James Richardson
Leadville,Co
Summary
To continue to build and broaden on my experiences as an asset in challenging field environments by excelling in safety, communication and training by being open and encouraging to new experiences.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Heavy Equipment Operator/ Supervisor
Antarctic Support Contract
12.2009 - 03.2023
- As Lead Operator, my role was to train, organize, outline tasks, troubleshoot, plan and react to constantly changing elements of our goal in hazardous weather and terrain with the supervisor, lead mechanic, operators and mechanics.
- Operating mostly MT865 Challengers and Case Quad Tracs, we hauled about 110,000 gallons over 1,000 miles from McMurdo Station to the South Pole, recognizing safety as our primary function every day.
- Across the McMurdo and Ross Ice Shelves, up the Leverett Glacier and across the Antarctic Plateau, taking an average of 25 days.
- Taking 10 days to offload and 15 to return, we lived in small rooms and worked everyday with our machines equipped with cranes and push blades building berms, loading and unloading cargo, assisting mechanics and fuel transferring in the deep field of Antarctica.
- More specific applications included crevasse remediation, local station traverses and clearing sea ice of drift, with Pisten Bully 100 and Prinoth BR350 around McMurdo Station.
- Crevasse rescue training detailed to our machine rich application for crevasse zones, which
- In more recent seasons, my experience has allowed me to plan and execute successful traverses to smaller stations delivering fuel and supplies
- The first 3 seasons on 'the ice' were simpler, starting at South Pole Station as an ATO 1 using mostly Cat 953 track loaders, occasionally a 950, for loading and unloading cargo from C130's.
- Physically disassembling and building pallets according to Air Force specifications
- My second and third seasons started early in August to September, for Fleet Operations as an HEO during the WinFly operations at McMurdo, operating front end wheeled loaders, dozers and backhoes.
- Octobers till Februarys I handled the HEO position for the CTAM camp (Central Trans Antarctic Mountains) and WAIS Divide (West Antarctic Ice Sheet)
- The deep field consisting of Tucker 2000 Snow cats, Pisten Bully 100, Cat 953 and D4 dozers.
- Operating behind the C130 Hercules with the NYANG loadmasters being a common task, safety takes the priority in all of our operations.
Heavy Equipment Operator
Polar Field Services
04.2016 - 06.2017
- My experience in Antarctica qualified me for the Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) and Mechanic Assistant at Summit Station, Greenland
- The time I have spent in the wilderness puts me in a high awareness for all situations for safety, as primary care may be days away
- All season my tasking would change according to weather and priority, digging out the structures and placing them for the season with our Cat D6 or D7 started that process
- Assisting the mechanic to start and maintain our equipment for the season is a great way to spend time during the brutal weather there
- Into the summer phase my focus looks toward grooming the worlds longest skiway at 3 miles long, maintained by our Case 335, with a land plane implement attached for leveling
- Loading and unloading C130s with a Cat 953 and 933 each with forks, our aircraft operations now include the D7 with a skied sled to unload pallets up to T4s
- Most of my time is spent in the D7, bringing down the grade around the station and leveling occupies 90% of that time.
- Assisting carpenters needs allowed my detailing side to shine, planned building and fuel tank moves avoided our assets becoming buried by drifting comprised the rest of my tasking.
Senior Raft Guide
Performance Tours
05.2005 - 08.2023
- Commercially I have trip lead on the Arkansas Rivers' Browns Canyon (III), Royal Gorge (IV)and Numbers (V), with the Clear Creek (IV), Blue (III) and Colorado River (III).
- The Gauley River (V) has been a treat in West Virginia that many guides migrate to in September, myself 7 seasons and around 140 upper Gauley runs
- The Lochsa (IV) in Idaho and the upper Salt (IV) in Arizona I've taken a few commercial runs over the years
- Six Grand Canyon trips completed, taking 16 to 26 days in the summer and into winter
- Also Hells Canyon (III) of the Snake, Green River through Cataract Canyon in Utah, main Salmon (IV) in Idaho, Rogue River (III)in Oregon and the wilderness section of the Salt in Arizona, these trips ranging from 3-7 days, all trips self supported.
Heavy Equipment Operator
Copper Mountain Ski Resort
11.2000 - 04.2009
- As night shift lead operator, my usual night was spent operating Cat 936, 938, 950 and 966 plowing parking lots inside and outside the resort for the next days guests.
- After snow storms had finished, we removed our snow storage piles to maximize our lots capacity.
- The first 3 seasons I held the title of Parking Foreman which had me training parking attendants, directing traffic on the highway with CSP, setting up and removing road cones for our guests safety and shuttle bus movement.
- The duties of Parking Foreman changed to Landscape and Irrigation Foreman in the summers, which I directed and oversaw maintenance of the grounds with mowing, trimming, irrigation systems and decorations for events.
Equipment Operator
Varying
01.1994 - 03.2018
- Keeping busy with shorter jobs in between my major jobs, I operated excavators in the Vail area for Edwards Excavating for about 4 months. Also a 4 month stint at Big Sky Resort in Montana, plowing condos, parking lots and roads with front end loaders.
- Previous experience operating skid steers, pickup plows, large mowers, small tractors, trenchers, pipe pullers and forgotten machines over the years.
Education
Graduated in 1993 majoring in art and math. -
Queensbury High School
Queensbury, NY06.1993
Skills
- Crane Operation
- Parts Lubrication
- Safety Procedures
- Heavy Equipment Operation
- Front End Loader Operations
- Machinery Inspection
- Safe Equipment Operation
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Repair and Maintenance
- Preventive Maintenance
- Clean Driving Record
- Inclement Working Conditions
Certification
- Wilderness First Responder (kept current since 2006)
- CPR certification
Other
- Wilderness First Responder (kept current since 2006)
- CPR certification
Timeline
Heavy Equipment Operator
Polar Field Services
04.2016 - 06.2017
Heavy Equipment Operator/ Supervisor
Antarctic Support Contract
12.2009 - 03.2023
Senior Raft Guide
Performance Tours
05.2005 - 08.2023
Heavy Equipment Operator
Copper Mountain Ski Resort
11.2000 - 04.2009
Equipment Operator
Varying
01.1994 - 03.2018
Graduated in 1993 majoring in art and math. -
Queensbury High School
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