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To work at the mountain.. or not to work at the mountain

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dg101
Posts: 3216 - Karma: 10
So
Nov 10 2007 10:33PM
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potatofarmer
Posts: 2020 - Karma: 13
I did it for two years for the free pass. it was cool cause I met alot of really cool people, but after a while you start thinking of the mountain more and more as a workplace which kinda blows
Nov 10 2007 10:39PM
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dg101
Posts: 3216 - Karma: 10
shit.. i accidentally hit post..

anyways, I have the opportunity to take a CISA class 1 course and become a ski instructor up at mt. seymour in Vancouver. A few buddies of mine are doing this, and Im trying to decide if its worth it or not. Basically, it pays pretty well from what Ive heard, bout 16 an hour for group lessons (+ tips), and 27 an hr if you manage to get a private lesson. So pretty much, you make decent money teaching kids on the bunny hill, and you get to ski for free whenever you want. Now the bad.. I live in richmond, so the commute to the hill is about an hour each way, conditions can get shitty at the local mountains (I usually ski big white, so itl take some gettin used to) and the CISA course costs about 250$.. is it worth it?
I could also just get a job at coast capital, paying 13.50 an hour within 5 minutes from my house, then use the money I make to buy lift tickets.. but then your not skiing for money.. im torn
Nov 10 2007 10:40PM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
yeah, that's why I quit working at the beach (among other reasons..) because I love to go there and hang out, not work.
Nov 10 2007 10:42PM
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dg101
Posts: 3216 - Karma: 10

wow.. you read my mind there dude

I think it would be a cool atmosphere to work in, but then.. the mountain does become the workplace, and that might take the fun out of everything after the novelty wears off..

Nov 10 2007 10:42PM
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Lineskiah11
Posts: 2029 - Karma: 21
i think i would say go for the other job.... because once you work at the mountain your still spending a lot of time there but most of the time isnt skiing so like you said you will think of it mroe as a work place.... plus 13.50 isnt bad at all specially since its so close to your house
Nov 10 2007 10:48PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
it would be so awesome if you could like teach kids to do park stuff.  but teaching little kids how to ski on the bunny slope would suck,  they are like 3 years old and crying all the time and shit.  for me to be an instructor id want the people i teach to atleast be over 8.
Nov 11 2007 1:56AM
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QuazBotch
Posts: 3909 - Karma: 223
Instructing is fun when you have good kids. It is pretty rewarding when you get someone who is excited to ski with you every week, or turn winter into someone's favourite season.

It does take away from your own skiing time though. I'm pretty sure I've gotten worse since I started teaching. Kids forced into lessons are no fun, and even the happy fat ones are a pain in the back.
Nov 11 2007 12:06PM
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dave44
Posts: 11052 - Karma: 113
Well. Firstly, if your ski season relies on working at the mountain, then I guess you have no choice (i.e. the free pass, or money to go toward equipment).

If you're talking about ski instructing... well, I guess the first thing to say is you need patience and self-control. you have to be able to get messages across to the kids, and be encouraging, even if they suck. You gotta be responsible. If have the patience, the rewards can be immense (probably not in the form of money, though). You get a sense of accomplishment. E.g. teaching a 40 year old woman for an hour who never thought she could ski, and then you see her coming up every week and pizza-ing down the green runs. You feel happy from them feeling happy (do I make sense?)


Or you could be a lifty... I don't know how that pays off though.

Skiing jobs are never really high paying... like, going from CSIA 1 to CSIA 2, you only get paid like a couple dollars more an hour,  but you have to pay like $400 for the exam, and failing it means going back to square one.

Balance it out. Personally, I'd rather not work at the mountain. It takes away that special feeling...
Nov 11 2007 12:21PM
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skiEER
Posts: 4089 - Karma: 79
that is really good pay most place by me pay like half that
Nov 11 2007 1:16PM
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snwbrdmilf
Posts: 22441 - Karma: 2,805
It all depends on if you're going to take this teaching job seriously. I love teaching, I've been doing it for 7 years. Like 2 others above me said, the rewards are amazing. The look on your students face when they finally get it, and they're actually controlling themselves. Watching them week after week, progressing more & more...it's just a great feeling - knowing that your influence has helped them love skiing just as much as you do. To me, it's worth it. Makes my heart all warm and fuzzy hahaha.

Nov 11 2007 3:30PM
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doublexl
Posts: 8407 - Karma: 27
i would say work as a ski instructor because youll get a free pass and acces to pro forms(perhaps the biggest perk).
Nov 11 2007 4:43PM
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
Only worth it if you work weekends and maybe one other day.
Nov 11 2007 5:14PM
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skiP.E.I.
Posts: 7823 - Karma: 21,856
yeah, as long as you don't work too much there
Nov 11 2007 5:31PM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
I say yes.

Some may say it's hard to be at the hill, but not able to ski on your own, but if you were working some boring, repetative job somewhere else, you still wouldn't be skiing.
Nov 11 2007 6:15PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
If its only weekend and you can only work 1 day and get the other day off keep it, free ski day, plus you can always get higher csis leveling in the long run it will be worth it if you think skiing is in your future
Nov 11 2007 6:17PM
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snwbrdmilf
Posts: 22441 - Karma: 2,805
It's so true. I've worked my way from part-time to full-time. I'm on the hill 5 days a week, whether teaching or not. It's nothing short of awesome.
Nov 11 2007 6:28PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
hopefully ill be doing some teachin with my level 1 this year, do they give you a lot of free time to do skiing on your own?
Nov 11 2007 6:35PM
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QuazBotch
Posts: 3909 - Karma: 223
Someone recommended being the guy who times racers to me. Sit in a shack with some electronics for a few hours, then go ski a bunch.

Not sure how well it pays, or how many hours there are that can be worked, or if there are other responsibilities, but he made sound good.
Nov 11 2007 6:40PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
that sounds pretty good
Nov 11 2007 6:45PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,459
250 dollars/16 dollars a class= 16 lessons. get certified, teach your 16 lessons and if you still want to work keep doing it or if you want to quit go ski. but think about it, your certified and you will have made the money back that it costed to get certified so if you ever want a job teaching kids to ski you would already be cerftified.
Nov 11 2007 6:55PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
good point i think im getting certified in december, 16 is like waht if you do 4 classes a day 4 days...that pretty good if your doing it 5 days a week....actually very good
Nov 11 2007 6:58PM
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freeskeemcghee
Posts: 188 - Karma: 10
I worked at Perfect North as a ski instructor for three years, the first year was kinda fun but after awhile it really starts to suck cause you just want to ski.
Nov 11 2007 9:46PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
yah i guess you would see something cool you wanted to hit but you cant cause your supposed to be watchin kids
Nov 11 2007 10:09PM
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freshlyDIPPED
Posts: 1160 - Karma: 121
cuts into ridin time
Nov 11 2007 10:12PM
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candybag82
Posts: 219 - Karma: 51

I've been teaching for 9 seasons now, and its honestly the best job ive ever had....we spend about half our day teaching and half our day skiing, which really isnt bad....we get a lot of input into what happens with our park, and we are even starting to teach lessons in the park, which is awesome when you get one. the mountain basically becomes my home in the winter and the other instructors become like a family....the thing is the atmosphere has to be right....i talk to instructors from other mountains, and some of them hate their jobs and the ppl they work with...it depends on your mountain

Nov 11 2007 11:02PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
thats pretty sick ski half teach half...i could get used to that
Nov 11 2007 11:03PM
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