As numerous ski industry customer service surveys
indicate, snow conditions are a primary determinant
of skier satisfaction. Thus, slope grooming technology
and operations play a major role in providing a high
quality skiing experience and creating high levels of
skier satisfaction.

In SROM 173 you will study the basic design

and functioning of slope grooming vehicles and
implements designed specifically for the ski industry,
particularly the slope grooming machines supplied by
the two major slope grooming vehicle manufacturers,
Kassboher and Prinoth. You will examine the main
components and general maintenance requirements
of a slope grooming vehicle, including the engine

and its various systems, the tracks and suspension
system, and the drive system. You will also study

the main slope grooming implements including the
blade system, snow tillers, and half pipe grinders.
You will review grooming operations, including snow
properties in relation to slope grooming, slope-
grooming objectives and functions, slope grooming
methods and techniques, slope grooming operating
plans, and slope grooming expenses and budgeting.
Slope grooming human resources management
topics include operator training, motivation, and
compensation.

Practical sessions will allow you to examine grooming
equipment in the field, and you will have the
opportunity to participate in on one or more “ride-
along” sessions at Whitewater ski area. By the end of
the course, you will have gained some understanding
of how slope grooming personnel can run efficient
and cost effective grooming operations.

The Park Building curriculum includes industry trends
as well as an on-snow portion participants build a
terrain park and cross track features from the ground
up. The intention is to allow participants to learn
through guided discovery while maintaining an aspect
of creativity in the design.

SROM 175 - SKI RESORT
SNOWMAKING SYSTEMS

Introduces you to the various components of ski
resort snowmaking systems and accepted concepts,
principles, and operational and management
practices for machine snowmaking for the snow
resort industry. You will learn about the physics and
mechanics of snowmaking and its uses within a snow
resort context, as well as its impacts on mountain
resort operations and resort costs of operation. You
will study snowmaking system components, including
snow guns, water pumps and air compressors,
system infrastructure, and system controls. You

will also examine ski area snowmaking system
design, operational practices, snowmaking capital
and operating costs, and methods for improving

the energy efficiency of ski resort snowmaking
operations.

selkirk.ca/programs

SKI RESORT OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT

SROM 184 - SNOW SAFETY/
SKI PATROL OPERATIONS

During SROM 184 you will review the primary
management issues and operational activities of

the snow safety or ski patrol department, with a
focus on managing avalanche hazards. You will
examine the major elements of ski resort avalanche
hazard assessment and safety including avalanche
terrain, mountain weather, snow pack features, and
avalanche rescue. As part of your study of avalanche
hazards and safety, you will have the opportunity

to complete the Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC)
Avalanche Skills Training (AST) Level I course which
involves two full days of field study. In addition to
examining avalanche hazard concerns and issues, you
will study several snow safety/ski patrol operations
and management topics, including avalanche hazards
and ski area planning, ski resort avalanche control,
ski patrol operations, ski resort accident investigation
and recording, ski lift evacuation, and ski patrol
facilities and equipment.

SROM 190 - FIELD STUDY

This course consists of a five day credit bearing

field trip to visit ski areas. Although venues change
from year to year, it typically includes major ski
resorts and regions throughout western Canada.

The purpose of this visit is to talk with ski area
managers and supervisors, on location, about their
operations and to inspect those operations. Often the
ski area visit provides "hands-on" supplements to the
contents of on-going SROM courses and involve field
work assignments. This trip provides an excellent
opportunity for candid conversations with ski industry
personnel from general managers to line staff, as
well as an excellent opportunity to examine facilities
and equipment.

SROM 251 - SKI AREA MARKETING
AND SPECIAL EVENTS

In today?s competitive recreation and tourism
marketplace, competent ski area operators
understand the essential role marketing plays in
keeping ski lifts, cafeterias and lodges busy. In SROM
251 you will explore how ski resorts use primary and
secondary market research, advertising media, the
Internet, brochures, consumer ski shows and news
releases to boost skier visits. You will also examine
the important role of special events and you will learn
event management practices. As much as possible,
you will apply your studies to hands-on projects

that allow you some direct experience in applying
marketing concepts and methods to actual ski

resort case studies and/or projects that offer direct
involvement with ski resort marketing and event
management activities.

selkirk.ca/ski

SROM 254 - SKI AREA FOOD AND
BEVERAGE ADMINISTRATION

This course provides an overview of food and
beverage operations with major emphasis on ski area
operations. Students learn how to utilize effective
cost controls for the operations. Menu development
and analysis as well as basic layouts for food and
beverage areas are studied including an emphasis on
cafeteria (mass feeding) operations.

SROM 256 - SKI AREA BUDGETING
AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

The material covered in Ski Area Budgeting and
Business Management will introduce students to
the analysis of financial data for a standard Income
Statement and Balance Sheet. Financial ratios that
are normally used to predict the business health of
a ski resort will be covered. Using CVP numerical
analysis, students will learn the impact of future
proposed financial changes on the fiscal health of

a ski resort’s finances. Problem solving will help
students to understand these financial concepts.
Creation of budget templates on EXCEL spreadsheets
for “wages and salaries”, and “departmental
contribution margin” will round out the course
content.

SROM 258 - HUMAN RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT FOR THE RESORT INDUSTRY

As labour markets tighten around the globe, good
human resources management is essential to
attracting and retaining effective staff. This is
particularly true in seasonal resorts and ski areas
where the link between staff and the guest is so
critical. Innovative approaches to human resources
management are necessary to recruit and retain
the right people in the industry. In this course

you will focus on the critical issues that concern
managers in the tourism industry: human resource
planning, recruitment and selection, orientation,
training and development, performance management
and progressive discipline, challenges and trends,
employment standards and labour relations.

SROM 272 - SUPERVISORY
SKI LIFT OPERATIONS

SROM 272 is a continuation of SROM 172. Ski lift
operational considerations are the primary focus

of this course. You will learn about lift capacity,
standard and emergency operating procedures, lift
operations supervision, lift operator training, lift
operations budgeting, and lift operations human
resources management issues. You will also examine
the broad range of passenger ropeways available
for use in the ski industry, from simple rope tows to
technologically advanced multiple haul rope systems.
SROM 272 incorporates elements of LIFT 150 - Ski
Lift Operations Train-the-Trainer, a course created by

Selkirk College Academic Calendar 2016-17 231