Patrick Torsell

Ever wonder what it's like to operate a snowcat, or even run the whole show as a ski resort General Manager? Snowguns Before Sunrise will let you in on the secrets as you walk,and ski, in the shoes of ski industry insiders to see what really goes on behind the scenes. Complete with job descriptions, "a-day-in-the-life-of"details, and anecdotes from industry professionals, you'll discover everything you wanted to know, and then some, about the inner workings of a ski resort. Get a glimpse of the… Show more

Ever wonder what it's like to operate a snowcat, or even run the whole show as a ski resort General Manager? Snowguns Before Sunrise will let you in on the secrets as you walk,and ski, in the shoes of ski industry insiders to see what really goes on behind the scenes. Complete with job descriptions, "a-day-in-the-life-of"details, and anecdotes from industry professionals, you'll discover everything you wanted to know, and then some, about the inner workings of a ski resort. Get a glimpse of the complexity of the ski operation and its many moving parts, and explore the mystique of working in the mountains for the sake of skiing. Learn the metrics by which a ski area measures success, and read about the"unsung heroes" behind the scenes. Every other business venture is made boring in the shadow of the ski industry. Whether you're a curious skier,an industry professional, or you're thinking about a career in the ski industry, Snowguns Before Sunrise is your insider's guide. Show less

"11 Tips Guaranteed to Promote the Health of Man and Machine" - a pre-season article providing safety reminders and tips for snowcat operators.

A conversational, transcript-style interview of Patrick Torsell by Tyler Wenzel of the EpicSki online skiing community, covering many facets of ski resort operations.

At the request of the site manager at EpicSki, I composed an informal piece, written to place the reader in the operator's seat of a snowcat for a grooming shift.

Annual roundup of the latest and greatest in grooming and snowcat technology. 2015 report focuses on new models from Prinoth, Tier IV adoption, and the revolutionary diesel/electric technology in PistenBully's PB600 E .

Picking up where Part I left off, we explore the development of snowcat technology from the early 1980s (think LMC 3700) through the modern day (New Bison, PB 600 E ).

Part I of a two-part series outlining the history and development of snowcats in ski slope grooming applications.

SAM turned to some experts for their top 5 grooming tips.

While the 2014 grooming scene does not bring many new models onto the snow, the primary snowcat manufacturers, Prinoth and PistenBully, both have plenty of new developments to intrigue operators and management alike. There is also some creative thinking taking place within the grooming business, primarily coming from outside of the aforementioned “big players.” We’ll take a look at what’s new and what’s coming, and address some pertinent concerns raised by operators and resort administration.

Twenty years ago you could hardly find a ski area that wasn’t littered with moguls. They were everywhere. But by the mid-’90s, moguls were on the way to extinction. This article investigates the unnecessary downfall of moguls, and offers suggestions to ski resort operators to bring about a revival of mogul skiing.