Maggots in the Boulder Newspaper

[telechuck]

Lets play name that maggot. This appeard in today's Boulder Daily Camra.

There is a maggot quoted. Lets see who can name them.

http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/get_o...368492,00.html

Here is the ariticle as the site requires registration

Silverton Mountain is looking for volunteers to help boot-pack new snow on its super-steep terrain. Every two days of hard labor will be rewarded with a free day of guided skiing in December or April.

Boot-packing is something of an early-season ritual at any resort with terrain too steep for groomers. Compacting the snow creates a more stable snowpack and better quality base. In areas where this can't be done mechanically, men and women get out and do it the old-fashioned way: one step at a time.

"If you just let the snow sit there, it starts to deteriorate at the ground level," said Rod Kidder, director of ski patrol at Loveland Ski Area.

Like most resorts, Loveland relies strictly on ski patrol staff for boot packing. Kidder views it as an opportunity to get into shape for the ski season and do a good service for Loveland skiers.

Silverton Mountain is a small operation with a lot of steep terrain, so it needs extra help. It's taking cues from Aspen Highlands, which draws on volunteer help for boot packing in the dramatic cirque of Highland Bowl. Aspen locals who put in enough stomping hours can earn a season pass.

Ramping up for its fourth season, Silverton has one lift that accesses a sea of public land in the jagged San Juan Mountains. Skiers must travel in small groups with a guide.

Boot-packing days are this Saturday and Sunday, and again from Dec. 9 through Dec. 12. Volunteers can expect long, strenuous days of riding the lift up and stomping the snow with their boots on the way down.

Silverton's Jenny Brill said a little taste of skiing can go a long way in the early season.

"People get excited about skiing our mountain; this is a great way for them to experience it," she said, adding that it's not all work — there is some skiing involved, particularly on lower sections of the mountain.

Last year Silverton had as many as 150 volunteers on one day, Brill said. People were camped in the parking lot in sub-zero temperatures, and one group had driven all the way from Canada.

Boulder's Martin Olovsson joined the masses then and is looking forward to returning this year. He said the social aspects are as much a reason to go as the free ticket and the opportunity to be on the mountain.

"It was great fun," he said. "I got to meet a lot of people with very diverse backgrounds that share the love for skiing and the mountains."

Volunteers are expected to supply their own avalanche beacon, probe and shovel. Reasonably priced lodging is available in the nearby town of Silverton.

For more information, visit www.silvertonmountain.com, or call (970) 387-5706.

[Big E]

I'm going with either Rod Kidder, Jenny Brill, or Martin Olovsson.

[telechuck]

Big E wins a kick in the ass for his swift answer.

Kudos for actually reading it through and remembering names.

[Artie Fufkin]

I don't know if Martin is a Maggot, but a couple years ago I was in his group at Silverton and he was cool enough to e-mail me a bunch of photos from the day.

[Lurch]

I didn't think they would get 150 volunters over the 6 days not to mention in just one day. Do you have to get there early to make a it under a cut off number?