Dear park crew'ers

I would do it man! free skiing and building can be fun if the rest of the park crew is chill. However, I would try to get another job on the side to help with dat $$

I'd consider the fact that its 2.5 hours off your day, every day you work or ski. for skiing, thats not bad, but for work... eh... and park crew gets paid virtually nothing. can you afford to have two jobs?

To clarify I am 16 and I worked all summer so im not in dire needs of cash. obviously I have parents to cover all my necessities like housing and food, So the second job really isn't needed I feel.

I mean as long as you make enough to cover gas and stuff for the week then deff go for it. I used to work on a park crew and it was hella fun. But like it was said above you won't make good money. But it pays off for free skiing and stuff.

At my ski hill the park crew dudes just ski all day and make the features after dark. Go for it. U get a free pass and get paid to do something I'd do for fun

_salty_So im out in the mid west and thinking about applying for a position as park crew the only problem is is that the hill is 1hr and 15min away. by the time I factor in gas and drive time I wont be making that much. Honestly im just doing it to go skiing and build features. Is it worth it? Do you ski alot? Is it a cool vibe in general?

K+ for help

-I Aint about that search bar life-

I'm not on park crew, but I've been commuting an hour to my mountain to work for 2 years. Even if you make much it's an excuse to go ski, you'll meet lots of people and you'll get a free pass plus other benefits. I'd say go for it.

_salty_So im out in the mid west and thinking about applying for a position as park crew the only problem is is that the hill is 1hr and 15min away. by the time I factor in gas and drive time I wont be making that much. Honestly im just doing it to go skiing and build features. Is it worth it? Do you ski alot? Is it a cool vibe in general?

K+ for help

-I Aint about that search bar life-

Hey there!

Awesome that you're thinking about joining the park crew. Hopefully you're doing it because you really want to build stuff and make the park better. Sometimes it's a lot of work honestly.

https://www.newschoolers.com/membernewsread/So-Work-Park-Crew

^ Idk if that's helpful or not but might find it interesting.

I drove 45 min each way to a mountain for 2 years, an hour and 20 to a mountain for 3 years, so I know the struggles of the gas life. On the plus Gas isn't too bad at te moment. But on a budget it's still rough.

Honestly it really depends on you. There will be some shit days and some epic days. In spite of all the bullshit I'm still doing it. 11th season right now. To me it was never about the money though, even when I was barely able to put gas in my car and eating ramen for literally every meal.
How much you ride, how much your work and other stuff really depends on the mountain.

One small mountain that has a pretty sick park had a policy where you couldn't ski while working. They would ride the lifts up on foot and walk down with rakes. That's in no way common, but I'm just saying, it really varies. Some places don't give a fuck, the park crew gets paid to ski all day, and occasionally set up some sketchy feature half falling over.

Then there are some where the park crews shred, but also work super hard on builds, and maintaining features immaculately.

Honestly it's not for everyone, but if you don't like it, it's not something you have to do next year. You didn't spend 4 years training for this job. Maybe you hate it and leave with nothing but a story and an experience, maybe you love it and it becomes your new career.

It sounds like it's something you want to do. I'd say go for it, take a stab at it, just don't break the fucking rakes!

Find a place close to the hill

DeepskierFind a place close to the hill

For sure. Could probably even split a place with other guys on the crew, or mountain employees in general. Not sure the setup though.

Even just working out a couch option for here and there. IF you're working 3 days a week, maybe rock it the 2 nights then stay at home the other nights. Or an option if the weather is shit but you have to work the next day.

I've slept in the lots, lodges, lift shacks, garages and about anywhere else at mountains, and not having to scramble for shelter or sleep in your car, is the way to go.

That said I slept in the mid lodge at gore once or twice and then rode 1k vert down of freshies to punch in for the morning. Made a bed of tower pads I scavenged from patrol

AlsoKnownAsFor sure. Could probably even split a place with other guys on the crew, or mountain employees in general. Not sure the setup though.

Even just working out a couch option for here and there. IF you're working 3 days a week, maybe rock it the 2 nights then stay at home the other nights. Or an option if the weather is shit but you have to work the next day.

I've slept in the lots, lodges, lift shacks, garages and about anywhere else at mountains, and not having to scramble for shelter or sleep in your car, is the way to go.

That said I slept in the mid lodge at gore once or twice and then rode 1k vert down of freshies to punch in for the morning. Made a bed of tower pads I scavenged from patrol

Yeah it would for sure save a lot of time and gas money