Behind the scenes at Pico

Linemen work throughout the summer on improvements to mountain operations. Pictured (l-r) Tim McGuire, John Darrah and Skip Poljacik.

Summer ops work continues

By Robin Alberti

When folks visit Pico and Killington resorts, whether it is in the summer or winter, they often run into mountain employees who welcome them with smiles and helpful information to make sure everyone has a positive experience.

But for all the resort employees that folks do see, there are many more hard-working men and women behind the scenes, the ones that keep us safe and make the resort run smoothly. These are the mountain ops team, maintenance workers, safety inspectors, and custodians. The grounds keepers, snow makers, and equipment operators. The dishwashers, mechanics, and computer specialists. They don’t often get to interact with guests, so they often go unnoticed — and unappreciated by visitors.

The Mountain Times caught up with three of these workers last week and learned a bit about the critical work they do to ensure the safety of all guests.

Pico Mountain Resort’s Skip Poljacik, John Darrah and Tim McGuire are part of the team that checks the lifts for safety. They check every single tower, all the bolts, bushings, wheels and cables, and inspect all of the chairs on each and every ski lift for structural integrity and safety. When needed, they head up to Killington to assist the crew up there, too. Summer and winter they are charged with fixing any issues that arise — one of the necessary behind-the-scenes job that help the mountain run smoothly.

They know how important their job is and take pride in the work they do. After all, their children, family members and friends ride these lifts, too!

John Darrah began working for the resort back in 1994. Skip Poljacik, the supervisor, has been at Pico and Killington for close to 30 years. The newest crewmember is Tim McGuire.