This fall, Mays Construction Specialties Inc. (MCSI) tackled a job that was high profile, in more ways than one.

Telluride Ski Resort in the Colorado Rockies was creating a new trail to improve access to a series of ski chutes on Gold Hill Ridge. Because progress was slow and winter weather fast approaching, the resort brought in Grand-Junction-based MCSI to speed up blast hole drilling.

“They were running out of time for weather,” said MCSI Vice President Kyle Vanderberg. “They actually started the drilling using some hand drills…we were able to actually expedite the drilling 10-fold, compared to what they were doing.”

To bring the project up to speed, MCSI used one of its four TEI drills, an HEM-300HT, mounted on a Link-Belt 130LX excavator. Because the drill could be detached and the bucket re-attached to the excavator, MCSI was able to use the excavator for both rock removal and drilling.

Vanderberg said, “That was a big plus: one piece of equipment playing two roles.”

The job site was located on a ridge at 13,000 ft. (396 m) elevation, where wind gusts exceeded 100 mph and October wind chill temperatures dropped below 10F.

“Watching the weather was very critical,” said Vanderberg. “If there was a very large storm toward the tail end, there was the possibility we wouldn’t be able to get the equipment back until spring.”

The combination of weather conditions and location made personnel safety an even higher priority than usual. In the end, Vanderberg said it turned out to be “a nice safe project for all involved.”

An unexpected benefit of the project was that the dramatic photos of MCSI’s drill atop the ridge, with a backdrop of mountain ranges, have been passed along within the industry, resulting in increased exposure for MCSI as a company, said Vanderberg.

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