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theabortionator
April, 2025

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Is it necessary to be rich to ski a lot ?

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avgvstynovich
Posts: 155 - Karma: 6,825
???
12 years ago
606 119
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theabortionator
Posts: 52601 - Karma: 174,365
If everybody decided they work going to work at mountains this season of course they couldn't all get jobs. That said at the moment, pretty much anyone can get a job working at a mountain to pay for their season. To me it's nothing like a scholarship.

If you're decent at skiing there's always a need for instructors at most places. If there isn't room for many places have lot of jobs that aren't that hard to get like lifties, ticket checkers, etc. I mean lots of people complain that it wouldn't be that much fun to be working the lift a few days a week instead of riding. That's true but I'd rather work at the mountain than work somewhere else those days. Also the perk of a season pass.

If you live relatively near a mountain, there's no reason anybody can't pull it off. If you aren't going skiing because "it's so expensive" you're doing something wrong.
12 years ago
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joshua
Posts: 5046 - Karma: 1,280
Meh, as many have said, skiing is not necessarily exclusively a sport for the rich, however their are certainly plenty of people who can't swing it financially. For example, many students or lower income families do not own a vehicle. That alone is going to severely lower your skiing time in most places, especially out west where the mountains may be far from urban areas.

12 years ago
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617freeskier
Posts: 544 - Karma: 71
get a job for a resort (dont actually do this it sucks) or in a ski town. Something that offers a merchant pass where you get a pass up front and it is just deducted from your pay. Ski every day off and split shifts Welcome to my life.
12 years ago
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theabortionator
Posts: 52601 - Karma: 174,365
To each their own I guess. This will be my 11th year working at a mountain for the winter. I don't even want to think about working another job in the winter.
12 years ago
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avgvstynovich
Posts: 155 - Karma: 6,825
How much do i need for 3 months of skiing ( average ) ???
11 years ago
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DalyBenz
Posts: 44 - Karma: 118
Work all summer, ski all winter. Simple solution.
11 years ago
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Cincher
Posts: 3409 - Karma: 550
GMC econo van would be the cheapest thing you could live out of. Just look at Rob Huele.

You could even go TC and hunt for a Dodge Sprinter, but those definitely cost more.

This sport can take a lot of money to get started with regards to gear, but otherwise it can be affordable if you keep your gear in good shape. I've been using the same stuff for 5 years now, the only things I've needed to pay for are season passes, gas and wax. Mowing lawns all summer easily paid for that.

Becoming a ski instructor is one of the best things to do. I'll be doing it this year and it should be good.
11 years ago
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slamdunk
Posts: 186 - Karma: 857
I read a quote somewhere by a skier saying something along the lines of "I don't judge a man's wealth on how much he has in his bank, but how many days a year he gets to ski powder."
And i'm sure most of us would agree, I envy skiers who get in 100+ days a season far more than i envy my neighbour with a bigger house, new benz and banging hot wife. Apart from the initial outlay on gear you can ski backcountry all season with your only expenses being your gas money and your packed lunch.
11 years ago
3 0
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Alex_G
Posts: 11902 - Karma: 1,019
Yeah, because you'll probably end up getting hurt more than your average american. fixing your body is not cheap.
11 years ago
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galardogod
Posts: 1716 - Karma: 5,336
Step 1. Go to mountain with largest jumps
Step 2. Start doing future spins
Step 3. Get sponsored
Step 4. Ski free
11 years ago
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D34DM0053
Posts: 150 - Karma: 604
Not a patroller here but I work at Sport Chalet in SoCal. So I totes feel what you're saying. Got like $2000 worth of shit for like 5-600. plus I made friends with some patrollers so I guess couch surfing will be my way of life for a bit haha. Not to mention free lift tickets.
11 years ago
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avgvstynovich
Posts: 155 - Karma: 6,825
That all helped me ! Thanks a looot ;)
11 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,323
It does require a bit of money to get into skiing. My boss wants to get I to it, but he has two kids and plays hockey. Even as a business owner it's tough for him to find the money to get all the gear needed. He IS getting it done though. Has the sled, buying a split board this week and gonna get out there for the spring (he's also getting his kids on skis at the local hill renting gear and taking lessons). Once you have all the gear and are able to buy a seasons pass over the summer when they are in sale it's totally doable to ski as a poor person. Without the gear or a pass though, shit becomes too expensive to justify for most people. Your either in it, or your not. There's no half assing it on a budget.
11 years ago
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Spagett+
Posts: 3499 - Karma: 14,884
No but you have to come from money to get into the sport as a kid. Like you can ski bum but most of the Newschoolers still in highschool are upper middle class suburban kids. Except me. I'm from the streets
11 years ago
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ZachAndCheese
Posts: 816 - Karma: 5,116
become a mountainside pimp = problem solved
11 years ago
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tacotom
Posts: 454 - Karma: 479
if you live close to small resort its not. 350 bucks for a pass, and depending on how far away it is you'll have to pay for more gas then you would normally by getting work and what not.
11 years ago
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njuschool
Posts: 12 - Karma: 20
Just tight your belt.
11 years ago
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Spiri7o
Posts: 2163 - Karma: 1,100
john18061806You could a lot of urban like Hoodcrew and Stept. Urban skiing = $0 in lift tickets. But you need money for $2,000 winch, $1,500 in gasoline, $100 in snacks, $200 of redbull/rockstar/monster, $700 for dslr, and $12,600 in hospital bills.


this is on point
11 years ago
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bigbromskier
Posts: 1175 - Karma: 330
geartrade.com

night job at ski resort restaurant.

free pass/food/bus passes/etc; super cheap gear; days off to ski; easy money for extracurriculars/off season!
11 years ago
1 0
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gnarles.
Posts: 2587 - Karma: 130
it sure would help
11 years ago
1 1
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Backyard.Skier
Posts: 5397 - Karma: 1,498
I'm broke as fuck but i skied everyday this winter
11 years ago
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PON3
Posts: 3817 - Karma: 783
Why I became a lifty. Basically got paid to ski every day.
11 years ago
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QuinnBestwick
Posts: 693 - Karma: 751
snowbombzI would say that skiing has an epidemic of rich, bitchass 12 year olds who's mommies and daddies pay their way. Those are the kids who become top athletes. Those are the kids who's parents pay for them to go to windells for 4 weeks.

Also, balancing school and skiing is not always financially viable. If you want to be homeless later in life, fuck it, be a ski bum, but you know, like, that's stupid

Fuck this post^

Not all young kids chasing that dream are rich kids, I have really worked around being a 16 year kid in the ski world. I live on someones couch in colorado during the winter then work at mhssc in the summer. You do what you have to do to ski. If you apply yourself you can balance school and skiing without issues. And i'll be a ski bum for the rest of my life if thats what it takes for me to live the life I want to. Some people have the love for the lifestyle that is incomparable to anything else in that individuals life.
11 years ago
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