# Best Ski Resort Job?



## lockie (Jan 21, 2012)

Hey guys, going to work a season in america when i finish school (from Australia) and interested on what everyone thinks is best job to work? Im currently a register operator so by the time i will go will have 4 years experience handling cash and face to face customer service, i also have child care experience if that will help. 
I was thinking about being a liftie, sounds like fun / not to hard. But it doesn't sound like i'd get much ride time (anyone know how much i would get?)

Dont really care about making a profit for the season but i want to make enough not to lose money over the season (i.e enough to pay rent, food etc). I'll be 18 when i go so i wont be able to go out to much at night, so happy to save money in that respect. 

Night jobs the best? 
and suggested resort?


----------



## Memphis Hawk (Dec 26, 2011)

There's a bunch of threads about it on here and the general consensus is that it's the worst idea ever if what you want to do is ski/board.


----------



## C.B. (Jan 18, 2011)

Basically just get any off resort job.

Also finding a nightlife wont be a problem


----------



## lockie (Jan 21, 2012)

C.B. said:


> Basically just get any off resort job.
> 
> Also finding a nightlife wont be a problem


The free season pass was a huge attraction for me...


----------



## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

lockie said:


> The free season pass was a huge attraction for me...


Problem is when you work for the hill to get a pass...they tell you when you can ride. Its better to work off the hill in the evenings, buy a season's pass and shred in the morning go to work in late afternoon then sleep and repeat.


----------



## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

I read an article in a magazine recently that made it sound as if pro Ski Patrol is in need of more personnel.


----------



## BigmountainVMD (Oct 9, 2011)

Snowolf is right. I worked as an instructor and yeah, you had to be a line-up for lessons at certain times of the day... but you can usually make first tracks before (if you don't have private lesson) and get tons of turn in throughout the day... And if you get a lesson that can really tear it up?!? You literally get to shred your brains out while getting PAID... You gotta have the skills to teach better riders, but if you can do it, I 100% would vote for instructor... Unless you are a fair-weather rider, cause you have to be out there, rain or shine, -20 or 60 degrees... And if you are outgoing and can sell yourself (I got business cards), then you get push private lessons and end up getting paid 20 to 30 dollars an hour... At one point during the height of the season, I was getting paid $25/hour (not including tips) to ride powder in the glades with advanced lessons... Yeah, that job really sucked...


----------



## bebop_monk (Jan 23, 2011)

I work graveyards at one of the hotels up at Snowbird and it's awesome. I get off at 8, change into my gear, and am first person in line when the lifts open at 9. Ride for a few hours, go home and crash, then back at it again. Never worry about missing out on pow cus the canyon road is closed, since I'm already up there! Plus your always in a good mood since its just so damn beautiful up there.


----------



## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

What's with the military time? Your making my head explode.


----------



## Rufus (Nov 7, 2008)

Snowolf said:


> I actually only teach about 20 days a season and the the rest of the time I am free riding and enjoying the free season pass, a free season locker, 50% discount on food and and equipment, free training clinics, Great social interaction with good riders and skiers, free letters to ride anywhere in the west for free (10 days at Alyeska every other year and have never bought a lift ticket). Yeah that is hard to cope with.


Shhhh...don't tell everyone what a great deal it is. You've perfectly described my situation the past couple of seasons, I think I have one of the best jobs at a resort. I've ridden about 50 days this season and so far only had to teach about 12 of those days. And even the teaching days have all been fun.


----------



## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

ThunderChunky said:


> What's with the military time? Your making my head explode.


... Seriously? If it's under 12 it's AM, if it's over subtract 12 and it's PM. 



> I read an article in a magazine recently that made it sound as if pro Ski Patrol is in need of more personnel.


I don't know about that, Ski Patrol jobs are sort of like the resort version of being on the board of Goldman Sachs. They are often highly exclusive and given to those who have connections. Might be different on the East Coast due to tiny mountains.


----------



## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

I don't know anything about working a resort from a personal perspective but i know 3 people right now all working at afferent resorts. One in Fernie, one in Whistler and one in Breckenridge. All three of them actually love doing what they do, they all have free season passes and about 50% off food on the mountain plus other perks like Snowolf said like first tracks and riding after close.

The guy at Breck i forgot what he actually does but he wear the yellow jacket (there are red, yellow, blue, and black jackets denoting jobs i believe) and he works 4 days a week. During his 4 days he routinely logs 16000 vertical feet per day so it would be fair to assume thats a good bit of riding. Anyway just thought i would say if thats what you want to do i know 3 guys who are loving it right now. I guess they are not part of the 95%......


----------



## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

HoboMaster said:


> I don't know about that, Ski Patrol jobs are sort of like the resort version of being on the board of Goldman Sachs. They are often highly exclusive and given to those who have connections. Might be different on the East Coast due to tiny mountains.


