Winch Cat stabilizing Back Hoe on Mousetrap at Killington.
Click to enlarge.

Winch Cat stabilizing Back Hoe on Mousetrap at Killington.
Click to enlarge.

It is a beautiful sunny day in Killington. Temperatures, which have been unusually cool the last month, are in the mid 60's. Just what a ski resort want's to see in late October (not!).

But the beautiful weather is making it pleasant to work outside to get ready for winter, which we all know will come soon enough. Heavy machinery is out and about all over the area. The Killington Road around the Rams Head Base Lodge was seeing a lot o work maintaining the drainage channels at the side of the road. New rip rap was being installed to hold the banks.

On the mountain there was some interesting work taking place leading to the new fan gun mount on Mousetrap. A Winch Cat, normally used to hold grooming machines steady on steep trails, was tethering a crawling Back Hoe. A ditch was being dug down Mousetrap leading to the new Fan Gun Mount. What ever they were doing, it looks like a few more days before the new toy is installed and tested for the season.

Snow making at Killington Peak has of course been suspended due to the weather. Snow cover on upper trails is clearly visible. Sharp lines form a demarcation point between snowmaking and natural terrain. Any natural snow that fell the last couple of weeks has melted away. The Beast could use a little help from Mother Nature to get this party started!.....Let it snow!