Whistler Snow Season
Hey guys! I’m Siena and I’m wanting to head over to whistler to do a season at the end of this year! Ive been trawling through all the info on these forums for ages and so so helpful but I’m still pretty stuck with what to do! The working holiday club is all full by now for whistler so I’m going to wing it and do it alone (seems simple enough) but my question is, will there be any jobs available with the mountain (pref in a rental shop or something similar) if I’m not able to come over until mid-late november this year?! and will I have any staff housing options by then! pls help this keen gal out!
Hey guys! I’m Siena and I’m wanting to head over to whistler to do a season at the end of this year! Ive been trawling through all the info on these forums for ages and so so helpful but I’m still pretty stuck with what to do! The working holiday club is all full by now for whistler so I’m going to wing it and do it alone (seems simple enough) but my question is, will there be any jobs available with the mountain (pref in a rental shop or something similar) if I’m not able to come over until mid-late november this year?! and will I have any staff housing options by then! pls help this keen gal out!
Welcome to Boardworld, @sienapt! ?
The short answer is yes, it’s possible, but certainly more challenging than if you were to be here for the Job Fair. The Job Fair gives you a great opportunity to get your foot in the door in regards to a job with Whistler Blackcomb and getting accommodation in staff housing. My strong recommendation is to make sure you’re here for the Job Fair. Anything is possible, however, you’re losing a valuable foot in the door opportunity. Most positions and beds will be filled during the Job Fair.
If you come late, it would mean you have to fully wing it, which could end up costing you a lot more as you search for a job and somewhere to stay.
I’m guessing you can’t come earlier because of school?
Hey thanks! yeah I’m graduating university in november so i can’t come before my last exam :( I’ve tried everything from the uni end so I’m hoping to just try and see if i can get a job sorted another way? do you know if anyone would Skype interview me or anything?
@sienapt, it’s a tough one. You’re not the first uni student to be in this predicament. 
Anything is possible if you prepare ahead of time (getting in touch with people, sending out your resumes, securing phone interviews etc.), and chase opportunities hard enough. You’re a bit limited considering you want to work for Whistler Blackcomb and get into staff housing (which is completely understandable). You are going against the standard procedure so be prepared to go the extra mile.
I would recommend as a first step to contact Whistler Blackcomb Employee Experience.
http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/employment/contact
Get some Skype credit and actually give them a call. They are really helpful. They should be able to give you an idea of whether this is possible.
If not, you can still secure a job and accommodation once you’re over here, but again, it’s more difficult for sure. There are always jobs available, but it might not be for Whistler Blackcomb, thus you’ll need to purchase a pass (you can get a discounted “Spirit Pass”). That said, jobs with WB also pop up from time to time but you’ll have to keep an eye on the postings.
I hope this helps. ?
@sienapt, it’s a tough one. You’re not the first uni student to be in this predicament.
Anything is possible if you prepare ahead of time (getting in touch with people, sending out your resumes, securing phone interviews etc.), and chase opportunities hard enough. You’re a bit limited considering you want to work for Whistler Blackcomb and get into staff housing (which is completely understandable). You are going against the standard procedure so be prepared to go the extra mile.
I would recommend as a first step to contact Whistler Blackcomb Employee Experience.
http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/employment/contact
Get some Skype credit and actually give them a call. They are really helpful. They should be able to give you an idea of whether this is possible.
If not, you can still secure a job and accommodation once you’re over here, but again, it’s more difficult for sure. There are always jobs available, but it might not be for Whistler Blackcomb, thus you’ll need to purchase a pass (you can get a discounted “Spirit Pass”). That said, jobs with WB also pop up from time to time but you’ll have to keep an eye on the postings.
I hope this helps. ?
Thankyou I’ve been emailing them heaps but I guess it’s a little early to be organizing jobs? Theoretically if I wanted a slope similar to whistler in regards to the social life and party scene, where’s another cool place in Canada I could work if I can’t get a place in whistler? I’m only a beginner snowboarder so at the moment the snow isn’t a big issue of mine, anywhere over there is better than aus right!
Try giving them a call. It’s much easier talking to someone and you’re guaranteed a response.
Nothing quite compares to Whistler, especially in regards to the social/party scene, but there’s some great places to do a season in Canada and I’m sure you’ll have a blast regardless of where you go. Here are some suggestions…
Big White
Fernie
Sun Peaks
Silver Star
Lake Louise
Revelstoke
Sunshine
... and there’s others.
@TJswish just did a season at Fernie and he’s also done a season at Sun Peaks, so he can tell you a bit more about what it’s like living and working at those resorts. TJ, anything you can add?
OK so I read through your situation and would be in a similar opinion as Jeremy (rider). Try to call them with Skype credit. Do it now, do it in July, do it in September and do it just before the job fair. Don’t annoy them but if you can get the number or extension for the manager you want it will go a long way into trying to secure something early.
OK to answer questions:
1. Nothing is like whistler in terms of party town. Banff is a close second and the others are still fun while not being an insane party.
2. Can you handle the party? I was at Fernie and still went out 3-5 times a week. This is nothing compared to what you can get at whistler and Banff. If you do end up going to one of the more remote resorts, its really up to you to invite yourself to the parties or live in the party places.
3. You’re a female. It might sound sexist but at a ski resort you’ve got a lot more chance of being hired than guys since guys will often make up 70% of the population. This also gives you the opportunity to be as slutty, prudish or normal as possible.
4. If you don’t end up getting a job at whistler and want to work for a ski hill, there is options. Choosing a smaller hill will make it easier to get into and you can often do Skype interviews. Sun peaks do theirs via Skype and I have heard of apex and manning park doing theirs like this as well.
