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May, 2025

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Ski Instructors

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mr-mcsteeze
Posts: 487 - Karma: 1,103
Any of you guys Ski instructors on here who shred the gnar hard in their free time?
11 years ago
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Brule.
Posts: 3988 - Karma: 6,719
I will be working as a ski instructor starting this winter. I will most likely be shredding the gnar when I'm not teaching.
11 years ago
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mr-mcsteeze
Posts: 487 - Karma: 1,103
Brule.I will be working as a ski instructor starting this winter. I will most likely be shredding the gnar when I'm not teaching.


dude just a warning teaching sounds good and all at first but after a while people just start pissing you off. The free pass and proforms is really the only reason i do it
11 years ago
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ZachAndCheese
Posts: 816 - Karma: 5,116
Have done it the last 2 seasons. You will learn to love caffeine after working this job. Everyday you try to ski after work you will feel like shit no matter what. It's the worst I would work from 6am-4pm and try to ski after at least twice a week and any complicated trick was impossible. The deals are dank though and it's sweet getting free tickets from other mountains. Get as many certifications as possible as this will make it much easier to rake in private type lessons where you rake in cash. Make sure you have some comfy ass boots for lower levels because you're going to be standing around literally tour whole shift picking people up. Also get on promotive.com to get some sweet offers.
11 years ago
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arnie_grape
Posts: 3459 - Karma: 11,912
I've been an instructor and freestyle coach for 4 years. I hated it at first but it just gets easier as you go.
11 years ago
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steezerampage
Posts: 2171 - Karma: 214
Yes, I am an instructor that skis everyday. Any other questions?
11 years ago
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ChillTeenDad420
Posts: 1858 - Karma: 5,512
I taught for a few years. wasn't for me, management sucked, i was consistently placed with 8+ five year old kids and the pay was shit, definitely under minimum wage. That is, until I figured out how to game those bitches and work a single 2 hour shift a week and get a free pass and tickets to other mountains. wouldn't really recommend it unless you really like to teach, fucking sucks having to work during a pow day or bluebird when you'd rather be shredding the park. plus ski instructors piss me off with their snooty technique based no fun attitudes
11 years ago
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rballs_
Posts: 709 - Karma: 2,992
I work teaching level 1 kids during the week and shred hardcore on weekends. Best job ever.
11 years ago
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Iliveinutah
Posts: 1250 - Karma: 5,147
thought for 4 years, fuck that shit man, just do lifts it pays more and you get a pass
11 years ago
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
I am 15 seasons deep, taught all over the world and love it. I dunno if I would say I 'shred the gnar hard', but I ski ok and compete in freeride.
11 years ago
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mr-mcsteeze
Posts: 487 - Karma: 1,103
any of you guys get your PSIA certs?
11 years ago
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rballs_
Posts: 709 - Karma: 2,992
snowballsdeepthought for 4 years, fuck that shit man, just do lifts it pays more and you get a pass

Where I'm from teaching pays way more than being a liftie. And plus being a liftie sucks unless you enjoy standing and doing nothing and freezing your ass off all day. If you get certification for level 7 or something, pretty much all you do is ski. you barely even have to teach and you get paid waaayyy more.
11 years ago
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Iliveinutah
Posts: 1250 - Karma: 5,147
buttermeskiWhere I'm from teaching pays way more than being a liftie. And plus being a liftie sucks unless you enjoy standing and doing nothing and freezing your ass off all day. If you get certification for level 7 or something, pretty much all you do is ski. you barely even have to teach and you get paid waaayyy more.


where I'm from you get paid by the hour your teaching the lesson at like 8$ a hr so you don't make shit. and you can only get certed to psis level 3. i was at 2 but i let it run out because i stopped teaching.
11 years ago
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Brule.
Posts: 3988 - Karma: 6,719
mr-mcsteezeany of you guys get your PSIA certs?


I'm considering possibly getting my level 1 cert by the end of this upcoming season.
11 years ago
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JamesO
Posts: 142 - Karma: 381
im not one but one the instructors at my hill aways get together and do lines when they're not instructing... really cool to watch
11 years ago
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Roo
Posts: 36 - Karma: 39
Brule.I'm considering possibly getting my level 1 cert by the end of this upcoming season.


If you have the money and plan on teaching for a bit level 1 is a joke
11 years ago
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CoyoteJenkins
Posts: 28 - Karma: 17
just tell people if the french fry when they need to pizza they are going to have a bad time
11 years ago
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Greenberger
Posts: 252 - Karma: 612
Yes and yes. 9th season full time coming up. If you're good, it's great. If not, find something else. $$$$$$
11 years ago
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YoungChristmas
Posts: 1069 - Karma: 2,147
Instructing made skiing so much less fun for me. Doesn't pay well, teaching kids is actually the worst, and it eats up much more time than you think it will.
11 years ago
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lurking
Posts: 2227 - Karma: 6,876
snowballsdeepthought for 4 years, fuck that shit man, just do lifts it pays more and you get a pass


Don't teach when you can't spell
11 years ago
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elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
I taught last year for my first time. Pretty relaxed since I got a good class, and I had plenty of time to ski round.

Definitely ski during your lunch break and eat on the chair
11 years ago
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arnie_grape
Posts: 3459 - Karma: 11,912
smellsI taught last year for my first time. Pretty relaxed since I got a good class, and I had plenty of time to ski round.

Definitely ski during your lunch break and eat on the chair


yeah man I'd always lap the park at lunch and all the other instructors thought it was weird.
11 years ago
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mr-mcsteeze
Posts: 487 - Karma: 1,103
cabdriveryeah man I'd always lap the park at lunch and all the other instructors thought it was weird.


my mountain is weird. I dont have a lunch break. I just have a break whenever i dont have a lesson and each lesson is an hour. Depending on how busy it is i could not have a break from 10-4
11 years ago
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theabortionator
Posts: 52632 - Karma: 174,693
It's not for everyone. I loved it but would get frustrated sometimes. People putting their kids in the lesson as daycare, shit like that.

I think the best thing you can do is work your way up(if it's something you love) get your certifications, maybe move into freestyle coaching. I just started again with a once a week park lesson on sundays for 3 hours. It's nice to be teaching again and I don't have the stress of doing it everyday. Also I have the same kids every week so we can really work on things instead of pouring everything you have into a lesson and then you never see them again, and move on to the next.
11 years ago
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pastysmasher
Posts: 780 - Karma: 664
Sounds like people have had some bad experiences with teaching on here.I think its sick! I teach a mix of beginner to average - god skiers and some introduction to park. Get plenty of time to go shred inbetween lessons, on quiet days and on days off and my hourly wage is pretty good plus tips. This is in Canada though. Don't know how that compares to the states.
11 years ago
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ndye
Posts: 3756 - Karma: 7,094
I coached for a ski academy this year, and it was pretty on point. The higher the level of instructing/coaching you are doing, the more fun its going to be. I basically got to lap park all winter with a bunch of kids who shredded pretty hard, and got paid to do it.
11 years ago
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