Member of the Month

GayWolf420
June, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Careers with high summer hours and low winter hours?

profile picture
steezyjibber
Posts: 15967 - Karma: 11,027
So I'm trying to form a list of careers/jobs that offer a ton of work in the summer, and less in the winter (so I can ski.) I'm looking to move out West and do this while i'm still young.

I've been reading that the best thing to do if you love skiing, is not work in the ski industry, because the hours of work are usually right when the mountains and resorts are running.

So basically, I am aware that there are a lot of routes that people take to make this way of life a reality. Being a waiter, housekeeper, etc. etc. But I am kind of trying to avoid those jobs because I'm tired of them. I will have a degree at this point.

All I've come up with now is:
-Golf courses
-Landscaping (again, not really a lot of money to be made unless you own the company)
-Vacation resorts that are open spring/summer/fall only

I'm basically lookin for that job that has the opposite schedule of a teacher...

Any ideas?

Thanks

12 years ago
3 0
profile picture
Tinga
Posts: 11349 - Karma: 2,333
summer school teacher.

but seriously. just start your own landscaping business.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
tbayskier
Posts: 1148 - Karma: 1,761
forest fire fighting. the best. fun, exciting, pays well.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
SnakeDoc
Posts: 4 - Karma: 10
web design, lets you decided when you want to work and when now
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
JAHpow
Posts: 7282 - Karma: 17,194
Lawn mowing
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
what's your degree in?
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
seward
Posts: 5233 - Karma: 2,174
porn obvi
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
fortyvalve
Posts: 1442 - Karma: 1,573
just sayin there is plenty of money to be made in landscaping if you find the right place. there are kids that make $1,200+ a week and can make it last well through the winter
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
artrud
Posts: 598 - Karma: 1,471

gold miner, summer camp couselor, life guard or pool related job, music festival employee, summer tutor, movie theater, logging, landscaping, coaching or referee, golf caddy, forest firefighter, fishing guide

12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
coldcuts69
Posts: 3718 - Karma: 1,889
dis what i do
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,944
Most of these are summer jobs not careers
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,944
ya, that's what i was trying to say haha. I do remember Logan Imlach talking about working in the oil fields in AK but that's not much of a career either
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
GuacamoleMane
Posts: 1421 - Karma: 2,013
landscape in the summer, then plow in the winter
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Bock
Posts: 748 - Karma: 1,652
You can make up to $30,000 a summer mowing lawns with the right setup and a good number of customers. Right now with working about 1-2 hours a day with a pushmower and a skateboard I can make $4,000 a mowing season as long as there isn't a drought. Its certainly not something you want to do for the rest of your life thoug.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ChasingFlakes
Posts: 822 - Karma: 1,544
Hotel front desk, I work full time and ski 4-5 a week. Im the sales manager and the front office manager. So still making good money and skiing loads
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
paige.
Posts: 1932 - Karma: 926
They work in winter though. But its a different type of schedule. In AB you do something like 4 weeks on 2 weeks off and they'll fly you home for the time off
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
FLBP
Posts: 1794 - Karma: 310
You could work for the fishing industry in Alaska, you could apply to go out on the boat or in the warehouses where they gut and clean the fish.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
jca
Posts: 4182 - Karma: 6,366
-forest fire fighting
-tree planting
-landscaping (save up some money and start buying heavy equipment to learn how to use, rent out/work projects)
-get a trade (carpentry, electrician, welding/millwright, whaterver) then ask for a layoff/quit when winter rolls around. or get shift work in northern bc/ak working 2 on, 1 off or however it goes for the particular job.

there's tons of ways to do it really
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
titsLOL
Posts: 7485 - Karma: 396
What'd warren miller say? "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" I think it was. Find a career you actually like, sure maybe you'll ski a little less, but you wont be miserable at work. I currently work 5 days a week and ski 2 days most weeks, but I have fun every day I'm at the office. And it's flexible enough that if it dumps I can go ski pow in the morning and stuff like that.

If you don't want to find an actually career that you like then become a bartender or server, you can make BANK if you work at a classy establishment. And the more experience you get with it the easier it will be to move around to other places and get jobs doing it.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Chief.
Posts: 276 - Karma: 399
how has no one said construction? you work a ton in the summer and you cant tear up roads when the ground is frozen. plus its generally $20 per hour starting which is dece w/o going to college
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
shredsticks
Posts: 108 - Karma: 33
Oil Rig. I imagine it's downright shitty to sit on an oil rig for weeks at a time, but i'm pretty sure these people, especially the engineers and other higher up folk make some seriously good money and are then on vacation half the year off the rig.

