The Best Ski Resort Jobs to Have

Patrol here, can confirm all these jobs are way more fun than our job. If we act like a dick we deserve the treatment, if we don’t act like dicks and just try and keep an eye out for people going way too fast (listen I like going fast, but there are kids and other people) we also get mediocre treatment and we don’t get good pay. Plus we have to see some wild shit sometimes

All in all love the job but you don’t get a good rep with guests and bad pay overall

Park crew all day

Worked as an evening cook in sun peaks for years. Rode over 100 days each year. I miss it dearly.

Best resort job for a 1 year commit.......Nightime maintenance a condo complex.

--- Haul some laundry, stock supplies for hospitality attendants.
--- Do basic maintenance, ...anything tech call a blueshirt
--- Cary luggage, chip Ice, vac common areas, spray foam down in hottubs

--- Help folks out who are there to have a good time

--- Snowboard or ski every day

If u don't ski or snow board anymore ski lift/tram operator is the 1st best job 2nd is snow maker tubing is the worst job

Love to be a medic on the hill for a season.

"Keep evolving' Yay, for that tagline!!! Seems these places need a sled lift that rotates, the user goes Weeeee!! Sledding down the hill, at the bottom, the sled is stacked one on top the other and another and the lift goes up and around, so users at the top of the hill can grab a sled and go, or one sled rotates up every time. Fun times. Children and adults. 🤗

Rentals get ride breaks and free gear!

I worked most of a season at Park City a few years ago as a liftie and then a groomer. It was really fun overall, but if I had to do it again I think I'd teach ski school just for the social aspect, but that's just me. I spent most of my season as a groomer (I got lucky and they happened to have an opening like 3 weeks after I started as a liftie) and it was pretty nice being able to ride before work. You definitely learn the mountain, but the goofy thing is that since you can drive up the slopes you learn a bunch of short cuts that you can't actually take when your riding lol

I loved being a liftee!

What’s a good job for a retiree at the resort during the season? I’ll be in my early 60’s I don’t really want to be a ski instructor. Maybe lift operator or snow maker. I have mechanical experience.

Do they fly you there?

This should come in handy.. when I can work at a ski resort haha

Snowmaking!!!!

Curious about how many other resorts claim the Federal Exemption for Overtime for Recreational employment. My workplace only pays overtime after 56 hours.

Ski patrol isn’t a job. It’s a hobby.

You missed one I work as a ski tech get to work inside on the shit raining/snowy days get free Rentals and time on the hill I did 6 days in a row on my ride breaks on my first season

Instructors get some of the "best" hours for work (typically 9am-3 or 4pm) with many opportunities to get out of work during the slower days of season. "Best" depends on your opinion, but still lots of freeride time. Training is almost entirely on the snow and can massively improve your riding (it's usually paid too!). Yes, the work tends to be harder for the newer, greener instructors but it is very rewarding and the certs get you extra $ and better lesson choices, as well as more time riding on the snow. We also get tips, so the loss of ride time can be a worthy sacrifice.

I spent 5 years as a ski resort bartender, ride all day working/partying in the pub all night. Best job ever

I have been a ski instructor and a lift operator. I like being a lifty way, WAY more. I meet alot of people and get plenty of turns in. It's not about the riding as we most all have season passes as part of compensation so we ride plenty. Lifties have great jobs! Agree with the Ski Patrol. But you have to be a bad ass to be a groomer and it's a tuff gig to get. ~Utah Lifty

Lift lead here at Park City. Yes, we do get ride breaks as long as that you’re assessed to ski/ride on the clock. We’re held at a MUCH higher standard for the skier’s responsibility code. It is up to the lead to decide what’s everyone is feeling individually if they want to take a ride break. If you have a solid crew, you’re only working at least 4 hours or take 10 hot laps throughout the day if there is 3 lifties per lift.

I am going on my second year as a ski ranger at a mountain in New England. We assist ski patrol but no medical. Help the snowcats go through the base area. Keep people within the rules of the mountain. We help close the trails at the end of the night. We have to give 6 hours a week in that time you ski/ride about4.5 to 5 hours of the time. It's a volunteer job but you get a full pass for the season.

I work as a ski instructor and snow maker. I agree, these are great jobs. I love teaching so that is a good match for me. Snowmaking is great because it is early season. You get out on the snow earlier in the season than anyone else and you are finished early in the season as well. Don't underestimate parking. I've done that and really enjoyed it. You get to be a part of everyone's morning and then ski the afternoon.

Worked park crew for 5 years. You dont have to be super good to work in every park. As long as you have the fundamentals and being able to at least hit and understand how the obstacles work (like how big to build a takeoff for the rail) is all you need. It's really just who you know, get tight with the park crew and they will want you there next season if there's space.

