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Best jobs that are skiing related/allow you to live in the mountains?
there lots of options. a lot of people work restaurant gigs. just be ready to develop a coke habit and herpes. id say also becoming an alcoholic but thats a given in any role in a mountain town
being a lift operator is hit or miss depending on location. some place do not offer ride breaks so then you are only skiing on your days off and you pay hella in rent.
swing shift jobs are dope. i used to work at the resort warehouse delivering food orders from 4p to midnight and it was sick as fuck. we would shred everyday, work, get off in time to close the bars, sleep 8 hours and be on the hill by noon when the upper mountain was opening up on pow days. pay was slightly above what lift operator entry level pay was but got to drive a snowcat. if i got paid what i do now, id do that job forever lol.
people absolutely love being a ski instructor. theres certs you can get that get you better clients and more pay. you’ll have to mention that you’re a ski instructor in the first 2 sentences otherwise they pull your certs or something (jk but the joke is how do you know someone’s a ski instructor? theyll tell ya)
if you’re trying to grow a career, corporate ski resorts are among the best. due to the transient work force, there is a fuck ton of mobility across the resorts to step into leadership roles. people are often chasing dream roles at dream locations and it opens things up a lot especially if you are willing to relocate. start at a big resort in a small department and be a standout starting day 1. your interview for your next role or maybe even beyond starts the day you arrive. nothing pisses me off more than people changing their work ethic when a job becomes available. we all saw how you were on self motivation before lol.
Honestly do something trades related, i/e. electrical, vehicle maintenance, ect. You'll be able to get a job anywhere, and actually make enough money to afford life in a ski town. Resort jobs are fun for a few season, but living on the edge of homelessness gets old quickly, especially when you realize that all your homies that seem to be "making it" just have regular donations of cash from their parents.
there lots of options. a lot of people work restaurant gigs. just be ready to develop a coke habit and herpes. id say also becoming an alcoholic but thats a given in any role in a mountain town
being a lift operator is hit or miss depending on location. some place do not offer ride breaks so then you are only skiing on your days off and you pay hella in rent.
swing shift jobs are dope. i used to work at the resort warehouse delivering food orders from 4p to midnight and it was sick as fuck. we would shred everyday, work, get off in time to close the bars, sleep 8 hours and be on the hill by noon when the upper mountain was opening up on pow days. pay was slightly above what lift operator entry level pay was but got to drive a snowcat. if i got paid what i do now, id do that job forever lol.
people absolutely love being a ski instructor. theres certs you can get that get you better clients and more pay. you’ll have to mention that you’re a ski instructor in the first 2 sentences otherwise they pull your certs or something (jk but the joke is how do you know someone’s a ski instructor? theyll tell ya)
if you’re trying to grow a career, corporate ski resorts are among the best. due to the transient work force, there is a fuck ton of mobility across the resorts to step into leadership roles. people are often chasing dream roles at dream locations and it opens things up a lot especially if you are willing to relocate. start at a big resort in a small department and be a standout starting day 1. your interview for your next role or maybe even beyond starts the day you arrive. nothing pisses me off more than people changing their work ethic when a job becomes available. we all saw how you were on self motivation before lol.
Be a ski instructor, talk about it, make friends. You don’t make much money till you get your certs and some veteran status but that just means you get to ski a lot more. Spent my first two years instructing eating ramen and frozen pizza and skiing every single day, best two years ever.
Tree planting, wild fire fighting, construction, arborist, offshore fishing all keep you fit in the summer and slack off in the winter. I've worked most jobs at ski resorts, worked at restaurants and it's way better to have free time in the winter to just focus on skiing.
There aren't a ton of jobs at the resort that actually allow you to ski that much. I'd recommend getting a job working in the evenings in a restaurant as a server or bartender. You'll have more time off during the day to ride and the amount of money you make compared to the length of your shift is generally better.
Alternatively, get a job with flexible hours that isn't at all involved in the resort or hospitality in general. That way you can focus on being a guest at the mountain rather than being an employee there. I worked for 4 years coaching in my early 20s and it was awesome but i have even more fun skiing now that i'm not associated with the resort and just get to be there when i want, doing what i want.
the good news is that you've got loads of time to figure it out, so just have fun and see if anything piques your interest career-wise in the meantime
If you want a couple fun years work for the resort and be a liftie or something.
if you want to build roots in a ski town and be sustainable it can be hard. Working for the resort or anywhere else in the ski industry long term has diminishing returns, but once you don’t work in the ski industry skiing naturally becomes a lot more expensive (no discounts + skiing benefit)
I’d become a skilled tradesperson or if you got smart brain a medical professional (even a nurse optometrist something like that). something halfway to being niche, enough so that a small town will need it, but there aren’t a lot of people doing it.