Something to look into it could do the trick.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
titsLOL
Posts: 7485 - Karma: 396
Oh and what's your degree going to be in? If you're really good at something you can probably find a more freelance-type job and just do projects in the summer. For example, if you're good at computer programming you can easily make enough just working in the summer on freelance projects. Or if you're good at filming, just film weddings all summer. In fact, I think wedding filmer should be high on this list.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
a_burger
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 21,143
Lawn mowing can be pretty damn lucrative, just know what your doing and get a lot of consistent customers.

Also, talk with real estate companies, and ask if you can mow there properties too.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
Can't really talk much about job opportunities in America, but in Canada there are many jobs that give you hours and a good wage as seasonal jobs. Work all summer and take winters off.

Tree planting, forest fire fighting, and fishing lodges are your most 'popular'. Maybe look into these? I'm sure Alaska has a set up like BC for fishing lodges.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
clive_bixby
Posts: 1834 - Karma: 499
Work hard during the summer.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
vertebruh
Posts: 244 - Karma: 14
fire fighters are on for like 7 off 10, most "real careers" are not gonna give you alot of time off for winter
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,899
Gardening-you'll college education if you want to make real money. That being said the City of Toronto pays it's college educated gardeners around ~$28-$35 and hour depending on experience. You only work a few days a week usually.

Landscaping/Construction-hard work, but you usually get decent pay in an entry level position. No one I know who does it/has done it thinks of it as a lifelong career.

Treeplanting- I almost went down this path, and two of my very close friends have done it.You have to be in incredible shape, be highly self motivated, and absolutely live for being outside. A lot of people consider themselves outdoorsy until a few weeks of tree planting and start hating life. Don't forget that very few people actually make money their first season.

Forest firefighting- one of my girlfriends friends does this, I didn't ask him too much about it, but I do know that the pay is good, it's an exciting job, and it's really hard to get into.


Lift Construction- I did this last summer, the hours are long, the pay isn't spectacular, and you have to move to wherever the work is. But I really did find it fascinating and it had a lot of really exciting aspects (flying towers and concrete via helicopter). It's not that hard of a job to get into if you know who to talk to.

Bike Shop- Fun job, usually pretty laid back most of the year. You don't make a lot of money, and you end up buying a lot of nice bikes because you're around them all day. Also many bike shops do skis in the winter time so keep that in mind and choose where you apply wisely.

Work Up North- Seriously, you can make a good hourly wage being an unskilled labourer in places like northern Alberta, NWT, and Alaska. I'm not familiar with Alaska personally although a friend of a friend told me you can make a living on a king crab fishing boat working only from October to January. Personally I made $200 a day as a first year prospector in NWT two summers ago, it's a lot like tree planting but without all the hard work. The Arctic is a gorgeous place in the summer, everyone should check it out at least once.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,468
Im planning on working with the forest service building campsites, keep trails in shape etc. you can get paid 15-35 bucks an hour depending on your seniority. plus you geta smoke weed and camp with your buddies all summer.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Polar_Beer
Posts: 1515 - Karma: 228
Threads for when I can read.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
The thing about fire fighting is you go into the season not knowing how much you are going to make. If there are a lot of fires and you're working a lot you can make a lot of money. Of course, this means that if there aren't a lot of fires, you can make 1/3rd (or something like that) of what you could potentially be making in a really good year.



Seriously though - if you're American, look into fishing lodges in Alaska. I have friends that work at fishing lodges along the BC coast and they make really good money from May till September.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
pow314
Posts: 424 - Karma: 111
It definitely is a career. The higher up guys make retarded amounts of money and spend their whole lives doing it. Alaska has a lot of options for hard work that pays well and gives you a lot of time to ski. I fish in AK for about 3 months out of the year. This summer I made 20 grand, and 3 years ago I made 80k as a deckand. Guys who run their own boats are some of the wealthiest guys in ak.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,510
a forest fire watcher
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Schlutz
Posts: 858 - Karma: 425
Golf courses are sick. Two of my buds work at one. One is a concierge and another is a caddy. They make like 10g a summer.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Capurnicus
Posts: 9947 - Karma: 1,886
Paving.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,468
it's also an up and down career. some guys make noooo money. it totally depends how good your captain is. I had a friend go for 4 months and make like 800 bucks... and another buddy go for the same amount of time and make 15k. both in the same summer, it's also a lotttt of hard work. just know what youre getting into if you do this.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
PartyHon
Posts: 2019 - Karma: 425
Landscaping as said before.

