Ski Patrolling

Starting my OEC classes today, twice a week until december. Should be interesting, will check back in once im a few days into the class

simon.kStarting my OEC classes today, twice a week until december. Should be interesting, will check back in once im a few days into the class

Word I have my second OEC class sunday, what school do you go to?

Not even through school, A local mountain near me is offering the class to 15 people every year, and they host the class at the hospital a few towns over from me. Figured for 150 bucks it would beat spending 500+ on a pass, when at the end of the course i could potentially get a pass for free

I don't ski patrol, but my father has for many years. He loves it but its a lot of work, getting re-certified each year is hard especially as a college student with lots of schoolwork. Depends where you are but all the ski patrollers at my home mountain are 50 plus in age. The skills that you learn are very valuable and I get a free season pass! Definitely worth it, try it out and see if you like it!

simon.kNot even through school, A local mountain near me is offering the class to 15 people every year, and they host the class at the hospital a few towns over from me. Figured for 150 bucks it would beat spending 500+ on a pass, when at the end of the course i could potentially get a pass for free

.otto.I don't ski patrol, but my father has for many years. He loves it but its a lot of work, getting re-certified each year is hard especially as a college student with lots of schoolwork. Depends where you are but all the ski patrollers at my home mountain are 50 plus in age. The skills that you learn are very valuable and I get a free season pass! Definitely worth it, try it out and see if you like it!

Yeah the skiing free thing also sweetens the deal a lot haha. And yeah its for the ski mountain associated with my college so all of the patrol are students

ChinchiYeah the skiing free thing also sweetens the deal a lot haha. And yeah its for the ski mountain associated with my college so all of the patrol are students

Where abouts are you taking this class? Im from Washington, only here until january though, and i was wondering if the certification transfers? Moving back to Utah for a few months and wanted to know if it would be valid down there

simon.kWhere abouts are you taking this class? Im from Washington, only here until january though, and i was wondering if the certification transfers? Moving back to Utah for a few months and wanted to know if it would be valid down there

I'm taking the course in Middlebury, VT, but I'm pretty sure the certification transfers anywhere

I wanna get my certification just for the hell of it. I figure why not be over qualified. Also could be useful being a certified ski patroller in the park

you don't get paid enough.

.nylesyou don't get paid enough.

Most of the patrol at my mountain I mean hill are volunteers and only get paid with a pass for there family.

Damn, the class is actually really sick. Scored a pass for 150 bucks and pretty much full time work starting january.

Hey man, I know some one who has done this class before. She got selected at the end. Shoot me a message if you want specifics.

COOOOPMost of the patrol at my mountain I mean hill are volunteers and only get paid with a pass for there family.

Don't know if I'd call them "patrol" out in the Midwest hah.

.nylesDon't know if I'd call them "patrol" out in the Midwest hah.

Yea i guess that is pretty true. Most of the time they just stand at the top of the hill and talk.

update: patrol is gnar as shit, fuck the park anyways all mountain shredding is king

Assuming OP took a job being a patroller and liked it.

Chinchiupdate: patrol is gnar as shit, fuck the park anyways all mountain shredding is king

It's not an either or my man. It's all skiing and it's all fun as fuck

casualIt's not an either or my man. It's all skiing and it's all fun as fuck

Haha I know homie it just feels good to get out of the park mindset for a while and work on other tings

Chinchiupdate: patrol is gnar as shit, fuck the park anyways all mountain shredding is king

Agreed...park starts to lose fun when you get older unless you were THAT good at it in your younger years. Progression is much harder and falls hurt way more. Reasons why you dont see dads in the park but can see them shredding all mtn still

ChinchiHaha I know homie it just feels good to get out of the park mindset for a while and work on other tings

that's cool, I understand where you're coming from. But I guess my point is just that there's no "park mentality" vs. "all mountain mentality". They feed off of each other, and being a park skier colors all of your skiing. Skiing park 100% improves your skiing outside of it, and skiing the rest of the mountain aggressively and with a creative out of the box approach will make your park skiing better.

**Before some square jumps all over me, I'm not saying all park rats are good skiers everywhere, I'm saying that the balance, coordination, edge control, confidence, etc. involved with park skiing lends itself to transferring elsewhere.

I just don't want to see people feed into the "patrol is anti-park" stuff, and when you said you were turning away from it to patrol, it bummed me out.

I feel like so much of the negative perception people have of patrol comes from people skiing at tiny little hills where the patrol is exclusively volunteer based, largely lower intermediate skiers, have weird power trip complexes, are maybe on average 55 years old, and have a general aversion to young people.