The gist of the article was that the average age of pro patrol is rising (it was something like age 45-55 or so) as there are few young people who want to enter that line of work. They expressed concern that as the older patrollers retire there would come a shortfall of personnel, and they wanted to encourage younger people to consider a career in patrol.


----------



## lockie (Jan 21, 2012)

Wooah! Thanks everyone for your opinions! 
How hard is it to get a Groomer Job having had no experience? I notice that a lot of places state a minimum amount of experience. 

REASONS FOR WORKING FOR RESORT - 
- Free Lift Pass
- Food Discounts
- Equipment Discounts (Going when im 18, i plan to buy a whole setup as ill be at the end of my growing)
- Employee Accommodation (Coming from Australia, having pre-arranged accommodation would be wonderful)


----------



## Random Hero (Sep 30, 2008)

Does anyone know if American resorts accept CASI certified instructors, or would you have to take the tests all over again?


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Random Hero said:


> Does anyone know if American resorts accept CASI certified instructors, or would you have to take the tests all over again?


US resorts do not require certifications.


----------



## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

It's a moot point because it doesn't apply to the OP (this won't happen for someone in their first season), but to say "NOBODY" can have fun working at a resort is just wrong. 



mpdsnowman said:


> If you think your gonna ride fresh powder every morning..unless your ski patrol forget it!


If you cultivate your clientele correctly you can be riding fresh pow when it hits and skipping lift lines as a bonus.



mpdsnowman said:


> NOBODY will have fun at any resort unless you are there specifically to enjoy the place and not work there. you wont ride any more than a customer will....your working:laugh:


Have you ever worked at a West Coast resort? When you're skipping lift lines on a pow day, riding three laps to the average customers (and off duty employees) one, all while working the best paying non-management job on the hill, work is very, very, *fun*.


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Snowolf said:


> Technically that is true Argo. From a practical sense however, to get an instructor job at a destination resort, you had better be at least a cert 1 and if you want to actually have a chance to teach good lessons and privates, you had better be a cert 2.
> 
> Random Hero, yes AASI recognizes CASI and the CASI standards are actually a little higher. Typically, an AASI level 2 is considered CASI level 1. If you have a CASI 2 and come to work in the US you can pay your dues and may have to take an evaluation exam and you in.



I've been really surprised that about half the instructors I've met in vail are not certified. They make a big deal of it when they do get their certain... I used to think they all were.....


----------



## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

lockie said:


> Wooah! Thanks everyone for your opinions!
> How hard is it to get a Groomer Job having had no experience?


Do you have any experience operating other types of heavy equipment?


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I should say that your right, the higher end instructors are all certified or ex pros


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

lockie said:


> Wooah! Thanks everyone for your opinions!
> How hard is it to get a Groomer Job having had no experience? I notice that a lot of places state a minimum amount of experience.
> 
> REASONS FOR WORKING FOR RESORT -
> ...


I know the guy that's in charge of the park crew and grooming here and he says they train their people and are happy when the can pass their drug tests getting hired. Some of the groomers get good full time gigs too cause they do tree clearing and run equipment in the summer too.


----------



## Random Hero (Sep 30, 2008)

Snowolf said:


> Technically that is true Argo. From a practical sense however, to get an instructor job at a destination resort, you had better be at least a cert 1 and if you want to actually have a chance to teach good lessons and privates, you had better be a cert 2.
> 
> Random Hero, yes AASI recognizes CASI and the CASI standards are actually a little higher. Typically, an AASI level 2 is considered CASI level 1. If you have a CASI 2 and come to work in the US you can pay your dues and may have to take an evaluation exam and you in.


Thanks, when you say evaluation do you mean like the chosen resort would just give me a couple of mock up lessons and see how I perform? 

Lately I've been contemplating moving out to a resort just for the winter to get some real riding in. I would love to be able to do that and break even and then move back home in the summer to make money and be with fam/friends.

From what everyone seems to be saying it's very possible to do just that while having a blast. The resort I have worked at pays minimum wage for the morning session with the instructors and scheduled group lessons and any privates you get pays out about 20 an hour. Would most resorts work like this?

Also, when would be the best time to apply for spots like that, I think over here they do it in the summer, but I would hate to get offered a job only to have them say they don't think I would cut it after heading out there and being properly interviewed.


----------



## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

If single and no responsibilities, a cat job would be awesome, grooming under stars and in white out, groomers are done by chair time...so then to riding...and here there is little grooming. Have had offers to go out on early cat runs but have been too damm lazy to get up that early. Maybe should inquire about doing fill-in...back in the day did probably 10,000 hours of heavy equip time.

Pro patrol is hard to get and I'd imagine they get worked. Apparently we have one of the youngest patrol team. Idk why, but I would think its a demanding job, have to know your stuff with the amount of snow, the inbounds terrain and bc access. I could see at this hill its a younger person's game.