5. Video applications. RCR (who own kicking horse, fernie, Kimberley and nakiska do their overseas hiring by asking you to upload a video of you showing your personality. I’d say unless you’re weird or do something stupid in your video there is a good chance you’ll get a job.
6. The more effort you put into snowboarding the better you will get. I’ve seen people who have never seen snow be able to do black runs within weeks and I’ve seen people buy $1500 season passes to only go skiing 10 days.
7. Rentals / retail is a decent job but honestly I prefer to be outside in a bigger team. At Fernie the rentals guys had like 8 staff and had to work 5 days a week. We started really early (6.30, 7.00 or 7.30) but only had to work 4 days a week which made it tons easier to get pow days or road trips in. Just keep it in mind. We had about 20 girls out of 60 as lifties and they mixed up the chairs you worked pretty well
8. Reciprocal passes. I’m not 100% about whistler but if I recall correctly they don’t do these. You’ll need to pay full price if you want to visit another resort. Fernie gave me a free pass to kicking horse, Kimberley, nakiska, lake Louise, sunshine and whitefish meaning I could do trips and not spend too much!
9. Whistler is known as whistralia for a reason. Other resorts still have lots of Aussies but not in the same concentration. And if you don’t end up in staff accom, Whistler’s going monthly room rate can be $1000 a month (compared to $550 for me in a lush ski chalet type place with my own room.
10. I’m rambling on now but feel free to ask questions if you like, I’ll sub to this thread 
. If Fernie is an option for you we have training on the 26th November and start work early December. If you want a party house, move in at the central (not great accom but great parties with tons of staff. I’d say its comparable or better than glacier at whistler for comparison. I haven’t been in brio or creekside) for $450ish for a room to yourself and right in town. Our main drinking holes are the Elk ($3.50 beers and other specials) or the royal (where they have DJs and some decent big name acts over the season)
Hope I helped a bit but this is sent from the phone so I may have gone off topic lol. Will have a better look tomorrow when I have the laptop. Currently on my way to English bay in Vancouver for beers with a friend I met at sun peaks . What was that cool brewery you mentioned in November? @rider26
Resorts I have had the pleasure of visiting:
Sun Peaks: Great for beginners, tons of terrain, some nightlife (locals night Tuesday and Sunday fun days). Staff accom on the mountain but 2kms from the base village area. Chicks pretty much only work detatch chairs and its 5 on, 2 off work schedule.
Revelstoke: massive mountain, short drive / bus from town to the hill. Easy to hitch hike, seems to have a similar vibe / nightlife to Fernie in that you go to the same place but its decent multiple nights a week. Top to bottom took me over an hour and I’m a good snowboarder. You’ll learn to ride trees quick cause they can’t groom much. Only detatch chairs so being a Lifty is boring. 4 on / 3 off schedule here for lifties
Manning park: smaller mountain, the hill is closed 2 days a week which would be your days off. Don’t expect a bunch of riding unless you get work ride breaks. Staff accom is a bus ride from the hill and are larger share houses. Nightlife is 1 pub and house parties. No cellular phone coverage.
FERNIE: my favourite but I’m biased. Big wide mountain, lots of terrain but nothing too long that you die by the end of a lap (15 mins top to bottom for me). Great small town, has little things like cinema and cheap drinks. The central or the fernie are like staff accom. The fernie is nicer, the central is more of a party. 3h to many great resorts.
Banff (lake Louise): LL is the best of the Banff resorts. Its built next to the famous lake by the same name and has great views. Riding there was decent but its 40 mins from Banff meaning that staff accom is on the hill and nightlife is small outside of staff accom. Most lifts are detached are the lifties looked bored shitless.
Banff (sunshine): sunshine is the flatter of the 2 Banff resorts I’ve been to. Its 15 mins from the town and you need to take a gondola up to get to any of the other lifts. That’s the longest run but you only take it when leaving the hill. Again really busy since its close to Calgary and only detach chairs so the lifties looked bored. Its 5 on and 2 off here and I’ve heard you need to be there all day even if you finish early. PH and the lifties only work 1 lift so there is no variety at all.
Kicking horse: smaller and less gladed version of revelstoke. Its 15km up to the hill from golden and a top to bottom run will be 30ish minutes for me. They get some moguls but the groomers do a decent job. Everything is newer and you’d be packing the gondola most of the time as a Lifty. Since there is only 1 main way up to the top, it was super busy (40min wait) on a Saturday pow day. At fernie you’d be talking 5-10 tops. Golden is a smaller town and is long. I also don’t think they have anything like staff accom or the central from fernie. Definitely worth a trip there though!!!!
Kimberley: all the staff were like 50+ and the hill is like an AUS hill. Pass on this one lol
Whitefish: great mountain, definitely worth a trip but its in Montana USA so you probably can’t work there lol
Sorry for all the replies, another reason I like fernie is that due to the headwalls we don’t get much wind and fog isn’t as crazy as other resorts. So being outside is really easy at this resort compared to other ones where they aren’t as protected.
Here are a few photos:
Great stuff, @TJswish. Thanks for the detailed info. I’m going to have to visit Fernie one of these days. ?
This also gives you the opportunity to be as slutty, prudish or normal as possible.
Haha, that’s some interesting advice right there… ?
Haha I was skeptical writing that but its probably something she should know before getting to a ski resort. Pace yourself haha
That is some great photos you have there TJwish….
Thanks bro, I have plenty more on my phone where I took pics but never uploaded cause I didn’t want to spam my awesome life in people’s faces haha.
hahaha - Sharing is the best thing you can do TJswish. Don’t hesitate to post them photos on here - Who cares what people think as long as you are sharing to the community in a positive way.
Looking forward to more post from you bro.