Anywhere out west, and I'd imagine in Europe and other places, patrol is made up of ski bums trying to find a way to meek out a living and ski as much as possible. I know some patrollers who are sendy heros, in and out of the park.

You'd be hard pressed to find many patrollers at western ski areas who have a problem with park skiers, tell people to slow down, etc. For the most part, it's the opposite. All the patrollers I know are fucking psyched when they see people just crushing, because they themselves love to ski.

Patrol rant over, I know I took what you said and ran with it, so don't feel defensive or anything I didn't mean it to sound like an attack towards you. I hope the OEC class goes well for you and you learn a lot, and remember to take it all with a grain of salt. The way it goes down in reality is pretty different than the context of an oec class.

Just keep in mind that for the most part, your only job is to recognize serious/life/limb threatening injuries when you come upon one, that you get a bus/chopper headed that way ASAP, and that you get the person the fuck off the hill. You can't do much for someone beyond that, but a lot of patrollers want to play ER doc out there. Don't be that guy. Just get the person to someone else that can actually fix them. Do what they ask in the class of course, but in practice, don't spend a half hour in the freezing cold getting vitals and constructing elaborate splints when you can have the person sit in a sled, possibly self-splint, and get em the hell out of there.

Yeah. Have fun, you'll love it, and try and educate the old crotchety fucks you may encounter on the patrol about how cool the park actually is. It's your responsibility as a NEWSCHOOLER to be an ambassador for us to the older generation who doesn't get it. Maybe that person next time won't bat an eye at a kid carving switch turns in control instead of "pulling them over" and lecturing them.

casualthat's cool, I understand where you're coming from. But I guess my point is just that there's no "park mentality" vs. "all mountain mentality". They feed off of each other, and being a park skier colors all of your skiing. Skiing park 100% improves your skiing outside of it, and skiing the rest of the mountain aggressively and with a creative out of the box approach will make your park skiing better.

**Before some square jumps all over me, I'm not saying all park rats are good skiers everywhere, I'm saying that the balance, coordination, edge control, confidence, etc. involved with park skiing lends itself to transferring elsewhere.

I just don't want to see people feed into the "patrol is anti-park" stuff, and when you said you were turning away from it to patrol, it bummed me out.

I feel like so much of the negative perception people have of patrol comes from people skiing at tiny little hills where the patrol is exclusively volunteer based, largely lower intermediate skiers, have weird power trip complexes, are maybe on average 55 years old, and have a general aversion to young people.

Anywhere out west, and I'd imagine in Europe and other places, patrol is made up of ski bums trying to find a way to meek out a living and ski as much as possible. I know some patrollers who are sendy heros, in and out of the park.

You'd be hard pressed to find many patrollers at western ski areas who have a problem with park skiers, tell people to slow down, etc. For the most part, it's the opposite. All the patrollers I know are fucking psyched when they see people just crushing, because they themselves love to ski.

Patrol rant over, I know I took what you said and ran with it, so don't feel defensive or anything I didn't mean it to sound like an attack towards you. I hope the OEC class goes well for you and you learn a lot, and remember to take it all with a grain of salt. The way it goes down in reality is pretty different than the context of an oec class.

Just keep in mind that for the most part, your only job is to recognize serious/life/limb threatening injuries when you come upon one, that you get a bus/chopper headed that way ASAP, and that you get the person the fuck off the hill. You can't do much for someone beyond that, but a lot of patrollers want to play ER doc out there. Don't be that guy. Just get the person to someone else that can actually fix them. Do what they ask in the class of course, but in practice, don't spend a half hour in the freezing cold getting vitals and constructing elaborate splints when you can have the person sit in a sled, possibly self-splint, and get em the hell out of there.

Yeah. Have fun, you'll love it, and try and educate the old crotchety fucks you may encounter on the patrol about how cool the park actually is. It's your responsibility as a NEWSCHOOLER to be an ambassador for us to the older generation who doesn't get it. Maybe that person next time won't bat an eye at a kid carving switch turns in control instead of "pulling them over" and lecturing them.

haha I still ski park 3x a week its just nice to vary from the 5x a week I was doing before is all, I get what you're saying and will definitely take it to the hill, thanks for the insight and advice. Have fun out there man!

Spent a few years off NS but updating that I patrolled in VT for 3 years then went out to Utah and patrolled, it was indeed rad as fuck. 10/10 do recommend if you want to spend some years in the ski industry.

