working at the snow

Ahoy chaps and chapettes

just wondering whos worked at the snow before and what thoughts you have of it.
Ive been toying with the idea for a few years and i thought if im going to do it, i should do it now before i get too much older (im 33 but early 20’s at heart). Ive had a look at what the various vic mountains have on offer, yes its the time of year they start advertising if you didnt know already, and the 2 that take my fancy are the snow making & grooming. The shifts on these jobs are usually night shifts which doesnt really bother me as im past the point in my life of partying everynight, just as long as a got a few hours each day on board id be happy. Being a lifty doesnt really appeal to me but would i would do it if i had to. The pay rates for the grooming and making job is suprisingly not too bad and id still be able to make my mortgage repayments while enjoying the fruits of the australian winter however a small fruit they may be.
So regail me/us with your snow employment stories, be they of woe or joy, and if anyone had done either of the snowmaking/grooming jobs or know people that have and can give me more info on what its really like rather than the glossed up job advertisment version id love to hear about that too,

rad-gnarlical
trent

sounds alright, but I think it’d be freezing driving those things all night! Best season worker jobs I know of are Lodge/Bar jobs….best if they are on-snow of course!

You can get evening shifts working in the bar in a lodge or in the kitchen and they usually give you your lodging and food included and a couple of hundred bucks a week on top (I’ve heard of up to $3-400)...and maybe a season pass if you are lucky! not sure how much your mortgage repayments are but as far as lifestyle goes, they are the ones you are after, I think!

So i went looking for just do it images…

couldn’t help it had to post this

my mate was working the cocktail bar in the hotel on the snow next to the village 8 chair, he was on $700+ a week, all arvo/night shift from 2pm till midnight ish

I’d go the piston bully job if I was gonna do it!!!!!

Pretty sure the cabins are heated too, cords!!!!! And if ya any good at park/feature buildin I think that ya can make some reasonable livin out of it as well!!!!!

Ya Pistons are heated,  but you have picked the 2 most wanted jobs on the hill.

I know here in NSW the groomers and makers are long termers and its very hard to get into, especially for your first season.

In all honesty there arent many snowmakers positions anymore, as much of it is automated.

Seasonal work is fantastic, its most definately a party time. It is so nice, to be on the hill all day, beautiful blue bird days, snow flurries melt your heart. BUT YOUR WORKING.

You will get less time on snow than you would coming down for your annual holidays. Hubby used to do 30+ a season, he worked one, and was lucky to get in 19. You get sick of driving back up the hill everyday. If you can ride a different mountain to which you work do it. We did and it works wonders.
Your working if its snowing, raining, hailing or 20+ degrees. You cant not turn up on a powder day.

But damn I love working on the hill in winter, its just so beautiful, but then I live here year round

Hey Trent
Okay so - Snow Jobs
I’ve done 7 seasons now and I’ve done damn near everything but snowmaking and grooming.
I’ve been in the alpine railway, lifty, fitter (lift mechanic), Lift Ops Supervisor and now I’m an instructor (which is the best job I’ve ever had)
My advice is don’t listen to anyone who speaks about a job they don’t actually do, cause they are all haters and talk shit about each other.

So I can’t tell u about snow making or grooming. But I can tell you that you won’t just walk into a grooming job.
If your lucky you might get in as a snow maker your first season (though not usually).
The progression usually goes Lifty - Snow maker - Groomer. It’s a long road but can be done if u want it.

As far as working at the snow for the first time goes, I will say it’s the best and worst thing I ever did. It’s an amazing life that ends when the snow melts. Nothing will ever be as good. At least that’s how it is for me. I’m pretty much wrecked for normal life now lol.

Just try not to get too attached to it cause when it’s over, all you will want is the next season

I worked in Jindabyne for a holiday booking agency. We joined in March and I got some summer and then most of the winter.

I got to work 4 days a week, 10 hour days and ride the other 3. It worked well but I didn’t get the party scene as I kind of wanted.

Though I did get 40 odd days on the mountain and most lifties struggled to get 10-15…

I am biased, but I cant imagine a better job than to be at the mountain and be in your BOOTS all day… not standing at the lift either… but in the park, or teaching… something. Look into being an instructor… sure some days you’ll get stuck with a load of bratty kids… but truth is, you are in your gear all day. wouldnt you want to be???

The hidden perks is that when you arent teaching, you are ready to go ride… right then and there! often get to skip lift lines too.
Also you get to hang with other instructors and talk a bit about riding and getting better… I bet you’d be a better rider and get more time on snow being an instructor than any other position on the mtn.
other thanlike patroll or something like that, which is an option too.

