
"In all, the Manigod fleet includes 5 groomers, 3 of which are equipped with winches. Every day, 4 groomers cover the slopes of Manigod to allow you to ski in the best conditions: 2 standard groomers and 2 groomers with winch".
Did you know? In the steepest areas, or following heavy snowfalls, the groomers need to be connected to an anchor point by a cable which in turn is connected to a winch that winds up and down according to the groomer's needs.
The Manigod team consists of 6 seasonal staff: 1 mechanic, 1 mechanic/driver and 5 drivers. The team of groomers is multi-skilled, the objective being that each driver can work in all sectors.
One of the constraints of the groomer's job, apart from the timetable, is the difficulty at sunrise to distinguish the already groomed parts from the others, but the plus of this job is without doubt the unobstructed view of the Aravis massif!
"In all, the Manigod fleet includes 5 groomers, 3 of which are equipped with winches. Every day, 4 groomers cover the slopes of Manigod to allow you to ski in the best conditions: 2 standard groomers and 2 groomers with winch".
Did you know? In the steepest areas, or following heavy snowfalls, the groomers need to be connected to an anchor point by a cable which in turn is connected to a winch that winds up and down according to the groomer's needs.
The Manigod team consists of 6 seasonal staff: 1 mechanic, 1 mechanic/driver and 5 drivers. The team of groomers is multi-skilled, the objective being that each driver can work in all sectors.
One of the constraints of the groomer's job, apart from the timetable, is the difficulty at sunrise to distinguish the already groomed parts from the others, but the plus of this job is without doubt the unobstructed view of the Aravis massif!
Grooming is not very accident-prone, but care must be taken when skiing or walking next to groomers because, even if they are very attentive to their progress, groomers cannot always easily distinguish pedestrians or skiers nearby.
And don't forget that the winch cable can sometimes be hidden in the snow, pressed against the terrain for example, and accidents can happen when it comes out of its hiding place and touches a skier nearby.
So be careful: when the slopes are not open, be careful not to disturb their work and stay safe.
And don't forget that the winch cable can sometimes be hidden in the snow, pressed against the terrain for example, and accidents can happen when it comes out of its hiding place and touches a skier nearby.
So be careful: when the slopes are not open, be careful not to disturb their work and stay safe.