Volunteer ski patrol

It kinda depends on the mountain. Some have more funding than others. If you work for an area like Snowbird in UT it will be way more entertaining than small mountains. I'd say go for it though. Volunteering will most likely lead to pay if you are savvy.

Also If you are not a pro, working for resorts are a great way to get hooked up with the industry.

Chicks dig patrollers. End thread.

Loco-Deer-SlayerVolunteering will most likely lead to pay if you are savvy.

Not in the midwest.

Cats.Not in the midwest.

I don't know if its just my home mountain, but a few patrollers get paid. My mom has worked her way up to senior patrol and I believe she gets minimum wage. Took 5 years though.

I plan to do this at my home hill starting next winter. They have a program where you do the classroom portion of OEC September-December two nights a week then January-March you do the on hill part. It's all volunteer, but I'm on skis for free haha!

Knock out OEC or EMTB, depending on which they require.

You should do it man. The worst that will happen is you hate it and quit.

Op.I don't know if its just my home mountain, but a few patrollers get paid. My mom has worked her way up to senior patrol and I believe she gets minimum wage. Took 5 years though.

Where is that? Most places in the midwest only have volunteer patrollers. Mount Bohemia is the only exception I am aware of.

Cats.Where is that? Most places in the midwest only have volunteer patrollers. Mount Bohemia is the only exception I am aware of.

Granite Peak. They all start out as volunteers but some earn a paid spot. I definitely won't be there long enough to get paid.

Every time I see patrollers in the midwest training I fear for my life. I have been out west a few times and know how to ski so seeing the patrollers struggling to follow an instructor down a midwest black makes me cringe.

OP do you have to be 18 to do it? I just ask because I saw in a different thread you were only 17. PS I think I see you riding at Granite, jealous of your skis:)

Crispy.OP do you have to be 18 to do it? I just ask because I saw in a different thread you were only 17. PS I think I see you riding at Granite, jealous of your skis:)

My mom kept trying to get them to start a youth program for 17 year olds... they finally did but I missed cutoff by like three days.

Yeah maybe they will help me get better at park, jesus christ lol. I'll there all weekend if you want to shred!

Op.Yeah maybe they will help me get better at park, jesus christ lol. I'll there all weekend if you want to shred!

I'll say hi!

Don't be an entitled bitch ass patroller like 80% of them.

Do your thing. Take it down a notch.

Dude that's sick. You should definitely become a patroller. My suggestion is that you get qualified if needed, work at your local mountain, and if it's a career you want to pursue, then apply at a bigger mountain with better pay. My friends uncle is a patroller in the east and gets free passes for his family. If I were you though I'd go to like UT or CO. If you do end up working at the mountain then I guess you'd qualify for a promotive/3point5 account.

Come to 7 Springs, become a 'mountain ambassador.' You are trained to have general mountain knowledge, and wear many hats. I seems like a hectic job, but since your positions enable you to be so many places at once, it doesn't really work. You really just get to ski around all day.

I just completed the CSP (Canadian Ski Patrol) in class and on snow training this fall. Got in at the local east coast mountain that i wanted.

I'm volunteer but have been told if i want to work some extra evenings they would pay me.

So far so good, only done a few shifts, there's a solid crew at my mountain. We ride park in our jackets. We drink beer after. We have our own "hut" to get changed in and keep our stuff, eat lunch, chill etc. We ski for free, get free coffee and discount on food. We get pro deals from most big brands. I've only done two shifts and had a broken wrist that i had to deal with.

If your interested i would highly recommend getting into it, for the most part there will be some Jerrys around you in the patrol but there will also be a chill crew guaranteed. Great rewarding experience and looks good on your resume.

Op.I've had several family members on patrol and I'm starting to think it's something I want to do. Their experiences have seemed great overall, but I'd like to get NS's take on it.

If you have been on patrol... Would you do it again? Did you have fun? Were you still allowed to ski park? Any bad accidents?

I realize that Midwest patrol is very different than real mountains, but they all have an important job. Thanks for any advice.

talked to a ski patrol on the lift at granite and she said that you and your whole family get a free pass for the year. She said that all you have to do is volunteer one night of the week and all the weeks add up to the total number of hours you need. Also you can not ride and hit rails in the park with the ski patrol jacket on but you could take it off for two runs and then put it back on.

OtteveriEvery time I see patrollers in the midwest training I fear for my life. I have been out west a few times and know how to ski so seeing the patrollers struggling to follow an instructor down a midwest black makes me cringe.

A beginner/shit skiier wanting to be patrol is an insult to everyone. SOmeone like this should be spat on and told to fuck off not allowed to 'train.' Teach lessons, be a liftie, work the caf, but don't go trying for 'status' on the mountain and compromising the safety of those who pay to keep the hill in business.


You should go straight to the ticket office and demand to speak to the General Manager if you see a shitty skiier on ski patrol or training for it (and its not someone 70+.) You know they are just some cocksucker who knows a higher up at the mountain and got hooked up through connections and thinks it will be fun.

Just an insult to the industry and community. THose sleds are heavy you better not fuckin drop me if Im on one God forbid.

Op.I've had several family members on patrol and I'm starting to think it's something I want to do. Their experiences have seemed great overall, but I'd like to get NS's take on it.

If you have been on patrol... Would you do it again? Did you have fun? Were you still allowed to ski park? Any bad accidents?

I realize that Midwest patrol is very different than real mountains, but they all have an important job. Thanks for any advice.

And OP this is a great thing to be a part of don't worry about the money if you are genuinely interested volunteer and learn only good things will come. Patrollers are awesome and they do a lot more skiing for fun than they would ever let on.


Heres a recent story. Last blue bird pow day here in Whistler a week ago I decided to follow a girl on skis and 2 snowboarders down a ridge that led into a bowl instead of using the normal drop in the trail led to I didn't know where I was going. Lots of rocks on the ridge so slow you down so it was slow and sketchy getting down it and I had no fucking idea where to go. LIke a guardian angel (he didn't pass me IDK where the fuck he came from) a ski patroller popped up inbetween me and the 3 I was following. The 3 dropped into somewhere shitty where the pow didn't look great bc I checked out the line where they dropped and was like 'Ill find better and follow the patroller.' The patroller kept going down the ridge. Eventually he dropped in. This is like 60 degree steeps btw serious dank shit. I went down to where patrol dropped and found an even better drop in than patrol. But anyways thanks to that awesome guy who was just shredding on a blue bird day I know the headiest drop in at Blackcomb thats super easy so you can just start crushing turns right away and not focus on the drop which makes a big difference.


And I got no clue where the fuck he came from it was like he popped out of the bowl onto the ridge he didn't pass me on the ridge and its impossible to have come up from the bowl it might have been a mirage or something.


I love patrol always give them daps or a shoutout just like lifties they are there for you and are looking out.

Saw patrol sending some monster 40+ foot cliffs on a powder day at telluride. We were actually dropping cliffs in a closed off area, but they didn't make a fuss about it cause they were in there sending too. Moral, patrollers can be dope. Ya dude, like a lot of the sweet jobs you have to start low down. Once you get experience you can move up to higher positions at bigger resorts.