Tall grass surrounds the chairlifts at Loveland Ski Area. August isn't exactly known for its fresh powder, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

Zoe Corigliano climbs a ladder, wrench in hand. She's a lift mechanic at Loveland, and on this summer day, her crew is putting a chair back on the rope after dropping it to the ground for maintenance.

▶️ Meet Zoe Corigliano, the only woman nominated for the Ski Area Management Magazine Rise Up Challenge

Loveland lift mechanic is the only woman nominated for national award

"Every once in a while, you come across something broken, and you get to get in there and fix it real quick. And you're like, 'Yeah, next chair, let's go.' And it's just, it's really rewarding," Corigliano said.

The lift mechanic team prefers to work behind the scenes — but now, Corigliano is getting her moment in the spotlight.

Corigliano is one of six finalists nominated for the Ski Area Management Magazine Rise Up Challenge, an award that recognizes one up-and-coming ski lift mechanic with an educational grant and training opportunities. She's the only nominee representing Colorado — and the only woman up for the award.

"It really goes to show how few of us are in the industry," Corigliano said. “In my five years that I've been here, I have been the only woman in the lift maintenance department.”

She's making a name for herself in a male-dominated field.

"Very few female lift mechanics. And over the years, we're seeing more, but I want it to be even. I'd like a 50/50 split," Corigliano said.

She also hopes to inspire the next generation.

"I always have been more into what guys do, never really into the girly stuff," Corigliano said. "So, if there's a little girl out there that's like, I'd love to do that. You can. You just have to have the drive."

A win would also benefit her entire department. If Loveland nabs the challenge, the lift maintenance team receives an educational grant to further their knowledge and training.

"We are one of the few independent and family-owned mountains left in Colorado. So I think it'll bring us a lot of great attention," Corigliano said.

Voting for the Rise Up Challenge is open at and you can vote by clicking here.

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