Working on your ski hill

I previously worked as a ski instructor at my small local hill. Its kinda fun if you enjoy trying to teach little kids how to ski, which involves a'lot of picking up fallen children, trying to console crying children, and failing to console crying children and then calling your supervisor over. You'll teach some older kids too probably, they sometimes have experience, a lot easier but you still gotta keep m entertained n stuff (my got to moral booster was just dancing, the love that shit). Also you gotta take a class that's like 500$ or something. But I think you can also get assigned to take walk in classes with older folk, my hill just has a huge kid program and I was on that every weekend, weekday's I had the slightly older kids.
Id originally applied for chairlift dude, but I think I had a better time as an instructor.

Got a job as a ski instructor. Quit after my first lesson. Snow making always seemed fun.

ski instructor but you will definitely teach kids which could be good because they sometimes come as private lessons which mean tips. Other than that start getting your certifications, i just got my freestyle 1 along with my level 1 psia, so im probably going to be teaching older kids this year

i've know like 10 people to work at my hill, and all but 2 of them have quit after the first year. I'm not working there anytime soon that's for sure.

Ski instructing is a pretty good way to get working on the hill, and get time to ski. Polices and pay differ massively from place to place though.

There is always a need for good instructors most places. And many places you can get a job at 14 with no prior experience. Some places pay more if you get certified, some places don't accept people if they aren't certified.

If you're going to do it for a long time it might be a good idea to get certified and work your way up.

Not sure how old you are but a lot of the other jobs at most mountains you have to be 18.

I did 3 years teaching and the last 8 years on park crew at different mountains.

I love it and have always loved it. For the most part the pay will never be anything insane, but you don't have to do it forever.

A free pass, and whatever discounts you get plus a small paycheck can be well worth it.

Anyone have advice as to getting a job at a small resort? I would love to be part of our park crew but that doesn't seem like much of a starting position... If I were to get a job would they most likely hire me as a lifty to start?

shreddinthegnarrAnyone have advice as to getting a job at a small resort? I would love to be part of our park crew but that doesn't seem like much of a starting position... If I were to get a job would they most likely hire me as a lifty to start?

Park Crew can be one of the hardest jobs to get. Some years most or all of a crew leaves but that's rare. For the most part, many places only have 1 or 2 positions open each season, sometimes none. If people like working park crew they tend to stick around.

That said it's not impossible to get in. If there is only one mountain you're going to be able to work at I would apply for another job as well. Put park crew down as your primary and ski school or whatever else as your secondary. If you get the other job make sure to let them know that you'll work your ass off for them, but would love a shot in the park if it ever comes up. Sometimes park crew can use extra help for a build or running an event. Sometimes people get fired mid season or break themselves and are out for the year and a spot opens up. One place I worked we had 3 of us out with injuries at one point.

Make sure to meet the crew, get to know them. Offer to help them set up fencing or anything. If they know you and like you it will help a bunch in getting a job if one comes up.


If you have a few mountains around you or don't mind traveling send out more applications. The more you send out the better chance of somebody hiring you. The end of september to early october is when most of the park jobs go up. Experience is always helpful but not always necessary. Any work experience you have that shows you're a hard worker is helpful. Too many lazy people try to work park crew because it's "An easy job that looks like so much fun".

If you have any experience with landscaping, construction, welding etc that can be a big help.

If you get a job on park crew make sure you take advantage of it. Work hard. Don't say "Oh that's good enough" and walk away. Build the features right the first time. If it's not working, fix it. Keep everything in good shape. IF you put in a little maintenance every day, you won't have to anything massive as often and the park will stay in good shape.

Take pride in your work. Remember that there are lots of kids that don't have a choice where they ski yet. It's not they're fault that you and your coworkers aren't getting along, the manager is a goober, or whatever else. Obviously there's a lot of factors that come into play, but make the most of it.

When you see somebody hit something that you put your heart into and smile it's all worth it. Every long night, digging out the rails after a storm, everything.

Most days it's the best job, some days it's the worst, but I can promise you if you put in the effort it's one of the most rewarding jobs on the hill.


/sorry about the length. Hope it helps.

theabortionatorPark Crew can be one of the hardest jobs to get. Some years most or all of a crew leaves but that's rare. For the most part, many places only have 1 or 2 positions open each season, sometimes none. If people like working park crew they tend to stick around.

That said it's not impossible to get in. If there is only one mountain you're going to be able to work at I would apply for another job as well. Put park crew down as your primary and ski school or whatever else as your secondary. If you get the other job make sure to let them know that you'll work your ass off for them, but would love a shot in the park if it ever comes up. Sometimes park crew can use extra help for a build or running an event. Sometimes people get fired mid season or break themselves and are out for the year and a spot opens up. One place I worked we had 3 of us out with injuries at one point.

Make sure to meet the crew, get to know them. Offer to help them set up fencing or anything. If they know you and like you it will help a bunch in getting a job if one comes up.


