Through the eyes of “Miss Météo”
Working for Mont SUTTON is being part of a big family. Our employees who have been with us for over 30 years will tell you! In the regions, when you find an environment that suits you, you make sure you stay there because it’s really a golden opportunity! There are many out of the ordinary jobs on a ski mountain, more than you might think. We realize that job descriptions can never fully highlight all aspects and benefits of a position. Therefore, we invite you to discover a typical day at Mont SUTTON through the eyes of our current employees.
Who better to start the ball than our very own Miss Météo! Jocelyne Trudeau was our first ski condition reporter and remains, to this day, the reference in the field.
History
Jocelyne arrived one fall day with no real intention of finding a job. She asked the person in charge of communications if there was anything she could do. The woman had her fill out some forms and told her that if a position became available, she would call her back. As a matter of fact, the next morning Jocelyne had the opportunity to become the person in charge of snow reports. The only problem was that she had to be on the mountain by 5:00 a.m. Hesitant at first, she finally accepted the position.
This position being new at Mont SUTTON, nobody knew how to evaluate the snow. “Luc Boulanger was my mentor in the whole learning process. He knew the mountain better than anyone and he knew how everything worked.” With Luc’s knowledge and Jocelyne’s passion for the outdoors, our Miss Météo set up the snow assessment system we still use today. She is the pro at the snow lexicon: hard, icy, crusty… she will explain the differences and assess better than anyone what to expect at higher elevations and throughout the day.
A typical day
In the beginning or even now, her routine remains the same except for a few details. Jocelyne is the first to arrive at Mont SUTTON. Around 5:00 a.m., she starts her tour to evaluate the conditions at the bottom of the mountain: she calculates the last accumulations in the snow box provided for that purpose and in a few other places, she feels the snow around chairlift number II, she talks to the night team (snowmakers and groomers) to know in which sectors artificial snow has been made and which trails have been groomed… Then she heads to her office to start her report, anticipating how the weather will affect the quality of the skiing conditions throughout the day.
Jocelyne sits down at her computer and goes through all the websites, on which our snow conditions are posted daily, as she did at the beginning of her career with one exception. “Back then, everything was done by hand. I had to fill out the forms for the different associations and then fax them. Over the years, I’ve followed the technological evolution at the mountain, both the outdoor machinery and the computer programs and that’s one of the things I’ve enjoyed learning in my job.” So it’s not the new RFID system that will scare her off! Anyway, once she gets through the reports, she can be found on the slopes testing the different areas of the mountain, “none of the slopes are the same on the mountain, which is perfect, because every run is unique.” If there are any changes, she makes updates throughout the day. That takes us through a typical morning as a ski conditions reporter.
In addition, this position allows her to practice one of her passions: photography. Jocelyne always takes the time to stop and capture the most beautiful sceneries and moments on the slopes, which is a real asset for the communications and marketing team. You will find some of her photos in the 2021-2022 ski season album.
Why stay so long?
Even retired, Jocelyne continues to work in the winter at Mont SUTTON, but for what reasons? “I like to be at the mountain early in the morning, it is now part of my routine. I arrive, I’m alone, I watch the sunrise and it’s magical. The mountain is peaceful: it’s just me and the snowflakes. Full moon mornings are by far my favorite.” Her love of the mountain is the basis of her profession, so much so that Jocelyne left Montreal to come and settle in the Sutton region and since that day, she has never regretted it. “It’s a family story, one of my sisters worked in the lockers and the other was skiing here when she fell in love with a ski instructor.”
Our nature enthusiast is looking to train the next generation. So, if you want to work for a company with authentic DNA, Mont SUTTON is the perfect place to start a career. “It’s a ‘job’ that requires a lot of autonomy and responsibility.” If Miss Météo says so, it must be true!
SHARE HER DAILY FUN AND APPLY FOR THIS JOB NOW!
Or find another dream job here!
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Through the eyes of a night snow maker
Through the eyes of a member of the restauration team
Through the eyes of the intern
