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March, 2024

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Where to take a gap year to ski?

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boston88
Posts: 1 - Karma: 16
One of my friends and I are looking to spend a winter season out west skiing / working. We all have skied Jackson Hole our entire lives and in a perfect world it is where we would go. That being said, JH is ridiculously expensive.

Where are the best places to ski and work for a season as students in between high school and college? All that is really important to us is that the housing is cheap and not ridiculously far from the mountain, and that there is time to ski in between work shifts. As of now Alta seems like the best option, but I have only considered Alta, JH, and Big Sky.

If anyone has any experience are thoughts on this please share them.
Mar 30 2018 1:10PM
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pookiss
Posts: 133 - Karma: 183
Take a break from North America, Chile would be sick
Mar 30 2018 2:35PM
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pbs
Posts: 460 - Karma: 3,131
Japan, but there is sometimes a language barrier
Mar 30 2018 4:15PM
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Dddsz
Posts: 3042 - Karma: 7,328
boston88We all have skied Jackson Hole our entire lives and in a perfect world it is where we would go. That being said, JH is ridiculously expensive.

Turns out it can be a perfect world, man. JH isn't anymore expensive than a typical town, aside from the tourists traps. I moved to Jackson Hole from Wisconsin last May and got a job at The Hostel in Teton village. My rent is $1 per day for a dorm-like room. The manager is currently looking for more employees. My roommate is headed out this week and I will be leaving in May. The only thing is that you would have to work the whole summer to save your spot for winter. PM me if you're interested because I assure you you can get the job.
Mar 30 2018 4:30PM
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HypeBeast
Posts: 9774 - Karma: 72,202
I second the Japan idea. Would be sweet to experience another culture for a year and hit that pow pow. Work as a lifty or something up there. Realistically you could move to slc later in life if you want, but I doubt most people would permanently move to Japan.
Mar 30 2018 5:12PM
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nxtyrsfulltilts
Posts: 430 - Karma: 1,533
Pringle_PiffJapan, but there is sometimes a language barrier


They have subtitles so its ok.
Mar 30 2018 5:56PM
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nxtyrsfulltilts
Posts: 430 - Karma: 1,533
Alaska is cool I guess.
Idk maybe the Alps?
Mar 30 2018 5:58PM
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Bushdid9_11
Posts: 535 - Karma: 2,208
Revel

Stoke
Apr 1 2018 7:38PM
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brogoldenhair
Posts: 177 - Karma: 690
im in the exact same boat, would love to have people to room with or ski with wherever I end up. I was looking at mammoth the other day and I think their cheapest housing is like 200$ a month, which is kinda sick, also cali minimum wage is something like 10$...
Apr 1 2018 8:47PM
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.FRY.
Posts: 5620 - Karma: 22,852
mom’s backyard
Apr 1 2018 9:22PM
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pow_pow~
Posts: 1429 - Karma: 1,804
IsitWinterYet17I second the Japan idea. Would be sweet to experience another culture for a year and hit that pow pow. Work as a lifty or something up there. Realistically you could move to slc later in life if you want, but I doubt most people would permanently move to Japan.


you can't work as a lifty in japan. only instructing or at hotels/ski shops in either niseko or hakuba
Apr 1 2018 9:29PM
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.lencon
Posts: 6753 - Karma: 17,178
Driggs maybe? Jackson is just over the pass (under an hour drive I believe, especially when roads are clear). You also have Targhee right there and tons of touring opportunities. Driggs is much more affordable and housing is much more plentiful as well. I think Driggs would be fun. Get a Jackson pass, touring setup, and you might as well get a Targhee pass for days you cant make it to Jackson, but dont want to tour either.
Apr 1 2018 10:03PM
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Deepskier
Posts: 3267 - Karma: 4,818
brogoldenhairim in the exact same boat, would love to have people to room with or ski with wherever I end up. I was looking at mammoth the other day and I think their cheapest housing is like 200$ a month, which is kinda sick, also cali minimum wage is something like 10$...


Im doing a gap year and was thinking about mammoth, looks dope.
Apr 1 2018 10:12PM
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brogoldenhair
Posts: 177 - Karma: 690
DeepskierIm doing a gap year and was thinking about mammoth, looks dope.


yeah, only thing holding me back is the somewhat inconsistent snowfall... its usually good but i heard a few years back they got almost nothing, would have to do all that work for shitty skiing
Apr 1 2018 10:13PM
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Deepskier
Posts: 3267 - Karma: 4,818
brogoldenhairyeah, only thing holding me back is the somewhat inconsistent snowfall... its usually good but i heard a few years back they got almost nothing, would have to do all that work for shitty skiing


meh they get more than southern idaho so.... but I was looking at that or BC
Apr 1 2018 10:16PM
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pow_pow~
Posts: 1429 - Karma: 1,804
Deepskiermeh they get more than southern idaho so.... but I was looking at that or BC


only really one ski area in the world that gets consistent snowfall every single year and thats japan.
Apr 2 2018 2:35AM
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mattybaums
Posts: 300 - Karma: 1,244
Problem with doing gap years in the US is they actually make you work during the ski day whereas in Europe you can work as a chalet boy for British ski company and ski 6 days a week at least 5 hours a day...only day you can't ski is changeover day when you gotta clean the chalet and get ready to receive the new guests.
Apr 2 2018 6:39AM
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C_dub
Posts: 371 - Karma: 2,306
Japan for sure. Niseko and Rusutsu are dope!
Apr 3 2018 1:33AM
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clorox
Posts: 1728 - Karma: 4,861
I'm from Massachusetts and currently doing a year at a Norwegian Folkeskole. They have all kinds of different classes and there's a class at my school that surfs and goes to japan to ski. I'm in a Touring class that travels around norway to ski backcountry. Would be most likely be cheaper than living in Jackson and whatever you choose, I'd definitely recommend travelling to another country. PM me if you want more info.
Apr 3 2018 9:00AM
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WackoJacko
Posts: 88 - Karma: 102
Japan mate im heading there to work and ski the next season mate
Apr 3 2018 9:07AM
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