The chosen one to sit on the throne of the snow groomer, reshaping the Golden Roofpark, is the first female snowcat driver in the Shape Academy ever – meet Sam Bird!

Sam has been with the Shape Academy for the last 4 seasons working in several QParks. “I love working on the mountain and spending most of the day on my snowboard. I also love the incredible view I have while shaping. Working at night lets you experience the mountain at a whole new level too”, Sam daydreams about her work. This winter she is roaming the mountains as a snow groomer operator for the first time. As such, it is her duty to bring the Golden Roofpark and the Funslope Axamer Lizum in good shape day after day, build new obstacles and keep the landings in excellent condition.

Before Sam became a member of the Shape Academy, she was working at an indoor skiing-hall in Great Britain. Already back in these days she was fascinated by the immense power of the snowcats and was curious about what it would feel like to sit at the joysticks of such a vehicle. Thanks to QParks and the Shape Academy she got the opportunity to try it and learn how to tame the beast. “The coolest part about the snow groomer is the fact that I can push this massive load of snow. It really is a lot of fun to drive it. But the best feeling is seeing how much the riders enjoy the park.”

Being the first woman to work as a snowcat driver within the Shape Academy, Sam is definitely a pioneer and maybe also a role model for other women who otherwise wouldn’t consider operating a snow groomer themselves. She likes her forerunner role and would wish for more girls following her lead. “I hope that as many girls as possible start to learn how to drive a snow groomer. It’s super interesting and having more girls drive snowcats would be really cool!”, she says.

At the end, we still ask the inevitable question with a wink: Who is better at operating a snow groomer? Guys or Girls?  Sam sees it relaxed and to her it doesn’t really matter if there’s a man or a woman sitting at the joysticks. “I don’t think it makes a difference. In fact it’s all about personal experience, which you have to gather. And when you’re driving a snow groomer you’re constantly learning”, she adds. Good that we share this opinion, because in the end it all comes down to the passion for freestyle and the passion for the outdoor office.

For more info and updates about the Golden Roofpark Axamer Lizum visit the website or Facebook page. And if you suddenly feel like driving such a snowcat yourself, head over to this part of our website and apply now!