ChinchiSpent a few years off NS but updating that I patrolled in VT for 3 years then went out to Utah and patrolled, it was indeed rad as fuck. 10/10 do recommend if you want to spend some years in the ski industry.

sounds fun do you have any interesting stories and did it in fact hinder your park progression

bogustsounds fun do you have any interesting stories and did it in fact hinder your park progression

Got a bunch of stories about crazy rescues, heinous parties, avalanche rescues and stuff if anything like that sounds interesting. And in some ways it probably did, especially when I got out to Utah I definitely shifted my focus to big mountain and backcountry skiing. Having a park background made that kind of stuff more fun because I could apply what I learned in the park to the rest of the mountain.

Do you remember the first call you ever responded to on your own?

SnickleFrizDo you remember the first call you ever responded to on your own?

First call I responded to on my own in Vermont was for a blown out knee right under the lift. Unfortunately the knee was my ex girlfriends (oof), so it was a pretty awkward call. First big solo in Utah was a skier v tree multi trauma life flight call, definitely got my teeth sharp quick.

ChinchiFirst call I responded to on my own in Vermont was for a blown out knee right under the lift. Unfortunately the knee was my ex girlfriends (oof), so it was a pretty awkward call. First big solo in Utah was a skier v tree multi trauma life flight call, definitely got my teeth sharp quick.

Lol to the ex. Daaaang to the flight call... doesn't usually get that gnar on smaller hills.

SnickleFrizLol to the ex. Daaaang to the flight call... doesn't usually get that gnar on smaller hills.

Yeah in VT I didn't see anything super gnarly very often, a couple backboards here and there but nothing crazy. Utah was a totally different story, responded to gnarly calls at least once a week and at the very least multiple normal calls per day.

ChinchiSpent a few years off NS but updating that I patrolled in VT for 3 years then went out to Utah and patrolled, it was indeed rad as fuck. 10/10 do recommend if you want to spend some years in the ski industry.

Thank you for the update! I have just recently (last year) discovered skiing and I have become obsessed. I went to college, got a degree and now work in accounting, but its not something I am passionate about. I have been considering taking a course like this at some point before next season (my local REI teaches the course). I currently live in San Diego and have a safe job with benefits, so the thought of moving to a mountain town to pursue a job in skiing sounds equally scary as it sounds fun. Thanks for the update, always good to hear peoples experience.

EdogEdogThank you for the update! I have just recently (last year) discovered skiing and I have become obsessed. I went to college, got a degree and now work in accounting, but its not something I am passionate about. I have been considering taking a course like this at some point before next season (my local REI teaches the course). I currently live in San Diego and have a safe job with benefits, so the thought of moving to a mountain town to pursue a job in skiing sounds equally scary as it sounds fun. Thanks for the update, always good to hear peoples experience.

Most of my patrolling experience was after I got a degree from college as well. Honestly I would say if you have the chance to do something like this while you're young and without as much responsibilities then send it. It's also gave me a lot of perspective on life and what I want to do with it. I'm in medical school now, largely to do with how much I liked the medical aspect of patrolling, and I really don't think I'd be here if I never put myself out there.

ChinchiMost of my patrolling experience was after I got a degree from college as well. Honestly I would say if you have the chance to do something like this while you're young and without as much responsibilities then send it. It's also gave me a lot of perspective on life and what I want to do with it. I'm in medical school now, largely to do with how much I liked the medical aspect of patrolling, and I really don't think I'd be here if I never put myself out there.

Did you start volunteer patrolling or were you able to find a paid position? I know you said that you took a class through your college, was that all the certs you needed to get your foot in the door?

EdogEdogDid you start volunteer patrolling or were you able to find a paid position? I know you said that you took a class through your college, was that all the certs you needed to get your foot in the door?

I started volunteer with some pay time as well, then when I moved out West I was full time paid pro patrol. And yeah in college I had an OEC cert which was all I ended up needing, but got an avy 1 cert before going out west. That being said, lots of resorts now actually require an EMT cert to patrol. If you're heavily considering it though, I can send you some resorts in Utah that you could get a job at with just a cert and no experience.

ChinchiI started volunteer with some pay time as well, then when I moved out West I was full time paid pro patrol. And yeah in college I had an OEC cert which was all I ended up needing, but got an avy 1 cert before going out west. That being said, lots of resorts now actually require an EMT cert to patrol. If you're heavily considering it though, I can send you some resorts in Utah that you could get a job at with just a cert and no experience.

That would be awesome thanks!