Grenoble Prepares Some 85 troops from the French alpine battlion are now working around the clock to prepare the concrete ski jump at St Nizier , overlooking Grenoble , for the 1968 Winter Olympics . Early each morning , a first group of 40 men , tied by the waist to the main pillar of the launch track high above . start stomping the snow as they the snow as they progress towards the top , spread in a wide semi circle . Troops behind spray water to keep the snow at the right thickness and to harden the groundcoating . The snow has to be not more than 30 cm ' s thick and perfectly flat to allow the maximum chance for the skiers . After the first team of 40 men have carried out their chore , a second team takes over until well the night . 15th January 1968