Tosh Show My (Snow) Groomer - Bandit Ferrante
Jan 6, 2026
Bandit Ferrante, a ski mountain groomer and Piston-Bully operator at Palisades Tahoe, shares his journey from skier to snowcat maestro. He details the thrill and challenges of operating massive snowcats at night, including winch techniques for steep slopes and avalanche safety protocols. Bandit also discusses the intricacies of park feature construction, the camaraderie and quirks of mountain culture, and the unique ski slang that keeps the slopes lively. His anecdotes about managing tourists versus locals add a humorous twist!
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From Resort Kid To Snowcat Operator
- Bandit Ferrante grew up at Heavenly with parents who worked at the resort and started on the mountain shaping parks at 18.
- He progressed from rake work to operating snowcats and now teaches and helps R&D for PistenBully.
LiDAR Gives Night Vision To Groomers
- Modern snowcats use LiDAR-based systems like SnowSat to map snow depth within ~165 feet in all directions.
- That tech lets Bandit reliably move and redistribute snow at night even in whiteout conditions.
Allow Years To Become A Skilled Operator
- Becoming a competent, safety-aware snowcat operator typically takes about five years of experience.
- Expect to start quickly in base-area machines but plan for years of learning to master implements and mountain effects.