Alterra Partners With Colorado Mountain College

Alterra Mountain Company is proud to partner with Colorado Mountain College on an intensive Ropeway Maintenance program to rapidly train students and get them straight to work on the mountain.

Offered from mid-May through mid-June at the CMC Leadville campus, the four-week program includes 12 college credits and gets students ready to start working as lift mechanics. Applications are now open.

Offered from mid-May through mid-June at the CMC Leadville campus, the four-week program includes 12 college credits and gets students ready to start working as lift mechanics. Ski industry partners will work with CMC to support this program and hire strong students into their lift mechanic teams at the end of this intensive.

This program is also offered in a remote option. Coursework is taught by CMC instructors in real time online classroom experience, and lab work is carried out on the job each week through an agreement with an employee’s home mountain. Students or mountains interested in this option can indicate interest and work with CMC to set up this unique learning opportunity. It does require close collaboration between the employee’s mountain and CMC to facilitate the lab-based portion of the learning.

The Ropeway Maintenance Technician program is affiliated with a number of ski industry professional organizations to enhance our students' understanding of this industry. The following is a list of professional memberships:

• NSAA - National Ski Areas Association (Member) - A professional organization for ski areas and ski area equipment supplies.
• CSCUSA - Colorado Ski Country USA (Member) - Marketing and education for member Colorado ski areas.
• RMLA - Rocky Mountain Lift Association (Member) - Education and networking of passenger tramway operators.
• SAVMI - Ski Area Vehicle Maintenance Institute (Member) - Education and networking for ski area vehicle maintenance departments.

This certificate provides students an opportunity to gain the foundational skills and knowledge to work for North American ski resorts as a Level 1 Lift Mechanic as defined by the National Ski Area Association Lift Maintenance Training Resource Guide. Courses will be taught in combination with partner ski resorts, utilizing hands-on learning techniques.

Students must demonstrate acceptable proficiency levels in composition, reading, and mathematics as prerequisites for courses within this certificate. Proficiency may affect the sequence of classes in which students can enroll and may also extend the time required to complete this program. For more details, please see the Academic Placement Methods and Placement Test Options section or contact the Ski Area Operations faculty.

Graduates of the program will receive a Certificate of Occupational Proficiency in Ropeway Mechanical Maintenance Technician: Level 1.

This certificate is currently offered in-person in an intensive format during the summer months. The program is offered in partnership with Colorado ski resorts and is available at the Leadville, Steamboat Springs campuses. Please contact a campus counselor or academic advisor at the preferred campus for more information.

This certificate program is not eligible for federal student aid funds.

Learn more about the Ropeway Maintenance Programs

Program Requirements

•   SAO 1021 - Ropeway Mechanical Maintenance Technician I
•   SAO 1022 - Ropeway Mechanical Maintenance Technician II
•   SAO 1023 - Ropeway Mechanical Maintenance Technician III
•    SAO 1024 - Ropeway Mechanical Maintenance Technician IV

Minimum Hours Required

• Minimum Credit Hours Required (12)
• Minimum Contact Hours Required (202.5)

Note:

◆ State Guaranteed Transfer

✽ Generally Transferable

Not all programs/courses are available at every campus and may require travel to another campus or access via technology-enabled learning (videoconferencing, hybrid, or online).