If you have a few mountains around you or don't mind traveling send out more applications. The more you send out the better chance of somebody hiring you. The end of september to early october is when most of the park jobs go up. Experience is always helpful but not always necessary. Any work experience you have that shows you're a hard worker is helpful. Too many lazy people try to work park crew because it's "An easy job that looks like so much fun".

If you have any experience with landscaping, construction, welding etc that can be a big help.

If you get a job on park crew make sure you take advantage of it. Work hard. Don't say "Oh that's good enough" and walk away. Build the features right the first time. If it's not working, fix it. Keep everything in good shape. IF you put in a little maintenance every day, you won't have to anything massive as often and the park will stay in good shape.

Take pride in your work. Remember that there are lots of kids that don't have a choice where they ski yet. It's not they're fault that you and your coworkers aren't getting along, the manager is a goober, or whatever else. Obviously there's a lot of factors that come into play, but make the most of it.

When you see somebody hit something that you put your heart into and smile it's all worth it. Every long night, digging out the rails after a storm, everything.

Most days it's the best job, some days it's the worst, but I can promise you if you put in the effort it's one of the most rewarding jobs on the hill.


/sorry about the length. Hope it helps.

Our park crew sucks. There was talk about hiring more guys this year but I'm not sure if they'd consider a girl. And every person on park crew snowboards lol. I'm not from a big ski area. We only have two hills within two hours or so but the closest is 20 minutes so it would be pretty perfect to have a job there. I have a job right now but during the winter I ski as much as I can so why not try to kill two birds with one stone. But even if I can't get on park crew I feel like being a lifty or something would be a fun job. Thanks for the info man. It was really really helpful. It definitely sounds like something I'd want to do in the near future. I'll just have to see how everything works out haha

I'm a ski instructor in the winter. I don't have a lot of lessons though, I'm kinda their back up. I also weedwack for them in the summer and random stuff..haha

I love instructing and I would never turn someone away from instructing but I'm going to warn you, if you go in with no experience, don't expect to get great groups. This is my fifth year now and I have my level 1 PSIA and level 1 AASI and got my park cert at my mountain and only now am I getting groups that I really want. If you just want to have fun and make a little money, its a great job. But depending on how serious you are about it, be prepared to put in work for trainings and such to advance.

connecticuntI love instructing and I would never turn someone away from instructing but I'm going to warn you, if you go in with no experience, don't expect to get great groups. This is my fifth year now and I have my level 1 PSIA and level 1 AASI and got my park cert at my mountain and only now am I getting groups that I really want. If you just want to have fun and make a little money, its a great job. But depending on how serious you are about it, be prepared to put in work for trainings and such to advance.

I wanted to get certified but when I stopped teaching there was no point. If it didn't cost so much, and you didn't have to have to keep testing and paying to keep it I would have done it.

Taught a kids intro to park lesson once a week this last season. That was fun considering I hadn't actually had a lesson in 8 years. I think I like teaching more now that I don't have to do it all the time. I was getting burnt out. I like helping friends or strangers every once in a while though.

I work as a ski instructor, bag mountain whore putang, teach 1 class of skiing to first time park rats and get free passes all over. A solid lifestyle

I don't know if I could ever do instructing. Since I work full-time seasonal jobs, I moved up to Maine in the winter and worked 3rd shift snowmaking at Sunday River. I had the most fun I have ever had, and yes I did have to work my ass off. No doubt, it ain't the easiest work. But I love to bust ass and work hard. Hell it feels good to stay in shape and be able to carry snow guns down a mountain. I worked my ass off so hard they even let me drive sleds. Had to help shuttle around snowmakers but I also got sent out to do jobs by myself just because I was certified. Nothing can beat making quality fucking snow in the middle of the night and then getting to ski it the next morning. I get to check that shit and make sure I made good snow. I used to think almost all man-made snow was shit but it motivated me to apply for a snowmaking job. So I learned to make some pretty fucking bomb snow and I really wouldn't call it shit.

theabortionatorI wanted to get certified but when I stopped teaching there was no point. If it didn't cost so much, and you didn't have to have to keep testing and paying to keep it I would have done it.

Taught a kids intro to park lesson once a week this last season. That was fun considering I hadn't actually had a lesson in 8 years. I think I like teaching more now that I don't have to do it all the time. I was getting burnt out. I like helping friends or strangers every once in a while though.

Yeah its costing me a ridiculous amount to keep it up but the bonus is worth it with how many hours I work and the tips I get working higher level groups. If I didn't work minimum 35 days a season, it wouldn't be worth it to keep up with the certs.

I'm an instructor and a park ranger. You could try and get on the park crew but usually the pay isn't great. As an instructor like someone above said do your levels. I have my csia level 1 going to do my 2 next winter and my park 1.

PSIA level 2 right here. Worth it. Love teaching. And I work at a tiny mtn.