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January, 2025

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Park crew question

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kiwisdontbounce
Posts: 663 - Karma: 12
I'm thinking about applying for a park crew job. If anyone has been on a park crew or has insight, i would appreciate it. Is it fun? or would i just be another park rat tool? thanks.
Jul 20 2009 12:21AM
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VCharette
Posts: 4276 - Karma: 1,047
huh pardon me? a park rat tool? park rats aren't tools they are the finest... And I know at my mountain (hill) u gotta basically do a year for free to get a job before but you go whenever you want and get a free pass and shit so yeah, that's how it is at my hill and the park crew is super respected cuz they make sick stuff
Jul 20 2009 12:24AM
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TheUngroomed
Posts: 1251 - Karma: 335
i've never done it but here is what i think is good about it:
1.you ski for free
2. you get to make cool shit
and
3. you ski for free
Jul 20 2009 12:35AM
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Bo_bot9
Posts: 1437 - Karma: 275
i did park crew for the first time last year and it was awesome. A day of work would consist of arriving to work are 6 or so take at a couple laps procrastinate and take even more laps then finally have a good ole' safety meeting and get some shovels and get to work. Deffinetely some of my best memories of last season. I would highly recommend it you get to meet alot of cool people.
Jul 20 2009 12:54AM
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kiwisdontbounce
Posts: 663 - Karma: 12
that was the kind of answer i was looking for.

thanks. I'm going to apply for the position. Another question...what is the required/recommended skill level for park crew? I can throw 540's, slide most stuff, 270 out, and im working on front and back flips (landed one of each last season)
Jul 20 2009 1:33AM
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VCharette
Posts: 4276 - Karma: 1,047
as far as im concerned you need to be able to go down the hill and that's it haha you don't need to be a pro to be a park ranger, by the way it is true that some mountains treat their park crew like shit, at some place they're like not even payed on week days it's really sketchy so make sure you know everything before signing up.
Jul 20 2009 1:35AM
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Casey
Posts: 7899 - Karma: 25,064
you gotta be able to 270 on with a rake in your hand. otherwise your fired.
Jul 20 2009 1:41AM
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Billups
Posts: 3960 - Karma: 329
I worked park crew for the first time last season and I loved it. We don't get free passes, and we usually have to do shitty jobs, but it's still worth it. I learned a lot about general park construction and maintenance, and I also learned a lot about how much goes into keeping it looking good and safe.
Jul 20 2009 1:48AM
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iLLbiLLy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 2,631
i love my job. i can't wait until winter so i can get out of a fucken restaurant and back on the slopes. park jobs are soo straight.  rebuilds suck, but i work at app terrain park in north carolina and we do 2 rebuilds a week for the entire season.  if your west coast tho i doubt it would even be bad. you guys hardly ever get ice.  we arnt even allowed to hit features on the clock like a lot of places but its still getting paid to be on the snow
Jul 20 2009 2:01AM
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CreamSteez.
Posts: 299 - Karma: 81
fun!
Jul 20 2009 2:25AM
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smooticus
Posts: 1798 - Karma: 27
um park skiing lol
Jul 20 2009 2:39AM
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hanksy
Posts: 659 - Karma: 265
word i think i'm gonna do a volunteer year this year too, my place is pretty chill about it, free pass, ride all you want and just fix stuff up every 40 minutes or so, cheat to the front of the lift line
Jul 20 2009 10:34AM
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Bo_bot9
Posts: 1437 - Karma: 275
Yeah we were given seasons passes but after that we were workin for free.
Jul 20 2009 11:54AM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,903
PM this guy:

https://www.newschoolers.com/web/members/profile/member_id/24727/M

IMO dude is one of the best in the biz.




Jul 20 2009 12:15PM
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prontocuts.com
Posts: 5244 - Karma: 42
wow that sounds really weird, ive never heard of that before
Jul 20 2009 12:41PM
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HeartBeatFaster
Posts: 723 - Karma: 26
Find out who the General Manager or the park manager is and then go talk to them. Tell them you're interested in helping out with the park maintenance and whatever else is needed. It would help to get on that soon as the "early bird gets the worm". You may be bumping chairs or used as a gopher for a while but you'll get worked in to park building soon enough. It also helps to read up on jump building (angles, snow conditions, salt, shaping tools, lingo, etc).

You should be able to be a guinea pig on the jumps as well. You don't have to throw down but just be comfortable hitting the features.  This is my favorite part... work hard building a jump or setting up a new rail combo and then "test it" for a little while before opening it to the public.

Jul 20 2009 12:45PM
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Josh_B
Posts: 255 - Karma: 34
I'm gonna try to get a job on our park crew when I go to college. Can't be too bad to ski for free and eat for half off. And you get to build shit and get payed decent for the job.
Jul 20 2009 3:47PM
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RileySnyderPhoto
Posts: 688 - Karma: 1,451

Consider: you will get bitched at all the time. and you won't get to ride as much. but pass and food are a good reason

Jul 20 2009 5:02PM
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HeartBeatFaster
Posts: 723 - Karma: 26
You have the first part right. I wouldn't expect much more than minimum wage tops.
Jul 20 2009 5:06PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15953 - Karma: 9,497
i want to become a park ranger at smuggs but theyre pretty stupid.
Jul 20 2009 5:09PM
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Madhavok
Posts: 82 - Karma: 11
Be prepared to work in the best and worst conditions imaginable. Long days, getting up early, testing, digging, raking, salting, contests.. that's the norm. How stuff is done and handled certainly ranges from mountain to mountain, that's a given, but all in all it comes down to having a chill group, everyone needs to get along and def be on the same page.

I've been working on park crews for about five or so years now. From the East Coast to CA and CO. Feel free to hit me up with whatever question you have.
Jul 20 2009 5:22PM
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