Check if the resort you are interested in has an activities center - Ice skating rink, those little roller coasters, afternoon snowmobile tours, etc. These activities generally start after the mountain closes for skiing so the resort can keep digging into the tourist's pockets.
When I moved to CO I worked on the tubing hill. Started every shift at 2:30. Free pass, employee housing, excellent insurance and was able to ski every day of the week. If you are just ski bumming it and not looking for career opportunities this is a great way to live in a mountain town and ski a lot.
I'll throw out wildland fire fighting in your younger years. you get to travel around the mountain west and get your winters free. Once you start looking to settle down you can then transition into a different forest service job because you have your time in with the government. Plus, many forest service offices are in/near ski towns
skiermanBuy drugs in large quantities, sell drugs in lower quantities for a higher price.
you can wholesale and redistribute more than just drugs lol. it could be anything. maybe anal beads, or butt plugs, or strap ons. literally anything works with this model
If you're smart and have the means go to college in a ski town, get a degree in business, engineering, or any similar field that a degree will help you in. Get internships in that area and plan to move there full time after college.
You could easily get a 9-5 in a ski town with a degree and might be able to get a hybrid/night time salary paid job making good money so that you can ski 2-5 days a week. And once you can't ski hard anymore you'll have a good career built around you.
There is merit in bumming around and getting a liftie or restaurant job if you just want to party and get laid. But you can get a lot of skiing in and build an actual career and feel healthier and more fulfilled longer into life.
(This plan is also a pain in the ass and you gotta be determined FYI)
ParkingLotPisstree planting all summer then EI in the winter.
I agree with treeplanting, been at it for 8 yeas, but I hate that people do EI, pretty lame in my mind. It is made for people who need it for not being able to work, not being too lazy to work. It honestly gets me so riled up. I know it is a vastly upopular opinion, but pull your ass together and work.
Treeplanting from what I understand is less of an option stateside. I vote treeplanting and grooming, I work as a groomer and skied 125 days last year, it is fun. It may not be viewed as a lifetime job, but it can be.
Bring on the shredding for hating on EI, I just hate how much I pay into it for so many lazy (typically 18-30̷ year old) people who think it is fun to not work.
**This post was edited on Nov 6th 2024 at 6:28:20pm
-skian-I agree with treeplanting, been at it for 8 yeas, but I hate that people do EI, pretty lame in my mind. It is made for people who need it for not being able to work, not being too lazy to work. It honestly gets me so riled up. I know it is a vastly upopular opinion, but pull your ass together and work.
Treeplanting from what I understand is less of an option stateside. I vote treeplanting and grooming, I work as a groomer and skied 125 days last year, it is fun. It may not be viewed as a lifetime job, but it can be.
Bring on the shredding for hating on EI, I just hate how much I pay into it for so many lazy (typically 18-30̷ year old) people who think it is fun to not work.
**This post was edited on Nov 6th 2024 at 6:28:20pm
I was just making a joke and totally agree. Both the tree planting and skiing counites are full of people who claim EI every winter / summer but make no effort to fins a job during these times. Its like going to a food bank when you can afford to feed yourself. pretty low.
Also I'm sure its pretty easy to get a visa to plant.
ParkingLotPissI was just making a joke and totally agree. Both the tree planting and skiing counites are full of people who claim EI every winter / summer but make no effort to fins a job during these times. Its like going to a food bank when you can afford to feed yourself. pretty low.
Also I'm sure its pretty easy to get a visa to plant.
Totally agree, it really gets my goat that people take it just for fun. Of course we all want a paid vacation, but what if we all took it? I think it is horrid that people take it for fun when people genuinely need it. We used to year after year have people apply to work, get a job offer, and then never hear from them again. We learned later that if you show that you are trying to get work you can extend your EI. Brutal, and screws over the people actually working.
