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OGDEN — Just outside the 29th Street trailhead, workers with Mountain Brand Ice left a giant mega-bag of ice and water for hikers who are hitting the trails during a summer heatwave.
"I don't know why we're doing it, but this will be perfect," Jackie McCoy said, holding up a frozen bottle of water from the mega-bag.
"It's a lot hotter here," Cooper Moisey, who is visiting from out of state, said. "This is like an absolute go inside heat for Canada."
While workers were busy stacking pallets inside the downtown Ogden Mountain Brand Ice factory Friday, their preparations for the summer months started well before temperatures broke 80.
"When temperatures rise, so does the demand for ice," general manager Lori Shupe said of the summer months. "We start planning the beginning of the year to get ready for this time of year"
Workers stack bagged ice inside a production room that averages around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Often thousands of bags are stacked and stored inside the company's massive freezer, that sits around minus 5 degrees.
Shupe says often managers and delivery drivers try to anticipate shortages to keep stores in stock during peak demand times.
"We're really proud to be keeping people cool," Shupe said. "We are proud of our company, and we're proud of our state."
Owner David Bornemeier adds that recent technological upgrades during the off-season are now helping them produce the same amount of ice, while using 20% less water.
