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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Barnstormer's Vintage Fair outgrows McPhail property, moves to The Expo ... Cave Junction man will go to prison for causing fatal crash ... Costs vary wildly at Rogue Valley's four hospitals, new report shows ... Barnstormer's Vintage Fair outgrows McPhail property, moves to The Expo ... Cave Junction man will go to prison for causing fatal crash ... Costs vary wildly at Rogue Valley's four hospitals, new report shows ... SKI AREA MAINTENANCE Mt. Ashland sets days for slope work Comment By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 5, 2016 at 12:59 PM Updated Jul 5, 2016 at 5:51 PM By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 5, 2016 at 12:59 PM Updated Jul 5, 2016 at 5:51 PM » Social News Small trees on slopes at the Mt. Ashland Ski Area will be pruned so boarders and skiers can use runs even in low-snow conditions during three volunteer work parties, the first one Saturday, July 9. In addition to trail work, volunteers will do light construction, paint, collect and disperse seeds and do some erosion control on trails and roads. Other work-party dates are Aug. 17 and Sept. 10. “If we don’t keep up with pruning and things grow back, we don’t have ski runs anymore,” said area General Manager Hiram Towle. “We are focusing on slopes that showed the need even in this last ski year with its heavy snows.” This year’s volunteer days are an expansion of one held in August last year that drew 50 participants. The ski area traditionally held a road cleanup day and a mid-summer mountain cleanup day. When the road cleanup took place last year after only 38 operation days during winter of 2014-15, officials realized there would be little trash on the mountain. Mount Ashland board member Annette Batzer, who chairs the Environmental Committee, figured out ways to put volunteers who might have picked up trash to work on other projects last year, and she has planned for three days this year. “We had a successful season, but we are trying to rub some pennies together still,” said Batzer. “We have some amazing supporters. We thought it made great sense to put it all together.” Using hand tools to trim trees leaves the root systems intact to keep the slopes stable, said Batzer. Trimming also means three feet of snow isn’t required to open the mountain. Slope efforts this year will concentrate on the area beyond the Bottom run, after last year’s efforts worked from there toward the lodge. “We have identified Ariel chairline,” said Towle. Other runs set for work include Pistol and Upper Winter. “We’ll also work on the boundaries for ski patrol to be able to patrol.” A new snow fence erected last year near the beginner’s Sonnet run will be treated after being left to weather. The fence is designed to prevent wind from scouring snow off the run. Snow fences on Dream and Caliban also need repair work, and materials for that will need to be brought down by Sherpa-like efforts from the top of a work road that comes up the back side of the mountain, said Towle. Projects on the three days will be done in stages so that when an estimated 220 Southern Oregon University students come up Oct. 1, they will be able to make further progress. Mountain cleanup will also be done that day. Road cleanup took place June 18. Work parties will start at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. Refreshments will be served afterward. The ski area will provide tools, but participants can bring their own. Volunteers should wear boots or sturdy shoes and bring sunscreen, water and a lunch. Towle and Batzer would like volunteers to sign up through the website so they can be ready with tools and materials. A signup page can be found under events at www.mtashland.com . Tony Boom is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected] By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 5, 2016 at 12:59 PM Updated Jul 5, 2016 at 5:51 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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