You definitely can get a visa to plant, you are right. I just meant if you live in the states and do not want to take a big journey and work in a different country it would be tough. Not saying impossible. That said it is a journey to go planting no matter where you live it seems... haha. Where did/do you plant?
It's tough on pay, the body, and brain sometimes but it's pretty tight. Most people I work with/have worked with in the past on shift usually are FT Firefighters and patrol on the side, but not a bad way to be a single dude and ski bum it up for a while.
Medical certs also allow for maybe an EMS or firefighting career in/around mountains to combine with patrolling. Kinda what I'm trying to do atm
Real estate agent. Get out and ski in the a.m. do your showings in the afternoon/evenings. If you are in a wealthy area which some major mountains/resorts it could be a good opportunity to live in a great ski town and earn a living.
skiP.E.I.Tree planting, wild fire fighting, construction, arborist, offshore fishing all keep you fit in the summer and slack off in the winter. I've worked most jobs at ski resorts, worked at restaurants and it's way better to have free time in the winter to just focus on skiing.
Where could I find tree planting jobs? I wanted to be a wildland fire fighter but it seems like all the sign-ups have closed.
its not for everyone. Low pay. High hazard … should be looked at more as a stepping stone to guiding than a career imo. Some of the most fun years of my life to be fair but even if you want to work for the resort and ski every day there are better options out there
Eli.braun98Where could I find tree planting jobs? I wanted to be a wildland fire fighter but it seems like all the sign-ups have closed.
Not too sure about the states, tbh, I think it can often be prison labor there for jobs like that. A silviculture company put ads up at the university I went to, that's how I found out about it. Internet search might be your best bet. I'm sure there are silviculture businesses operating out of Hood River. For fire fighting I think in the early spring jobs will open up and you have to do a physical test.
Eli.braun98Where could I find tree planting jobs? I wanted to be a wildland fire fighter but it seems like all the sign-ups have closed.
I do not have facebook, but I hear king kong reforestation on there has a lot of resources. I would not expect to find anything in the states, be prepared to come up north. I work for Brinkman, all good input. I run a crew, and have planted 1.2 million trees with them with no bad experiences. I am sure others can speak to other companies performance as well. Stay away from Outland.
MaimHelpIf you're smart and have the means go to college in a ski town, get a degree in business, engineering, or any similar field that a degree will help you in. Get internships in that area and plan to move there full time after college.
You could easily get a 9-5 in a ski town with a degree and might be able to get a hybrid/night time salary paid job making good money so that you can ski 2-5 days a week. And once you can't ski hard anymore you'll have a good career built around you.
There is merit in bumming around and getting a liftie or restaurant job if you just want to party and get laid. But you can get a lot of skiing in and build an actual career and feel healthier and more fulfilled longer into life.
(This plan is also a pain in the ass and you gotta be determined FYI)
Durango CO is a great place to be a skiing student! We have a rope tow on campus, and a great resort 30 minutes away. I’ve been able to ski a minimum of 4 days a week at the resort while being a full time student, just need to make your schedule the right way. Fort Lewis is also fairly affordable compared to most other colleges. I’m sure there’s plenty of other great ski colleges though
Can't believe I'm the first one mentioning this but Day Crew lol. We literally get paid to rake 3 times a day and ski the rest. I'm about to start my third season which will probably be my last as a full time skier because I've hit all the skiing related goals I have and don't really feel like holding myself to learning dubs or anything crazy. But yeah work a good summer job (I'm into remodeling but there's tons of trade/service jobs that pay well) and be responsible with your money and you can get by on day crew salary w/summer savings. I'm certainly not rolling in cash but with some grit and frugality I've made it work. 155 and 161 days the last 2 seasons, learned so much about my skiing and the industry, I'm super glad I made the jump, and equally happy to probably return to customer here in the next year or 2.
yardsalehaverIm still in high school trying to figure out what to do with my life, but I do know I want to spend it in the mountains.
not sure how u go about this but being a ski rep or gear rep for companies seems very cool. I work at a shop I envy the dudes that come in. Free gear, summers off and you get to sell skis lol. No brainer
I'm in your same shoes. I graduated this June and I honestly don't know what to do with my life. My ideal plan is to do wildland firefighting for the next couple of summers and then ski and work a part-time job during the winter and then in a handful of years become a tower tech working on cell towers. They make good money and have pretty flexible schedules. But I don't really know how to go about executing that plan
I’m a GM of a hotel in a ski town. It happened by accident just working my way up from front desk/night audit whilst ski bumming, but it’s turned out great. I make my own schedule and with it being a 24/7 business, that leaves a lot of flexibility to ski in the day whilst still getting my work done outside of the regular 9-5. Comes with decent benefits and good enough pay to live a comfortable life.
