Skiing

A Guide to Ski Resort Jobs
By Steve Hoenisch
Last updated on Nov. 22, 2004
Copyright 1996-2004 www.Criticism.Com
This information appeared in the October 1993 issue of Snow Country magazine.
Table of Contents
1 Crested Butte
2 Killington
3 Mammoth Mountain
4 Park City
5 Snowbird
6 Squaw Valley
7 Sunday River
8 Taos
9 Timberline, Mt. Hood
10 Vail and Beaver Creek
11 More Information
12 Related Pages

Note: This information pertained to seasonal applicants for the 1993 season. Call the resort to verify information for this season and read the book pictured at right.

1 Crested Butte

Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Personnel Department
P.O. Box A
Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225

Tel. (303) 349-2333

Hires: About 500 new employees.

Positions in: Lodging and mountain operations, untipped restaurant work.

Hiring dates: Beginning in September.

Free season pass: Yes, for employees who work more than 20 hours a week.

Housing/cost: Yes, but limited/$70 a month.

Medical benefits: Company pays half after 3 years of full-time seasonal employment.

Season-end bonus: Some departments.

Perks: Free group ski lessons, some free ski rentals, two free complimentary tickets for friends or family, discounts at ski shops, some free tuneups.

Best bet: Lift operator, housekeeping.

Merchant jobs/passes: Yes/price varies.

Notes: Crested Butte offers a unique College Student Program in which it recruits in the spring for next ski season about 70 students, mostly from universities in the Midwest, who are housed in Almont for $70 a month, which includes transportation to the resort. After working for the season, the students receive $500 in scholarship money.

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2 Killington

Personnel Department
Killington Road
Killington, VT 05751

Tel. (802) 422-3333

Hires: About 700 to 800 new employees.

Positions in: Reservations, snowmaking, lift operations, day care, food service and other areas.

Hiring dates: Some in Oct. and Nov., most in Dec. (call for job fair dates).

Free Season pass: Yes, for employees who work 32 hours a week or more.

Housing/cost: Depending on staff needs/varies.

Medical benefits: No.

Season-end bonus: No.

Perks: 50 percent off on rentals, 20 percent to 30 percent off at retail outlets, free lessons during a week, limited discounted child care.

Best bets: Snowmaking, restaurants, reservations.

Merchant jobs/passes: Yes/no

Notes: Snowmakers have four days on, three days off, and work either nights or days.

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3 Mammoth Mountain

Mammoth Mountain
Personnel Department
P.O. Box 24
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

Tel. (619) 934-2571

Hires: About 1000 new employees, about 1 of 5 applicants.

Positions in: Mountain operations, food service and lodging.

Hiring dates: Sept. through Feb.

Free season pass: Yes.

Housing/cost: No, but helps workers obtain housing.

Medical benefits: No.

Season-end bonus: 14 days free late-season skiing.

Perks: 50 percent off rentals and demos, 30 percent off at sport shop, free lessons.

Best bets: Night janitor, lift operator.

Merchant jobs/passes: Yes/varies.

Notes: Cerro Coso Community College in Mammoth Lakes offers classes that begin in November, corresponding with the time that many employees begin working. The scheduling of the classes to the needs of Mammoth Mountain employees allows them to attend school while they work.

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4 Park City

Park City Ski Area
Employee Services
P.O. Box 39
Park City, UT 84060
Tel. (801) 649-8111

Hires: About 500 new employees.

Positions in: On-mountain jobs, especially lift operators and snowmakers. No restaurant or lodging jobs.

Hiring dates: Mid to late October.

Free season pass: Yes.

Housing: No.

Medical benefits: No for first two years. After two years, company begins paying a small percentage of cost.

Season-end bonus: Yes.

Perks: Last season, ski lessons were $1 for employees and will probably continue to be so this season; discounts at ski shops; four 50 percent discount passes per employee for other areas in the Intermountain Ski Area Association.

Best bets: Snowmaker.

Merchant jobs/passes: Yes/varies.

Notes: Although it's not hard to find work either at the resort or in town, housing in Park City is tight. Get there early.

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5 Snowbird

Snowbird Corporation
Human Resources department
7350 Wasatch Blvd.
Salt Lake City, UT 84121

Tel. (801) 943-2243

Hires: 600 to 700 new employees, roughly 2 out of 3 applicants.

Positions in: Food service, lodging and mountain operations.

Hiring dates: Mid to late October. Call in September for scheduled job fairs. Last year, Snowbird held recruiting sessions in Washington, Michigan and Vermont; call in July to find out where it will recruit this fall.

Free season pass: Yes, for both full-time and half-time employees. Part-time employees receive vouchers.

Housing/cost: Yes, but limited to live-in positions/about $100.

Medical benefits: After 1000 hours of service.

Season-end bonus: No.

Perks: Ski pass allows employees to ride free on public ski buses to and from Salt Lake Valley. Half-price lift tickets for relatives. Free group ski lessons.

