Chapel Hill has already experienced three snow events since the start of the year, but preparation for winter weather begins long before the first snowfall. Each fall, the Grounds Services Snow Team develops the season’s Snow Plan to ensure the campus is well-prepared for any winter conditions.
A top priority is making sure all equipment is in peak condition. The team thoroughly tests plows, tractors, brine tanks, and skid steers while also checking inventory levels of essential supplies like salt and sand.
To ensure crews are ready for snow, the team participates in an annual “Snow Roadeo,” a hands-on training event where staff can practice essential techniques for snow clearing and winter weather response.
Grounds Director Steve Gooch emphasizes the importance of this training, especially for newer team members. “Sometimes we go several years between snow events, and newer crew members may not have experience using equipment for snow clearing. The Snow Roadeo is a fun way to give them hands-on training in using and maneuvering the equipment we use to clear our campus roads and walkways.”
At the Snow Roadeo held this past December, small groups of Grounds Services employees gathered around a pickup truck with a plow attachment. After a brief training session, they each took turns plowing “fake snow” (mulch) through a winding course.
Another team took turns operating a skid steer, a small one-person vehicle that allows Grounds crews to plow off-road areas like campus walkways. Team members maneuvered the skid steer through an obstacle course, first weaving through cones and then attempting to roll a large pipe between two rows of cones without knocking them over. The most challenging test required the operators to scoop up a ball, carefully drive the skid steer up to a barrier, and then drop the ball into a trash bin.
The Snow Roadeo is not only a fun event but also a valuable team-building exercise, and gives staff the opportunity to practice skills in a controlled setting before facing real winter conditions.
As part of the Snow Plan, the campus is divided into zones, each with maps outlining priority areas for clearing, including key roads, parking lots, ADA-accessible entrances, and walkways. Staff are preassigned to specific zones and equipment, ensuring an efficient response when winter weather hits.
By the time snow and ice arrive in January and February, the Grounds Services team is ready. Thanks to months of preparation and hands-on training, crews are well-prepared to tackle adverse weather– and keep campus safe and accessible for the community.
