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Ski instructor or Ski Patrol


skipuppy

Would you rather be an Instructor or Patroller?  

52 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you rather be an Instructor or Patroller?

    • Instructor
      9
    • Patroller
      21
    • None
      14
    • Other
      8


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where you want to work requires for that job

maybe a season or two as a volunteer would be the best way to do it, this earns you a free pass and lots of the training needed

also, ride the bumps and in the woods because thats where you're gonna be bringing a toboggan at somepoint, it's easy on cord but them things are harder to deal with in tight areas

do you tele?

if not then no worries but when you are doing that job tele gear is overall the easiest to deal with.

if I were to do it I would prefer to tele for the sake of the comfort of walking around in the boots, softboots are good for this aplication as well

many of the alpine skiers that patrol use AT boots or the old nordicas with the vibram soles that look like a AT boot but are way stiffer

thats the biggest drawback for a hardbooter in the job is that there is not a snowbard specific boot made that has a decent sole on it.

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I would suggest picking your resort first, to save some money. the problem i've run into with my EMT cert is everytime I move I have to get that state's cert, even though I have a national cert as well as AK, CT and now CO. It just saves time and money if you dont have to go and take a test to get a new state's cert. You'll also run into this problem with foreign countries, if you go the EMT route, which I suggest-it's more useful outside of the ski industry than OEC.

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Picking your place you need to bear in mind some places it is really tough to get by i.e. Vail, Aspen, Mammoth (now). The rent is a killer, and employee housing is miles away.

Smaller resorts are more friendly (maybe) but they are ....well....small.

I fully rate Tahoe, because it is many resorts in one area; good carving terrain; nice weather and due to the gambler factor it is super cheap.

Check out Tahoecarvers.com for more detailed info, but I'd guess staying in Stateline or South Shore would be cheap compared to mammoth which I used to pay $200 a month rent; now might be like several times that. Bumming it is fine, but you still need $$$ for beer, going out etc. Also in town transport if you don't have a car. If you nkow how to deal, then peak time in casino is mid evening, so you could ride most days. South Shore dealers (I used to be a dealer when I was an uni in NZ) are for the most part not that good, so it isn't like the strip or reno where the dealers at the big casinos are all pretty experienced IMHO. Pay would be maybe better than on mountain as well.

The best resorts in Tahoe IMHO for carving would be Squaw, ALpine, Kirkwood (which i hear is good, but haven't ridden) and a smaller one called Rose. Rose is closest to Reno, it is a 25 min drive; high too. Good alpine crew there.

It is a great thing to do when you are younger, as you get older, the opportunity cost to do something like this becomes too great, so you put it off and off, then you are with family and you miss the chance forever maybe.

Do it.

:-)

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Mmm, I would suggest Mt Hood, if you opt for summer boarding. You may have to pay partial fees for the employee pass for summer riding. but then again, its not really much of a ride unless if you're hooked up with the snowboard/ski camps of all variety. moneywise, your best bet is to be a bartender at a local bar, especially if youre experienced one. Its got drawbacks too.

And yes I agree about Vail -- its prohibitively expensive but it -can- be done. It'll be my 4th season returning -AS- an employee to vail, but more than 15 years of going to Vail with season pass.

Keynote, purchasing your own season pass is way best bet, espeically at early price (keep an eye out on Mammoth roughly now to august to get real CHEAP season pass, if it strikes you fancy).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Being paid to "play"...... INSTRUCTORS ARE GREAT !

This will be my second season at jiminy peak as a snowboard instructor. I will be taking on a minor role as a beginners "race coach" for GS and gates on one night of the week also. Free season pass, I get to ride when ever ther eis nothing going on, and I get paid to do it. even at 40.00 a day, it is better than 56.00 a day PAYING for a lift ticket.

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