SENATH (SAM) MORRILL
Sugarloaf, Maine
Snowmaking Since 2009
SAM: FAVORITE TEMPERATURE
Sam Morrill: Zero degrees. Not too hot, not too cold. Perfect.
SAM: WHAT’S YOUR LIFE PHILOSOPHY:
Sam Morrill: Live, love, laugh, and be happy.
SAM: WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE GUN RUN?
Sam Morrill: It was Christmas my rookie year. We were working Timberline and I came to a gun that I thought was off. I disconnected the air hose halfway and realized it had been frozen and halfway down was fully charged. I should have made sure the air was off first. The hose went wild and I realized that small details can mean the difference between life and death.
SAM: WHAT GETS YOU FIRED UP FOR SNOWMAKING IN THE FALL?
Sam Morrill: I am always fired up for snowmaking.
SAM: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT SNOWMAKING?
Sam Morrill: My office is not four walls.
SAM: WHAT WAS YOUR "I AM" MOMENT? THE EXPERIENCE THAT MADE YOU SAY "I WANT TO BE A SNOWMAKER?"
Sam Morrill: There is something different about Sugarloaf. When I was younger and Sunday came, we would leave the mountain and return to reality. The agony of driving away was always overwhelming. I swore to myself that someday I’d be a ski bunny and never have to leave.
Time went by and a lot of things changed. At 30 years old I found myself back at the mountain as a rookie snowmaker, surrounded by a bunch of salty young men. They quickly informed me that my dreams of being a ski bunny had long since passed. There were three other ladies in the mix, and the first day two of them showed up in tu-tus. Thankfully they were put on the other crew, and I worked with one of the most positive, hard-working people I have ever met. I’d like to think that she and I made the guys seriously reconsider their opinions of the female gender.
My boss has made snow here for 33 years and still remains passionate and interested in his career. This is only my fifth year making snow and I am constantly learning from both the veterans and the rookies. The smartest, most interesting people I meet are in the snowmaking industry. There is a camaraderie among these guys that extends far past age, sex or background. To be part of this group is an honor. When you surround yourself with good people and spectacular scenery, you will begin to grow and learn in a positive manner.
In this line of work, attitude counts for 95 percent, and it is 100 percent contagious. A negative, despondent snowmaker will never make it. For me, the hardship of 100-mile winds and subzero temperatures make a sunny day all that much more special. Snowmaking is a dangerous, physically demanding and financially challenging path. The fact that I can withstand the agony that arises helps me to gain the confidence that I can do this, I can make the right decisions, I can laugh at my own mistakes.
