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December, 2024

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Help for some prospective ski bums

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MrSafety
Posts: 30 - Karma: 14
Me and a buddy are finishing school in november. We are really keen to spend a bit of time skiing this winter somewhere in the northern hemisphere (we're from aus) before uni. Neither of us are rich, but we both have a  bit of money saved up. We're looking for somewhere that would allow us to live relatively cheaply, work a few days a week and shred the rest of the week. Thinking of staying a month or two. Where would ns recommend we set our sights on? What skills should we try get? Instructor? First aid? My friends has family in france but we don't really speak french so this might be a problem? Not really sure. We're happy to go wherever, work as whatever, we just want to ski.

I know this is really open ended, i don't expect people to do our work for us, but if you have any random thoughts on what we should look into that'd really helpful. Sorry for asking for help on my first post as well. Thanks.
Sep 15 2012 10:29PM
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Skibumsmith
Posts: 5432 - Karma: 11,834
Revelstoke
Sep 16 2012 12:37AM
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TACO-DOG.exe
Posts: 11989 - Karma: 12,264
there's a lot of kiwis and ausies up here in canada working at the bigger resorts, probably doing the same as you.

maybe look into that?

some places i'd look into:
sunshine village
lake Louise
marmot basin
whistler?
Sep 16 2012 12:49AM
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walrussteeze
Posts: 327 - Karma: 212
if you're willing to drive 10-30 minutes, living in  a town next to a resort would be much cheaper. You've got Gunnison, next to crested butte, jackson, taos, SLC, also if you prefer not so large resorts i'd say pagosa springs by wolf creek. it's about 30 minutes away, gets tons of snow, and gets tracked out a lot slower than all of the areas lifted above. But really you can't go with anything in the west(except so. cal)
Sep 16 2012 1:04AM
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SterlingArcher
Posts: 2200 - Karma: 2,456
hunter mountain
Sep 16 2012 1:06AM
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starsky_hucks
Posts: 394 - Karma: 62
Im aussie as well. Ive had friends get jobs as lifties at grouse mountain in vancouver (near whistler). The package included accommodation and a lift pass to grouse and WB. They said it was pretty easy to get and they had a ball. But beware there are already lots of aussies there... but that might not bother you.

Sep 16 2012 1:23AM
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250r
Posts: 2276 - Karma: 1,013
go to neseiko japan. itd be closer to you and ive heard theres even more aussies there than here in whist.
Sep 16 2012 2:45AM
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Jibberino
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 1,346
If you guys are willing to stay the whole season, then working as a shaper for qparks is a pretty sweet gig. You get to shred loads, and hit the stuff that you build yourself, which is the best. You will be hard pressed to find anything but odd jobs here and there if you only wanna stay 2 months. Also, please don't go to France, the vibe sucks, Switzerland or Austria is def the way to go. Don't work as instructors, you'll have no time for skiing on your own, also don't work as rep's for travel companies, they will fuck you over, and you don't get any time to ski.

All in all, come for the whole season, work as shapers, shred, and have an awesome time. Check out www.qparks.com for more about the job, or PM me if you have any questions.
Sep 16 2012 6:01AM
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Tressle
Posts: 4 - Karma: 11
Ive got the job instructing this coming season in Whis on weekends (I'm from Aus). Basically I work every weekend and during the week in holidays and I get a pass and have staff accommodation which is $10.85 a night.
Sep 16 2012 6:13AM
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Jibberino
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 1,346
You don't get paid?
Sep 16 2012 6:24AM
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Tressle
Posts: 4 - Karma: 11
Yea I do get paid (Like $13/hr or something like that). Normally I don't think I'd get staff accom but I kept emailing them and they gave in. Not sure if there are still spots available but if there are it was under Full Time-Part Time instructing.
Sep 16 2012 6:27AM
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MrSafety
Posts: 30 - Karma: 14
Sounds perfect, know how they got the gig? other aussies is not either a plus or a minus - we don't care either way.
Sep 17 2012 12:44AM
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MrSafety
Posts: 30 - Karma: 14
as much as i'd love to stay the season we are hemed in by end of year exams that end 23 november. we'll look into the site though, thanks for the help.
Sep 17 2012 12:57AM
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MrSafety
Posts: 30 - Karma: 14
too everyone else, thanks, +k, we'll look into the resorts.
Sep 17 2012 12:59AM
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
Just go to Whistler like every other Aussie skier. Best to contain them to one resort.
Sep 17 2012 4:48AM
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.skiwi.
Posts: 898 - Karma: 40
Yea, dont want aussies everywhere wrecking the place. But look into sunshine village, my cousin got a job at the mountain (tour parties or something) and lives the place!
Sep 17 2012 5:32AM
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B.Aussie
Posts: 5852 - Karma: 4,531
I would advice not to be a lifty. I have friends that went over to do that and said it was the worst job ever, it would be better to be a cleaner. There are companies within Australia that go over to Candada and give post year 12 students jobs. If you want I can find out the details for you, I have a friend doing it this year. If you are oily staying for 2 months then it will be extremely hard to get a job. Also for Canada/ US you will need a work visa to work there. Not sure about Europe but I assume you would for there too. Although in saying that I'm sure there are under the table odd jobs you could pick up once you'd made connections but the will be hard to come by.
Sep 17 2012 8:27AM
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drumbumocdp
Posts: 3229 - Karma: 1,098
Most bigger resorts have an employee housing program that is pretty fair. Im headed to keystone soon to work as an instructor. Im from CT and it was pretty easy to get a job, just be persistent. Good luck my man
Sep 17 2012 8:50AM
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Jibberino
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 1,346
I'm confused? If your exams end late november, you should be able to make it to Europe by the start of the season. Most of the resorts here don't really get going until around christmas anyway, and I'm sure you would be able to start around christmas
Sep 17 2012 9:25AM
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mooseman077
Posts: 300 - Karma: 359
You workin at river run or at mountain house? I work kids ski school over at river run.
Sep 17 2012 1:27PM
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drumbumocdp
Posts: 3229 - Karma: 1,098
Kids ski school at river run my man!
Sep 17 2012 1:54PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Niseko sounds perfect for you. Europe and the US will be difficult because of visas (unless you have other passports). The Japanese working holiday visa is super easy to get, if you show up with that, book into a hostel, you'll find some casual work pretty easily. Canada is another easy visa, so there's your other option, I don't know much about how easy it is to find work though.
Sep 17 2012 3:54PM
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Ac31stuff
Posts: 557 - Karma: 10
SLC flippin burgers for mormans shitty job but great skiing and cheap.
Sep 17 2012 8:34PM
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mooseman077
Posts: 300 - Karma: 359
That's fuckin sweet. We have a good time over there, definitely better than over at Mountain House. They just had their first rail jam of the year the other day. Snow is on the way.

PS. +K for the NOFX sig. Their new album is sick.
Sep 17 2012 8:51PM
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