Best bet: Restaurant jobs. Variable hours provide good ski time, and jobs usually bring benefit of food while working.

Merchant jobs/passes: Yes, but less than 50/$200 last season.

Notes: Like at most resorts, the possibility of moving into a perfect ski bum job--such as waitressing or waitering nights--improves if you return the next season. Affordable housing can be found in the Salt Lake valley.

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6 Squaw Valley

Squaw Valley Personnel
P.O. Box 2007
Olympic Valley, CA 96146

Tel. (916) 583-6985

Hires: About 600 to 700 new employees, about 100 of which are lift operators. Thirty percent to 50 percent of applicants who attend job fairs are hired.

Positions in: Lift operations, guest services, tickets sales, children's ski school, retail, and other areas.

Hiring dates: Job fairs scheduled for Oct. 23 and Nov. 6; call for confirmation.

Free season pass: Yes, for those working more than 24 hours a week.

Housing/cost: Yes, but very limited/varies.

Medical benefits: No.

Season-end bonus: Yes.

Perks: Discounts on rentals, team memberships, day care, ice skating, and lift tickets at some other ski areas. Free group snowboard and ski lessons.

Best bets: Lift operator if applying during the season.

Merchant jobs/passes: Yes, in food service/about $350.

Notes: Because of the rise in applicants in recent seasons, your chances are best if you attend one of the job fairs, at which the concessions hire as well as the resort, and if you plan to work the entire season.

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7 Sunday River

Sunday River 
Personnel Department
P.O. Box 450
Bethel, Maine 04217

Tel. (207) 824-3000
Fax: (207) 824-2111

Hires: About 500 new employees, about 1 out of 4 applicants.

Positions in: Everything from lodging, retail and food service to mountain operations and construction.

Hiring dates: Mid-August through mid-November.

Free season pass: Yes, for full- and part-time employees.

Housing/cost: Yes, very limited/$60 weekly. But provides locator service.

Medical benefits: No.

Season-end bonus: No for seasonal employees.

Perks: Discounts on rentals and at retail stores, half-price on lessons and day care, free admission to resort entertainment.

Best bet: Food service.

Merchant jobs/passes: Some/varies

Notes: Because Sunday River is a self-contained resort run by the same company, it offers positions in such varied areas as waste-water management, construction and real estate.

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8 Taos

Taos Ski Valley 
Personnel
P.O. Box 90
Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525

Tel. (505) 776-2291

Hires: About 180 new employees; last year, about 33 percent of those who attended the jobs fair.

Positions in: Food service, lift operations. Entry-level work available in all departments except ski patrol and groomer, for which they hire only from within. No lodging jobs.

Hiring dates: Jobs Fair, Oct. 29 and 30. Ski instructor hiring clinic begins Nov. 28.

Free season pass: Yes, for employees working 21 hours a week or more.

Housing: No.

Medical benefits: No.

Season-end bonus: Some, based on performance.

Perks: Employees get 50 percent discounts on child care, ski lessons, food and rentals and repairs. Also receive "chits" for reduced rates on rentals, tickets and lessons for friends and family.

Best bet: Food service jobs.

Merchant jobs/passes: Yes/varies.

Notes: Taos hires almost exclusively from applicants who attend the jobs fair; if you cannot attend it, you will need to appear for an interview.

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9 Timberline, Mt. Hood

Timberline Ski Area
Personnel Department
Timberline Lodge, OR 97028

Tel. (503) 272-3715

Hires: About 300 new workers for winter season, about 1 out of 2 applicants.

Positions in: Food service, housekeeping, mountain operations.

Hiring dates: Early Sept.; job fair in Oct. (call for dates).

Free season pass: $25 for first season; $10 second season; free the third season.

Housing: No.

Medical benefits: Yes, after six months.

Season-end bonus: Yes.

Perks: Discounts at retail shops, on rentals and ski lessons.

Best bets: Housekeeping, food service.

Merchant jobs/passes: No.

Notes: Also hires for its summer ski season.

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10 Vail and Beaver Creek

Vail Associates 
Personnel
P.O. Box 7
Vail, CO 81658

Tel. (303) 479 3060

Hires: About 3000, including returning employees.

Positions in: Food service, lodging and mountain operations.

Hiring dates: Job fairs, Oct. 9 and 23.

Free season pass: Yes, for employees who work 20 hours or more a week.

Housing/cost: Yes/varies

Medical benefits: Yes.

Season-end bonus: No.

Perks: Discounts on all Vail Associates-owned stores. Free or discounted ski lessons.

Best bets: Hotel services, food service.

Merchant jobs/passes: Yes/varies.

Notes: Vail has bought several new snow cats and may need groomers.

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11 More Information

For more information about working at North American and European ski resorts, read Working in Ski Resorts: Europe & North America. It serves as an excellent job-hunting guide.

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