It also gives me enough freedom to do other ski related stuff on the side - ambassador work for some brands and freelance opportunities skiing in front of the lens for marketing stuff.
Living long term in a mountain town exposes you to lots of different ways to make it work. I’ve got friends that work in trades; ski instructing; accounting; guiding; ski and bike techs; servers; photographers; marketing; yoga instructors; chefs; hairdressers; physios; doctors. Some do a mix of a few different things.
Ski towns are typically small and tight knit communities, especially if you stick around in the same place for a while. If you have a good attitude and work hard then doors will open up and you never know where they might lead.
skiP.E.I.Tree planting, wild fire fighting, construction, arborist, offshore fishing all keep you fit in the summer and slack off in the winter. I've worked most jobs at ski resorts, worked at restaurants and it's way better to have free time in the winter to just focus on skiing.
what is tree planting like? I'd imagine your back gets really sore
BayAreaJerryDurango CO is a great place to be a skiing student! We have a rope tow on campus, and a great resort 30 minutes away. I’ve been able to ski a minimum of 4 days a week at the resort while being a full time student, just need to make your schedule the right way. Fort Lewis is also fairly affordable compared to most other colleges. I’m sure there’s plenty of other great ski colleges though
STEEZUS_CHRI5Twhat is tree planting like? I'd imagine your back gets really sore
lol the “tiger crouch” is real. The sport treats everyone’s body differently.
If you have the discipline to treat it like a sport and constantly improve, you can make good money. If you’re happy making minimum wage it’s an easy job. I know people who have made 60-70k planting from May-October. I was never very fast but still made more than I could have at most other jobs at the time. I’ve never been in better shape than I was the 3 summers I planted.
it can certainly be hard on your body, the biggest issuefor people I know has been tendonitis in their hands and trench foot. ( gotta dry out those boots and socks!)
It’s a simple life, you’re out in the wilderness starting work at dawn and going until dusk. You sleep well, you eat a lot and you’re away from society. It can become kind of a lord of the Flies situation in camps, I’ve heard horror stories but mostly you become really tight with your crew.
there’s a great book called “eating dirt” written by a journalist who’s also a career tree planter. It follows a professional crew through a season of planting and is probably the most accurate picture you’ll find of the job and the subculture.
**This post was edited on Nov 7th 2024 at 11:28:14am
**This post was edited on Nov 7th 2024 at 11:29:00am
-skian-I do not have facebook, but I hear king kong reforestation on there has a lot of resources. I would not expect to find anything in the states, be prepared to come up north. I work for Brinkman, all good input. I run a crew, and have planted 1.2 million trees with them with no bad experiences. I am sure others can speak to other companies performance as well. Stay away from Outland.
Yeah if you want to plant trees Join King Kong reforestation make a post on there and youll have a job in no time. Contracts, crews and bosses can be pretty hit or miss but as long as your pretty easy going and willing to work hard it'll usually be fine. Be prepared to deal with a lot of bullshit because no matter what there always something.
I plated for Outland in Ontario and although the management was a bit disorganised and there was some pretty frustrating days I still made about $13000 CAD in my first 2 and half months as a rookie so the money was pretty good.
Eli.braun98Where could I find tree planting jobs? I wanted to be a wildland fire fighter but it seems like all the sign-ups have closed.
Join King Kong Reforestation Facebook Group. super easy to get a job, also hiring doesn't really stop until the season starts because there's always people dropping out or supervisors realising they actually need an extra crew to finish the contract in time.
STEEZUS_CHRI5Twhat is tree planting like? I'd imagine your back gets really sore
You gotta walk the line between pushing yourself to get better and plant lots of trees but not push yourself to the point of injury.
having good form and good socks, underwear and boots makes it relatively easy to avoid serious injury.
The hardest part for me was the bugs, its constant and there's nothing you can do about it.
Mostly its a mental game, don't let the bullshit get to you, don't let the bugs get to you, try to find some humor or peace in the discomfort.
