Ear to the ground:
“It’s not like I drank copious amounts. I only had like 10 to 12 beers.’”
– Local Broncos fan bemoaning his miserable Monday re-entry
Skidoo it
If you, like pretty much everyone else in town, have been enjoying the superb conditions at Hillcrest golf course this winter free of charge, it may be time to put your money where you wax is.
Two days after Christmas, the Hillcrest grooming snowmobile – after years of faithful service – keeled over. Despite attempts at resuscitation – as well as a loaner from Handlebars Motorsports – the old machine was pronounced dead on arrival.
Now, head groomer god, Will Herz, is appealing to his dedicated Cresties to help foot the bill for a new machine.
“Hillcrest is not a city-funded entity, but a nonprofit that is funded by golfers,” Herz explained in an email to the Nordic community last week. “We have installed donation boxes, but unfortunately these donations minimally cover gas, man hours for grooming and maintenance.”
At a Jan. 12 Hillcrest board meeting, Herz and a fellow member convinced the board to buy the loaner machine, a 2012 Skidoo Skandic SWT V800, for $8,000. According to Herz, it’s a snowmobile “that was made to do this kind of work,” but unfortunately, comes with a higher tag.
That’s where all those happy, smiling people doing laps in the winter sunshine (you) come in.
Herz launched a grassroots campaign to raise funds for the new machine via private donations. “My idea is simple. We each find four/five (or more) fellow Nords to pledge $50/$100 each,” he wrote. Of course, any amount will be welcome, he said.
“It’s been an amazing response,” Herz said this week about his humble campaign, which has put a considerable dent in the cost of the new snowmo.
And speaking of dents, this week’s balmy temperatures are sure to put one in the Hillcrest base. But Herz remained optimistic despite the packs of road bikes returning to local roads.
“The best time to ski is 11 a.m. right after we’ve groomed and it hasn’t gotten too warm yet,” he said.
And even if the February thaw has its way, he said it’s been a banner season regardless. “I have never seen more people skiing and snowshoeing on the course,” he said. “This snowmobile is a ‘game changer’ compared to what we have been using. I have never been more excited at the prospect of the quality skiing we can provide.”
And in the meantime, a little “snow dance” couldn’t hurt. “We need more snow – put that in the paper,” he said.
Checks should be earmarked with “snowmobile” in the memo line and sent by Feb. 15 to Hillcrest Golf Club, P.O. Box 2393, Durango, CO 81302.