Honestly, one of the best jobs, from REAL WORLD PERSPECTIVE (as I was a groomer) is being a snow cat operator. Entry level makes decent money. I got to move snow cats and ride perfectly groomed untouched snow with a headlight at 2AM with no one on the mountain. on powder days, I got 3-5 Untouched laps on the mountain before it was open to public. They let me ride and take the lift with the early morning ski patrol / people getting to their assignments before the mountain was open to public. Being a snowcat operator, being able to work 4 12 hr shits and had 3 days off, had me on snow more days per year than any other job at a ski resort. Plus I got to work october - april. That beings said. You have to be built a bit different to operate a snowcat. you work 10pm to 10am. You ride for a few hours after work (10am to 1pm) and sleep (1pm to 9pm) It's a different lifestyle but also, grooming is super chill. It's jsut you, your machine, your music and the mountain. Sure you have to deal with mechanical breakdowns, etc. Short staffed and chain grooming (when there aren't enough people on so you group up and groom 1 run at a time with 5 people in 5 snowcats so you can groom an entire run in 2 or 3 laps ) Chain grooming is way more boring that pushing snow and rebuilding a runs shape on your own, but it is what it is. Grooming is so awesome. Anyone who plays video games and likes to do all nighters on their PC, Xbox, playstation, it feels JUST LIKE THAT. You have joysticks and buttons to press and multi-task.

There is no greater feeling than getting to a run that has bumps and moguls and dirt spots and spending 3 hours making it beautiful and flat and perfect corduroy, then when you park your snowcat for the day shredding down to the bottom on perfect, untouched, flat, groomers. I've never trusted a run at keytstone (colorado) more than one I groomed myself.

One of the most unpopular jobs is working the parking lots, most get off after noon but you get there really early in the morning. Or you can get a night time parking job if they offer it and ride all day then go to work.

Recently saw a job for a lift maintenance at the biggest resort near myself in MN (Lutsen). I am a welder, wondering if that experience helps. Thinking about applying…

Cool video! I just got a job in Japan, as a instructor! And can’t wait to hit the mountains once again!

As an instructor, I was only paid when I actually worked. If I did not get a lesson I took laps. I would get 50%-100% tickets at other resorts as a perk too. Most ski patrol folks ride for free everywhere but it is good to always call ahead of time. Teaching better riders and park is awesome. Beginners are rewarding but you are not “riding” much.

Local resorts have tons of jobs for first years, had multiple instructors, patrol, and similar id definitely recommend local over major resorts to start off

I think working the off hours is best so you can ski when the hill is open. Or work weekends when it's most crowded so you can ski during week when it isn't crowded

If you are an evening custodian you are usually off around midnight which gives you plenty of time to rest so you could get first turns.

Ski patrollers are notoriously underpaid unfortunately :( its almost not worth the money and a lot of patrollers just patrol for a pass. you do get a lot of sweet opportunities to ride as a ski patroller and it even opens new places for you to go as well. I had an offer to go patrol at timberline in oregon during the summer but wasn't able to find housing out there so it fell thru, but to even have the opportunity to go and patrol for some of the best freestyle skiers/riders in the industry is insane. The best mountain job in my opinion would be overnight security, or lift ops on the weekends so you can ride during the week on your days off. Mid week riding in colorado is unbeatable. Also if you want a certified ski patroller to ride with you guys in the upcoming season let me know!
PS: if anyone wants to get into snowcat driving/ski area maintenance , Colorado mountain college has a great program and so does Gogebic in Upper Michigan. there are also a few college ski patrol programs in the country as well. Michigan tech has a great class taught by the famous Mont Ripley ski patrol. you also get a season pass included with tuition at Michigan tech!

Just got hired for lift maintenance at ski cooper moving up next week pumped about it

I worked at Mt. Rose for 5 years, I was always jealous of the park crew the most! who wouldn't want to ride the park all day and keep the features pristine?

Kinda specific, but if you have a marketing/communications degree, then working for a resorts pr or marketing department is sickkkkkkkk. Tons of promo clips to film, so lots of riding during the day & you work inside w the heat the other half

Nobody want to talk about that hair… nobody?…..

Ski rep is the best. Just stay with a group at night for a bit and then do what you want in the day

I think snowcat Driver would be the best job I have experience with driving large machinery like excavators and doing it in the snow on a snow cat is basically the same thing it would be so much fun to do that

Naw! This is a vlogger who pretends to snowboard. There's plenty of jobs in resorts and "ski evolution" towns...... watch better content and be a snowboarder

I was Ripperoo at Keystone, I got paid as much as a manager and literally did nothing all day but snowboard/ski with people. I might've hit A51 as Ripperoo but I'll keep that on the down low...

I was also a manager out at Breck, it was super chill and I ended up getting my level 2 cert there for AASI. I'd take being Ripperoo over instructing hands down.

I was wondering what the pad thing is that is on the back of your left foot on your bindings and what its purpose is?

Where’s my Snowmakers at?!?! Yes we get criminally under paid but this department makes the ski runs early season. Nothing makes me happier seeing people shred on the very snow I produced. I made snow for 6 years with Beaver Creek at vail resorts. If you have grit I highly recommended being a snowmaker. That department made me the man I am today through challenges college never would have provided. BEST JOB EVER

I was a liftie for 5 years it was a great job.

This is such a great video! Appreciate the information!

Lifties is a tough, really important first job. Celebrate it; don’t diss

combining snowboarding and medical isn’t how I viewed that before that sounds fun

Great video!