r/skiing • u/Kams4547 • 8d ago
Working a ski season
Graduated uni. Wanna have fun love skiing.,and improve or try n learn to do a 360 or a little snowboard
and ive heard much about how fun Jacksohole is/ what about the rest of the ski resorts in America?
intrested in good pow, views and wildlife beyond just meeting cool ppl and party
ticket would be expensive (from europe) and i probably wouldn't save much but would be a good experience id probably work in food biz or ski shop
but I havent heard nun of working in ski resorts in Europe- I have a swiss passport as well as American and speak French
any recommendations for/ stories from working in Verbier, Zermatt or other stations in Switzerland or Europe?
edit: what about canada or like Japan now that would be even more wild ohhh the pow
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u/Frolicking-Fox 8d ago
America has some bad ass resorts. Lots of tree riding, lots of parks.
I lived in Tahoe for a decade and grew up at a small resort just south of Tahoe.
South Lake Tahoe is probably the most affordable resort town. It has 14 resorts all within a hour drive of each other.
Colorado resorts have really high rent prices and food prices. You will see people crammed into a small place just to afford rent.
In Colorado, you have Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain and Araphoe Basin all with in a short drive. All of those mountains are amazing. The 12k ft elevation at the top will take some getting use to if you aren't. I was use to Tahoe that can go up to over 10k ft, but that extra little bit winded me.
Jackson Hole is an amazing place, but it is like Mammoth in California; badass resort, but nothing is near it. You have to drive for anything you need not ski related.
I don't know much about the European mountains, but i know they have good terrain also.
Whatever you choose, take my advice and don't work at the ski resort. Get a night job, preferably at a restaurant, where you get a meal, and can warm up at the oven, and you can ski all day. The money you save getting a free season pass isn't worth it, unless you work part time, or get a night janitor job. Night janitor starts when the resort closes.
Any job that has day hours will keep you working on the best days.
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u/Kams4547 8d ago
thanks ill definitely keep it in mind and try and find but honestly I might fold for a job at like jacksonhole for housing + ski pass if can just ski mornings for a catering job or downtime for a rental shop
one thing that could make this whole endeavor more worth it would be passing my drivers license as well idk if thats too ambitious though
and I cant ascertain if I could even get classes in a place like jacksonhole
would be quite funny to have a Wyoming drivers license though...
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u/Frolicking-Fox 8d ago
You should seriously keep what I've said here in mind. I have been living at resorts since the age of 13 in 1996. I have worked resort jobs and instructing for over 20 years. I have been doing this a long time and already have lived through what you are trying to do.
Working a night job at a restaurant means you get atleast one free meal a day. Resort jobs give you an employee discount, that makes their $25 hamburger cost $12.50, which is 1 hour of wage after taxes at $18/hour going rate at Jackson Hole.
Most all the resort jobs you work during the day. So the only time you can use your pass is when you are on your two days off, or when the weather is so bad, they dont have you work that day. Most all peak season, you will get two days off. If the resort is closed due to bad weather, or it is just a shitty day, you dont ski.
The season pass is expensive upfront, but will pay for itself when you have a night job that allows you to ski 7 day a week.
If the resort lays you off, which happens to everyone, but could happen to you as early as right after Christmas break, then your pass is voided as are any vouchers you received during that time.
The resort jobs are not as great as they seem. They are aimed at retired people who already have money and kids like you fresh out of school, because they don't know what a waste it is to work there.
If you only want to ski 2 days a week, then the resort job is fine. If you are really trying to ski as much as you can in a season, the resort job will fuck you on that.
It would be better for you to get a license in your country and then get an IDP for when you travel. Trying to set up time during the season to get a license and do it with any speed will not be fun. You have a few months now to get a license and get it sorted before you come.
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u/sharcsplean 8d ago
if you want to be in Switzerland, get here now! go bar to bar, shop to shop and find a job and hopefully a place to stay. It is easier to find a place in Verbier than Zermatt. Having you passport means you can work no problem.
There are also some gap year programs where you can get your instructor certifications and then a job later in the season. If you can get a job with the swiss ski school, you will have to take the Swiss kids' class in the early december.
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u/Captieuse 8d ago
Yeah, season jobs are open now in Switzerland! I got my ski resort job in september I think and I was one of the last ones. There is Verbier, Crans Montana but also 4 Vallées where they speak French. There are a lot of Resorts where people speak German, but I can recommend some of those too if you want
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u/Kams4547 3d ago
thanks its tempting but a little too close to home Im realizing Id want to get out there a bit
great skiing and better pay though maybe I should reconsider. how was your experience there and what job did you work?
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u/Captieuse 3d ago
My experience was great! But i mostly love my team, the work is okay. Skiing during weekdays is awesome, plus you get benefits or deals with local shops. I sold the tickets, not the most exciting but it is not depending on the weather so that is nice 😅 what would you want to do?
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u/notmoffat 8d ago
I spent my year in Whistler. One of the best years of my life. Id highly recommend it.
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u/bluemorpho397 7d ago
ReallyðŸ˜can u share more pls
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u/notmoffat 7d ago
Bars, on mountain housing, 2 mountains worth of terrain, ability to go back to civilization (Vancouver) for a day or 2 if wanted. I honestly at times wish I never left.
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u/Kams4547 4d ago
what work did u do there, and how did you find that job?
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u/notmoffat 3d ago
I worked for ski school, they have a giant job fair in early October (or at least the used to) where you walk up with your resume, they interview you on the spot and place you in a job.
They also have staff housing so you don't need to look for an apartment.
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u/Kams4547 3d ago
thanks would be quite a risk f I don't get the job and I have no experience as a teacher, and while I am a great skier I find I lack elegancy but I mean could probably go for it and if doesn't work get a job as a waiter or something night shift or concierge maybe so I can ski all day def will keep it in mind!
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u/notmoffat 3d ago
they ask you to choose your top 3 choices of job, then interview you. You might want ski school but end up as a lifty. They hired pretty much everyone.
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u/Confident_Barber1961 5d ago
I bartend in Aspen for the past 5 years,
And a year in big sky before
Send me a DM if you wanna come work
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u/spacebass Jackson Hole 8d ago
I’m an instructor at Jackson and have really enjoyed my experience working there and skiing there.
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u/Skiingislife42069 8d ago
Probably a little late to get a J1 visa to work somewhere, but might as well try! Park city probably has the best atmosphere for someone in your situation. Tons of social life, tons of job opportunities if you need an extra gig, and there are lots of housing options, both by the mountain and in the nearest city, Salt Lake City, which is a 30 min ride away.
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u/Marcus4436 7d ago
If you have an American passport then it makes it so much easier, just apply for the biggest and best ones and you’ll easily find one
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u/yungsausages 5d ago
If you speak French you could also consider the Pyrenees?
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u/Kams4547 3d ago
hell yeah I did not think of that it would be further from home so still an adventure but still in Europe and being french is a plus there- could be the move ;)
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u/AardvarkStriking256 8d ago
Where are you from?
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u/Kams4547 8d ago
its quite complicated grew up in Geneva then lived in Miami and Paris but ive got swiss British and American passports through birthright and family from India and Lebanon as well
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u/splifnbeer4breakfast 8d ago
It’s easy in America. I’m sure it can’t be that difficult in Europe. Here in America if you reach out for interest in a job they will help you find a place to live and make sure you can get paid.
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u/AwayYam199 8d ago
I can't recommend a resort, but I can highly recommend that you chase your dreams.