Alpine Skiing

For most people, being called a dog, a weasel or a monkey is usually less than complimentary. This is not so in the world of alpine ski racing - in this environment it is high praise that's worn like a badge of honour.

In World Cup ski parlance, The Dogs - which is short for Sled Dogs - are the army of volunteer course workers who prepare and maintain the race course here in Lake Louise every year. More than 300 volunteers have been working on the construction and maintenance of this track since early October - without them, the races would not be happening.

In the pantheon of thankless jobs, being a volunteer course worker is definitely a top profession. Mornings for Sled Dogs usually begin in the middle of the night - 6 am crew calls (even earlier if there is a huge dump of snow) are the norm here as the racers are often on the hill by 7 or 8 am to inspect the course. That's a lot of cold, dark course prep work for the volunteers and gallons of hot coffee in the Thermos' each Sled Dog seems to carry like mandatory survival gear.

Darrell MacLachlan, one of the founding fathers of the Sled Dogs, and Craig Smith are the top dogs in this pack.

MacLachlan is Chief of Race for the men's races at Lake Louise and Smith is Chief of Course for the ladies races that follow next week. MacLachlan, who will be Chief of Competition for the alpine events at the upcoming Winter Games says the races held here this week and next are an excellent dress rehearsal for the Olympics.

"All the teams come together here and we've been working together for years now at various events, circumstances are obviously different here with weather and weather patterns, but it's just a real good test of how our systems work," MacLachlan says.

"85 to 90% of the volunteers here are participating at the Games in Whistler, and the senior staff will also working there in similar roles, so the experience they gain here will be valuable," adds Smith.

One of the most colourful and beloved Sled Dogs is George Motter. Motter, a Sled Dog since 1988, raced here 40 years ago as a junior, and still races at Lake Louise in the masters series. Motter, who has worked on every World Cup race held here, is known for his hard work and dedication, but is also renowned in après ski circles for his incredible violin playing. Motter says flying low under the radar is part and parcel of the job and he's not in it for any kind of public glory. The payoff, according to Motter, is the pride in keeping the course safe for the racers and life long friendships that come with the job.

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Sled Dog George Motter fiddling about at a Lake Louise volunteer apres ski party.

Michael Mastarciyan/CTVOlympics.ca

"For years I used the work here as pre-season conditioning, but now I feel like it's a family reunion every year when I return," Motter says.

Turning a barren, icy ski run into a pristine snow covered race track bordered with miles of complicated, state of the art safety netting is a big job though - and it can't be done on Sled Dog power alone. That's where the Monkeys (or Net Monkeys as they call themselves) come in.

For the last 16 years Randy Pruden has been part of the crew that puts up the high fences that keep racers who crash from flying off course into the rocks and trees that line it. It's a time consuming job that requires precision and the acrobatic climbing ability of - you guessed it - a monkey.

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From left...Weasel Worker Bill Scott, Alpine Canada skier Mike Janyk, Sled Dog George Motter and Net Monkey Randy Pruden enjoying a little apres ski after a long day on the mountain.

Michael Mastarciyan/CTVOlympics.ca

"Working with the guys, the friendships and being able to put on the best event in the world as far as safety goes is why I do it," says Pruden, who will be on the crew putting up the nets in Whistler at the Olympics.

But still even with Sled Dogs and Net Monkeys on the job, there is tons of work to do and a never ending need for skilled and experienced course workers. Fortunately there is an extremely talented group of world renowned ski racing volunteers in neighbouring British Columbia who are always ready to lend an hand and a shovel called the Whistler Weasel Workers (aka Weasels).

Bill Scott and Owen Carney have been Weasels since 1982. Both have worked as course volunteers at ski races held around the globe. But their calendar is always blocked off from late in November and December for Lake Louise races.

Scott, who has never missed working on a World Cup ski race in Lake Louise or Whistler - and Carney, who was chief of course for alpine events at the Calgary '88 Winter Games and a member of the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in Ottawa, are old hands at the fine art of race course building, the non-stop heavy lifting that comes with it and the friendships that are born out of spending countless hours together on snowy race courses across the world.

"The camaraderie is huge part of why I come here. It's cool to get together every winter and pull off a World Cup or an Olympics with a bunch of friends from every walk of life," Carney says.

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Canadian Ski Hall of Fame member and uber Weasel - Owen Carney - after a long day on the race course at Lake Louise.

Michael Mastarciyan/CTVOlympics.ca

Scott, who has been here prepping the course since early November, says he volunteers for the love of the sport - but he also does it for very personal reasons. Scott says every bit of work he does on the mountain ends up benefiting his stepson - Manuel Osborne-Paradis - a member of the Canadian alpine ski team, a silver medallist at the downhill here in 2007 and the fifth fastest World Cup downhill skier overall last season.

Over a very well-deserved beer at a western themed dinner party the organizers throw for the course workers every year, Scott reflects about his career as a committed course volunteer and the special pride he has watching his stepson race down a course he has helped to set up.

"It's a labour of love for me because of Manny. It was just for fun in the old days but I've got a vested interest in it now. Every bit of sweat I pour out on the course keeps him safer. I do the best I can but I hope he never tests my work," Scott says.

"The work the Sled Dogs, Net Monkeys and Weasel Workers do in Lake Louise is amazing and my teammates and I owe them a huge debt of gratitude because we wouldn't be racing here if they didn't break their backs on our behalf. And yes, as Bill says, I hope I don't test his work too," adds a smiling Osborne-Paradis, with a big laugh.