Employees partner up to keep skiers safe on the slopes

Lead Project Manager Kim Linder and Senior Electrical Engineer Mark Spencer from New Mexico Operations have worked a combined 35 years with a non-profit volunteer organization known as the Sandia Peak Ski Patrol.

The National Ski Areas Association revealed during the 2017-18 season that over nine million people either skied or snowboarded. These outdoor enthusiasts are protected each day from hazards and dangers on courses by ski patrollers—those who ensure that skiers and snowboarders have the best possible experience while reducing the risk of a negative event.

A skier for 20 years, Kim’s passion for the ski patrol began because of a chance encounter with Paul Souder, a former Sandia Peak Ski Patroller. During a competition, her team needed one more member, and a teammate knew Paul, who was able to join their team. Years later when Kim was about to join the Ski Patrol, she ran into Paul at an information session.

“I was thinking about why I wanted to join the ski patrol as some of the current members were giving their own answers,” Kim said. “Paul happened to be one who responded back and he was also on the team at that point, so, I joined.”

Both Kim and Mark enjoy the family atmosphere that comes with being a part of the patrol and consider it a second family. They are a tight-knit group who not only work together well at the site, but also get together away from the slopes. There is also a community avenue that both enjoy.