SALT LAKE CITY — Ever wonder who keeps Utah’s ski lifts running safely and smoothly? A new program at Salt Lake Community College is training the next generation of ski lift mechanics.
“Feeling like an important person who is also a little behind the scenes is a really cool thing,” he said. “This is probably the most fun work I can think of,” Student Ziegen Averett, 21, from Huntsville, said.
SLCC’s Ski Lift Maintenance Level 1 course is the first of its kind in Utah. It was created in partnership with Ski Utah, local resorts, and the National Ski Areas Association. The 10-week course combines online instruction with in-person training. Students spend hours each week inspecting lifts, testing systems, and tightening down to the smallest detail.
Matt Steel, who’s one of the program’s instructors, has been working on ski lifts since 2006, but he’s been fiddling with tools his entire life. “You want to make sure that all of these machines are in top condition. All day, every day. Safety is paramount,” he said.
Steel says the trade combines multiple disciplines. “This actually combines a lot of different trades because of the complexity of these machineries where we’ve got diesel engines, electronic systems, mechanical systems — it’s everything,” he said.
John McGrath, 26, who’s from Ogden says there’s no end to learning when it comes to lift maintenance.
“I’ve always been a deep, passionate snowboarder as a kid. The more I got up here, the more I was around these lifts, the more curious I got,” he said. “Once you think you’ve scratched the surface, you just keep digging and diving deeper.”
Steel says the office view is another perk. “Look at this! This is my office. I think my exterior decorator did a fantastic job. This is what I get to do every day,” he said from on a ski lift.
The program already has more than 32 students enrolled for its first session. Tuition and books are covered due to a donation from Ski Utah and a state grant, making the program free for students, Steel says.
Steel says a level 2 course could be up and running by 2026, following the path set by Colorado Mountain College’s established lift maintenance program.
“It’s like being the superhero without actually putting on the suit,” McGrath said.