I’m in the same boat at snowslider. I’ve been teaching snowboarding since 2005, both in Australia and Canada. There’s a lot of benefits of instructing, including better pay than most other jobs for the mountain. The best thing about teaching is how much your own technique and riding in general will improve. You’re snowboarding every day of the season and working with other instructors and trainers. There is a real focus on personal progression and most resorts really support their instructors in regards to training and become better riders.

Instructing isn’t for everyone; it takes patience and understanding. The truth is, some people hate it. But most the instructors I know really love their job. I always loved teaching and helping others progress. It gives a lot of satisfaction seeing your clients improve right infront of your eyes. Instruct for long enough and your riding will improve out of sight and you’ll be getting high levels and riding with clients that can really rip.

Just putting it out there as an option.

You have to know someone to get into grooming - IT IS THE BEST JOB IN THE SNOW. Work nights for a few hours get the tail end of the party scene and all the chicks love a piston bully, so you get tail!

Snow makers don’t really exist. The ones that do are button pushers. Mountain crew is ok but your up early, work hard but can poach the best lines.

The best jobs outside of those two don’t offer much pay ie:instructing. Bar, waiter and cooking positions are good because you work nights and can ride BUT you usually only get them if you work the breaky shift AND do housecleaning.

I HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE SNOW - no boss, in my gear all day, everyone wants to be my friend. I choose to work nights and have been around long enough that everyone wants to employ me so they do it on my terms.

Sorry I’m giving poor advice. Stay tuned I’ll offer better insight later.

I worked two seasons in a ski / snowboard hire. I had the BEST boss ever. We would (the staff) do rotation during the day to get out on the snow.

Pow days, everyone was on deck at 6:30am hiking to get first lines, then we would rotate until everything was tracked. Store normally opened at 8:00am, Pow days was 9 - 10 ish depending on how fast it was getting tracked.

As for the work, it was odd ours. We mostly did school groups, so we worked around coaches turning up and departing. When it was time to work, we worked our asses off, once the work was done, we went riding. Bonus was work was right on the mountain, straight out the door and drop in.

Ask Matty P, we worked in the same building, but he worked for a Dick Cheese

Highly recommend being a ski tech. Where are you located? There is normally a ski / snowboard tech course in Bright during May. Once you have done that, pretty much got yourself a job in a workshop.

Be wary, highly addictive lifestyle !!!!!

I agree with rentals too. For all the reasons you said above! I loved my time in rentals. Lots of opportunities for ski breaks.

But the best job i ever had was at the Alpine Hotel. Best pay on the Mountain as they had to pay us award rates, penalties overtime, public holidays. And you got a season pass cause you worked for KT.

I have always said if you truly are a snow lover you will never regret doing a season.

But I also agree with Yetski that it was hard some days to drag yourself up on the mtn on your days off! If only we were all so lucky as to afford a season pass AND blag a job at the other resort

Yet again Azz!!!!!!!

My first 2 seasons were working rentals, mostly bus groups, lift at my doorstep, hiking first lines, rotating shifts, building mini parks around the building. I loved that job.
We had access to 20 brand new boards and a variety of different boot and binding set ups.

Ski tech is a great job, weekends are hectic. Our day would start at 5:30am and we would work assembly line style fitting clothing, boots, skis, din settings and do 100-500 people by lunch then spend the arvo processing the returns - soggy wet (sometimes smelly) gear, find heaps of coin and notes in pockets! wash, dry and stack ready to it again the next day. Finish after 12hr shifts with a half hour break . But that was only Sat/Sun. The rest of the week we were lucky to get more than 3 half days as the whole team were alternating to hit the hill.

Heed the warning trentradpants I started doing seasonal work in 1998 at 26 years old. You will consider giving up you mortgage. When I was given the choice between my girlfriend of 9 years or snowbumming - I chose the snow (that was 2 years ago). At 33 you wont be the youngest (there are more committed to this lifestyle in their 40’s and 50’s) a lot of youngsters do it for a season or two and there are heaps of passer throughs - they get but a glimpse of how good it is. After a few seasons you find out how accurate all those cheesy snow movies are and how good mountain life is.

This topic is much like an inexperienced rider asking other inexperienced riders what board is the best. and they all answer with telling them that the board THEY ride is the best board… lol
But of course good lists of pros and cons on the jobs listed.

Yeah, ya better off bein a billionaire tycoon and buyin a resort in Japan!!!!!

Then we can come and live with ya!!!!!!