Aspen Skiing Co. Workers Prepare For Fitness Tests

Some Aspen Skiing Co. workers are hitting the weights and sharpening their agility skills this summer to get ready for new annual fitness tests prior to ski season.

The Aspen Times reports that about 1,500 ski instructors, lift operators and ski patrollers will be required to take the test.

The company's vice president of human resources and retail operations says it's part of a broader wellness initiative to encourage health and fitness and to reduce workplace injuries.

The fitness test has eight components, which change slightly depending on department. Ski patrollers, for example, have a repetitive weight lifting drill.

Workers will have 40 or 50 opportunities over the next two months to meet with fitness experts hired by the company to do a "dry run" of the fitness test.