logging

prostitution

lifeguard



12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Weeezy
Posts: 385 - Karma: 342
As well as concrete, work season in pouring concrete baisicly follows ski season. Pretty close anyways. I've heard it's shitty work though
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
BrownEyeIn
Posts: 879 - Karma: 531
working on a rig is 8-10g a month. work long enough, that will increase as you rise up the ladder.

good career? possibly, if you dont have a family, but career anyways.

in 6 months you can definitely gross 60g a year. and thats not working your days off. do a couple shifts on your 7 days off and your making what you would in 14 days. (add 20g if you do that every third shift)

which is a decent salary if your just taking care of yourself. not to mention benefit plans for oil companies are among some of the best.
(at least in Canada)
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
chugLIFE
Posts: 4714 - Karma: 1,050
floatplane pilot.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
liftedresearcher
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 1,775
get a trade. once you get your ticket, you'll always have it to fall back on. tons of money to be made if your willing to work for it. and its not as physically hard on your body as treeplanting or forest fire fighting is.
plus new zealand and other countries are in short supply of skilled tradespeople, use your trade ticket to work abroad and see the world. i know a couple guys who have done it, and they loved it.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
1337
Posts: 31080 - Karma: 29,700
As obvious as it is, this would work just about perfectly with a skiing schedule.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
k-fred
Posts: 5363 - Karma: 1,598
I'm going for the landscaping, I'm gonna start my company this year and I've been working in landscaping for over 4 years. just get some experience in it and it'll be really easy to start your own company and make some really really good money.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
I work at a golf course. It's legit.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
pow314
Posts: 424 - Karma: 111
Ya you're absolutely right. I know guys that come out of seasons owing their captains money due to fuel expenses. But like I said I made 80 grand as a 16 year old three years ago. Granted it was an outstanding season with a ridiculously strong run. It's a super tough job, you work ridiculous hours (think 2 to 4 hours of sleep a day during peak season) and your crammed in tiny quarters with three guys you may or may not like. At the same time I think it's one of the most rewarding things you can do. There's nothing like hauling in 20,000 pounds of wild salmon, or coming home after three months with a fat wad of cash in your pocket and hair on your chest.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
250r
Posts: 2276 - Karma: 1,013
i work at an italian restaurant thats only open during the night, so i can ski everyday. im going to culinary school, and then to nutrition school, so i can later combine those two to make healthy food that tastes good. the food industry often doesnt pay well, but you can do pretty well for yourself in the right places once youve established yourself. I do still work full time in the winter, but it really doesnt take away from my skiing. Its not for everyone, youve got to really love cooking to justify the pay a lot of times, but personally id way rather be cooking than working landscaping or another job like that all summer.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
dr.jib
Posts: 209 - Karma: 11
the guy that said paving is right on. those guys make like 25 an hour and get a ton of hours.

I worked as a Construction Inspector. basically none of the grunt work, not that I haven't done my fair share and all the pay. private inspectors start at like 30 and hour. You can easily net 30000 in a summer. Basically you just watch over the project and make sure it's done to the specs and state standards.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
[legit]
Posts: 73 - Karma: 122
I work at a flower shop, its pretty easy and not many people come in during the winter but i worked all the time in the summer.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
Work for a baseball team. Not for a career because it's a terrible choice, but a part time job while you're younger is perfect. Work nonstop all summer, then October to March off.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
SkiBum.
Posts: 3614 - Karma: 4,004
You are not going to find a "career" for the summer...
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
K-Thomas
Posts: 2700 - Karma: 604
Golf pro/Turf management. Both have degrees, legit pay, and solid summer hours that are either offed completely in the summer if the club closes, or at least cut back significantly.
12 years ago
0 0
profile picture
SkiBum.
Posts: 3614 - Karma: 4,004
Have a friend who is a Pro and quite the private club. Place is only open in the spring/summer/fall but he works all winter.

Also, you go get hurt skiing as a golf pro...you can kiss that job goodbye.

Also, you have to know how to play golf...very well.
12 years ago
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 1:40AM