----------



## lockie (Jan 21, 2012)

Snowolf said:


> It really depends on the resort. A big destination resort like Telluride Co or Jackson Wy it is going to be tough. They want very experienced, highly trained cat operators. Your smaller more out of the way resorts often will take a total cat noob in and train them if they think you will be committed to the job. In some places, the grooming department can be a bit of a good old boy club and can be hard to get an in. Where I work, our grooming manager will take on a total noob if it is the right person but it requires a full time commitment to justify the effort to train.


Sounds Perfect! I'm totally committed but have no experience with heavy machinery. I'd head over in the winter of 13/14 because thats when i'd be finished from school. By fulltime are you talking all year? or just 40 hours/ week seasonal?

Thanks for your help Snowolf. 

EDIT: I am 100% drug free and 100% hardworking and motivated.


----------



## lockie (Jan 21, 2012)

Snowolf said:


> Full time for the season with the possibility of summer brush crew maybe but that might be a long shot.


Sounds perfect. What resort are you at? I might get in contact with you next year closer to winter because its still a while off :cheeky4:

EDIT: thanks for all the help again


----------



## bebop_monk (Jan 23, 2011)

I'm not sure about other areas, but another perk of working at a resort in Utah is I get ten percent off at both of the main LBS' in the city.


----------



## lockie (Jan 21, 2012)

Oh my. 

Is that heaven? Are you god?


----------



## 2hipp4u (Dec 24, 2010)

Go for it, you only live once and it sucks looking back wishing you would of followed your heart when you had the chance.

Be smart and don't just be a bum. Get different jobs and learn new skills cause you never know when you might need them again.


----------



## lockie (Jan 21, 2012)

This is making me ridiculously jealous. 
Stuck in school for another 18 months and only snow reachable is australian mountains, if you call that snow.


----------



## lockie (Jan 21, 2012)

18 more months. 18 more months. 18 months. deep breaths. 

Thanks again Snowolf!


----------



## lockie (Jan 21, 2012)

1 more question! I know im being a pain in the ass, but you seem like the hero of these forums and i have to know one more thing! 
Can i do a season from the opening date til march. So i could come back to australia to study - this is in 2015! looking way ahead. 
But what im asking is do ski resorts condone people leaving early or is it looked down upon?


----------



## Random Hero (Sep 30, 2008)

Thanks for all the info Snowwolf, with my very limited knowledge of resorts I was thinking somewhere in Colorado would be where I'd want to go. Employee housing is definitely important, whatever costs of living I can avoid is a plus. 

I've been seriously thinking about trying it out for at least one season, I'm not getting any younger and I would love to do it at least once before I'm too old to really progress my riding. 

I think I'm going to do some digging this week and get an idea of which resorts would fit into what I would want to be doing (progressive park, glade runs and backcountry in that order). I will also have ti figure out how getting a visa works out as well. I guess once I do that I can come back here and bother you guys with more informed questions.

Those Alaska pictures look dope, but I'm pretty sure that place is way too cold for my liking.


----------



## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

lockie, I read that lots of aussies work in whistler since ya'll are victims of queenie...but idk...maybe post in the canucks region


----------



## Random Hero (Sep 30, 2008)

Snowolf said:


> Funny thing is, Anchorge and Alyeska is actually a fairly mild climate thanks to the maritime influence. Interior Alaska (Fairbanks) is the true -40F icebox. Typically in mid winter Anchorage will see a high of 10-20 and a low of 0 to 10. Yes cold snaps happen, but -25 is a REALLY cold day in Anchorage. The US and Canadian midwest and east typically have much colder weather.
> 
> I did some asking around with a couple of of my managers at Mt. Hood Meadows and from what they told me typically, if you hold a CASI or a BASI certification, it is recognized by AASI as equivalent. So a level 2 CASI will equal to a level 2 AASI here. I think all you have to do is a new hire clinic and exam like any one else, citizen or not.
> 
> ...


Well Snowolf, you've definitely gone above and beyond the call. I really do appreciate you taking the time to help us out and point us in the right direction. Gonna be busy these next couple of days checking all this out and figuring out how I want to go about this. The hardest part though is gonna be convincing my boss to not fire me for leaving all winter haha.


----------



## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

Resort jobs generally pay shit, bust your ass and sacrifice to build up a fat savings over the summer, buy a season pass in fall(cheaper) and then find a serving job(waiter\waitress\bartender) where can actually make enough money to pay rent and live comfortably down in the village or nearby town.

good luck, no matter what you end up doing it'll be a great experience


----------



## blondieyo (Jun 12, 2011)

One other job you could look into is waitering at fine-dining restaurants. One of the guys who i'm living with atm at big white in Canada has a job there and he makes more money here with tips than he does back home in Australia. He finishes work at about 10pm during the week which is plenty of time to get some good sleep in before fresh tracks the next morning. He got a discount on his season pass but still had to pay about 60% of the price, however he has more than tripled what everyone else is working as a liftie, in retail and in rentals. Food for thought!

Also on a tangeant, holy shit Snowolf is there nothing you can't do?!


----------