All that being said when I was planting it was by far the least stressed I have ever been, you wake up and there nothing to worry about all you can do is plant as many trees as you can.
meet some crazy and awesome people, make a lot of money, party a lot, get into the best shape of your life, and you'll have so many good stories to tell. its a great time if your got the right attitude.
Not skiing related but working at restaurants and bars is a good gig a lot of people like. The busy times are in the evenings and the shift usually start in the afternoon. You can shred all day and then work at night. Can make decent moment. Rare but some places offer season pass deals to get employees.
Construction, wildfire, fishing, raft guide are popular summer jobs with ski bums.
Also could do a summer at hood. You wont make shit for money and probably live in the woods but the vibes are cool.
I know some people that like working at ski shops too.
Feel free to try different things. You don't have to lock into anything righr away. But every job is an experience and you'll pick up different skills along the way.
ParkingLotPissYou gotta walk the line between pushing yourself to get better and plant lots of trees but not push yourself to the point of injury.
having good form and good socks, underwear and boots makes it relatively easy to avoid serious injury.
The hardest part for me was the bugs, its constant and there's nothing you can do about it.
Mostly its a mental game, don't let the bullshit get to you, don't let the bugs get to you, try to find some humor or peace in the discomfort.
All that being said when I was planting it was by far the least stressed I have ever been, you wake up and there nothing to worry about all you can do is plant as many trees as you can.
meet some crazy and awesome people, make a lot of money, party a lot, get into the best shape of your life, and you'll have so many good stories to tell. its a great time if your got the right attitude.
Based on the other post and this one it sounds like a more serious / tough job. Doesn't sound like a retirement job haha
Nursing is where it's at! 4 years of moderately difficult college but you only have to work 3 days a week and you have the opportunity of working absolutely anywhere.
If you are looking for a wildland firefighting job, the application period closes on November 12th this year. Go to usajobs.gov and type in 0462 into the search bar to see all the positions
STEEZUS_CHRI5TBased on the other post and this one it sounds like a more serious / tough job. Doesn't sound like a retirement job haha
Definitely not. It is seriously hardcore. They did a study, and you expend as much energy as running 1-2 marathons a day. And do it 4 days on, 1 day off.
-skian-Definitely not. It is seriously hardcore. They did a study, and you expend as much energy as running 1-2 marathons a day. And do it 4 days on, 1 day off.
gfanuckaaReal estate agent. Get out and ski in the a.m. do your showings in the afternoon/evenings. If you are in a wealthy area which some major mountains/resorts it could be a good opportunity to live in a great ski town and earn a living.
i think housing pimps should be sent to labor camps where they can repay their debt to society
-skian-I agree with treeplanting, been at it for 8 yeas, but I hate that people do EI, pretty lame in my mind. It is made for people who need it for not being able to work, not being too lazy to work. It honestly gets me so riled up. I know it is a vastly upopular opinion, but pull your ass together and work.
Treeplanting from what I understand is less of an option stateside. I vote treeplanting and grooming, I work as a groomer and skied 125 days last year, it is fun. It may not be viewed as a lifetime job, but it can be.
Bring on the shredding for hating on EI, I just hate how much I pay into it for so many lazy (typically 18-30̷ year old) people who think it is fun to not work.
**This post was edited on Nov 6th 2024 at 6:28:20pm
You're assured to get ahead with that grindset mindset!
OP If you're not on the cool fancy university degree track trades, as mentioned by many above, can be a great way to go. Work your ass off for a custom home builder all summer and as soon as the snow starts flying the work slows down. If you're any good at what you do work won't entirely stop just slow down a bunch, unless you're in concrete.
Great thread. I did 7 summers of wildland and 7 of skiing and going to school to be a teacher. Realized firefighting is incredible with some of the best people I know in it. Now I work for a professional city department full time. I wouldn’t trade those wildland summers for anything though; it’s a hell of a job if you get in with the right crew on busy seasons.
That said; dude if I had to go back I’d do a trade. Be a framer, become an electrician, learn concrete whatever it is. On top of making good money and future proofing your career options, you will carry those skills forever when you own a house one day or buy land and want to build you own place. Trades, they’re so damn useful. Even car mechanic, that’s a good useful option too. If I went back I wouldn’t have done university, rather have gone straight into a high demand trade.
