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February, 2025

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Cat Drivers?

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CKpolicy
Posts: 2587 - Karma: 2,463
I basically drive for a living. Company sales car, forklift, lull, plow, backloader. I usually drive 4 or 5 different vehicles in a day, mostly heavy machinery. I would love to learn how to drive a cat. Anyone on here a cat driver? Howd you get into it? Whered you learn? Thanks.
14 years ago
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wintersway
Posts: 5115 - Karma: 128
TWA works at park city pretty sure
14 years ago
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wintersway
Posts: 5115 - Karma: 128
and stashcrash works at killington. stupid phone didnt let me finish
14 years ago
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inthewoods
Posts: 1074 - Karma: 111
Do you know if there is any course you can take? Or do they just teach you at the mountain where you're gonna work?
14 years ago
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CKpolicy
Posts: 2587 - Karma: 2,463
wow. that is awesome. thanks for the info. i really want to learn this.
14 years ago
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first_rodeo
Posts: 2385 - Karma: 7,781

reference post removed.

i want more info

12 years ago
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MASkier
Posts: 657 - Karma: 704
Do you have to be 18 to drive a cat at a small resort? It seems like it would be a liability, though I have been running heavy machinery forever.
12 years ago
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
I've known a couple of cat drivers. Both said driving it is incredibly easy but moving snow efficiently takes a lot of practice and skill.
12 years ago
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Scaredwhiteboy
Posts: 1395 - Karma: -938
Wow some mod really deleted a post that multiple users found helpful? Typical.
12 years ago
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first_rodeo
Posts: 2385 - Karma: 7,781

if i had to point blame itd be on Eltuna

12 years ago
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JahLiam
Posts: 2321 - Karma: 7,828
not the best idea considering they cant even reach the pedals or anything. although i did let my cat drive one time, lets just say the crash resembled hiroshima in 1945
12 years ago
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BWalmer
Posts: 9141 - Karma: 12,886
Driving and tilling is easy...using the plow takes some serious coordination and patience.


And that reference post that was deleted was by TWA who was permabanned and all his posts were nuked, it had nothing to do with how helpful it was (or even that individual post).
12 years ago
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
Getting into a grooming department is very competitive. A lot of people don't give up the position leading to basically a locked no hire department.
12 years ago
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schism
Posts: 1705 - Karma: 389
Driving a snow cat is easy. I've done it before. Grooming is completely different and depends on where you work. Working the blade and tiller is all dependent on the job that needs to be done, snow conditions, and how well your equipment is working.

From what I know, it would be hard to go apply and get a grooming job with out experience of working at a ski hill. When you do work at the ski hill, go ask the grooming supervisor if you can do ride alongs with the cat drivers, and get as many hours as possible.

I had a friend go and work as a cat driver in revelstoke this season for his work term in college. He got the job based on the fact that he had tons of ride along experience.
12 years ago
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Jibberino
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 1,346
It's funny that people say "oh it's easy to drive the cat, but it's hard to use the blade and the till". These aren't separate things, you need to be able to do them all if you are to work at a resort. I've spent maybe 10 hours driving a cat, and my blade work is still shit, my friend who is a parkdesigner spent a good 50-60 hours riding along, and then a god 70-80 before he was able to groom and build his own park. However he still has a lot to learn, but he is getting there.
12 years ago
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3604 - Karma: 3,973
That is like a week in a cat....

Once he has a few years under his belt he can talk. Still doesn't mean he knows what hes doing.
12 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14044 - Karma: 10,317
Revy had a couple new guys this year, as did Lake Louise. I'm not saying it's a shitty job, but working nights alone sounds like something I wouldn't really be interested in.

That, and I usually get so lost in a cat at night. No idea how they find their way around the mountain - especially when it's snowing.
12 years ago
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Bagina
Posts: 849 - Karma: 2,888
Click for larger image
12 years ago
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Jibberino
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 1,346
Which was exactly my point, thanks for reiterating it in a slightly douchy way.
12 years ago
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Hammyslapwagon
Posts: 1261 - Karma: 1,411
came here to post similar gifs
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12 years ago
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50Kal
Posts: 2836 - Karma: 5,540
SO two main ways to become a cat driver.
1. Work at a mountain and ride along with them as much as possible.
2. Go school for mountain operations. CMC has certificate program. He is a link.
http://catalog.coloradomtn.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=5&poid=463
12 years ago
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JAHBRADOR
Posts: 3111 - Karma: 18,166
GPS

12 years ago
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3604 - Karma: 3,973
That college is a joke.

Whatever that "certification" is, is also a joke.
12 years ago
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concept311
Posts: 1937 - Karma: 78
I went to school for Ski Area Managment at Gogebic Community College in Ironwood, MI

When it came time to look for jobs out west it was super easy.

I had job offers from a couple different places with out trying to hard.

Vail, Beaver Creek, Park City.

I took the Job at Vail the guy that hired me had also went to school for the same thing I did years before. I was all set to take a job at Beaver Creek then he called. As did a bunch of other guys I worked with. Every year they always hire a handful of people that have no experience which normally after a couple weeks they get the hang out of it.

Anyone could drive a cat on a flat run.




12 years ago
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