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June, 2025

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How to Be a Ski Bum and Not Tank Your Life

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jackspice
Posts: 8 - Karma: 86
When I graduated college I wanted to keep skiing but also have a career at the same time.

Last season I ended up working remotely in digital marketing and was able to ski a bunch. I’m going do the same this season.

I’m curious are any of you in the same boat? How are you continuing to ski a lot and build a career at the same time?
5 years ago
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jca
Posts: 4183 - Karma: 6,390
freestyler540Im an marine engineering officer. Im actually typing this from onboard my ship! Best part of the job is being a seasonal worker. I sail from May to November with a month off to bike and keep my social life alive. I can clear 60-70G a year. Then, I have 10 grand to work with for 5 months where I can ski everyday without the office calling me.
The company pays for my travel expenses, so I get to live anywhere I want and they will cover the costs to get me to work.

I get to travel and see new places with shore leave. Been in the arctic for the last 5 years. This year we went to Pangnirtung and now Im planning to travel there to ski or hike. What I saw is amazing terrain and huge mountains to ride.

Last season I skied 127 days and Competed in a few competitions. Its been a great choice.



Somewhat similar to this guy, I fly planes in the Arctic and Antarctic on a rotational schedule. I usually end up skiing 40-60 days a season since starting this job. I like to tell people that I'm a part-time pilot, full-time ski bum. I'm away a lot and end up missing some awesome days but I take full advantage of my time at home.
5 years ago
4 0
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jca
Posts: 4183 - Karma: 6,390
freestyler540This year we went to Pangnirtung and now Im planning to travel there to ski or hike. What I saw is amazing terrain and huge mountains to ride.

I've been wanting to ski in the Pang-Qik pass for a long time. Some incredible potential on Bylot Island and Ellesmere, near Grise Fiord too.
5 years ago
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fucintight
Posts: 298 - Karma: 739
i don’t really have a career or anything since I’m 23 but i work as a lifty at Mammoth so i get to ski as much as i want during the winter and then do fire in the summer. works out really well for me! make pretty good money in the summer so i can save and then make a livable wage over the winter and be able to ski every day for work
5 years ago
4 0
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MXmx
Posts: 345 - Karma: -155
I have a cousin that works at mammoth. Visited her 3 weeks ago, I can see why people like it there.

My cousin keeps her expenses low (no car, $600 rent, etc) so she afford to live there as a waitress,

I Wish I could do that, but my life has got too complicated and expensive. l Best job I ever had was a ski instructor at deer valley despite not paying much.
davecaamanoi don’t really have a career or anything since I’m 23 but i work as a lifty at Mammoth so i get to ski as much as i want during the winter and then do fire in the summer. works out really well for me! make pretty good money in the summer so i can save and then make a livable wage over the winter and be able to ski every day for work
5 years ago
2 0
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Str8Chedda
Posts: 163 - Karma: 1,254
davecaamanoi don’t really have a career or anything since I’m 23 but i work as a lifty at Mammoth so i get to ski as much as i want during the winter and then do fire in the summer. works out really well for me! make pretty good money in the summer so i can save and then make a livable wage over the winter and be able to ski every day for work

Do you live on the resort or close to mammoth then? I’m trying to figure out how to work pt jobs at a ski hill/bartender/misc. and afford an apartment or cheaper house on my own
5 years ago
1 0
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vibecheck
Posts: 3112 - Karma: 15,206
i was a junkie for 3 year of my life on heroin, I'm clean now,
5 years ago
2 7
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elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,606
I lived with my parents and slept in my truck every once in a while last season. Skied around 60-70 days before covid. Bum lifestyle was pretty lonely honestly with all my friends working.

Graduated last December with an engineering degree. Now I live in Bozeman and work a factory job from 3:30 - 11:30. Hoping I'll be able to ski a lot this season with those hours and not be too tired.
5 years ago
4 0
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fucintight
Posts: 298 - Karma: 739
i live in employee housing. the housing people are a bunch of assholes but if you keep your head down and stay lowkey you don’t really have to worry. I’m paying about $600/mo this winter to live w one roommate and a total of 6 people in an apartment

lift ops also makes sure you have enough hours per week to cover your housing cost, so that’s kinda nice
Str8CheddaDo you live on the resort or close to mammoth then? I’m trying to figure out how to work pt jobs at a ski hill/bartender/misc. and afford an apartment or cheaper house on my own
5 years ago
1 0
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CalP
Posts: 12 - Karma: 51
ConesForBreakfastMeh i dont think I could ever 'downgrade' to east coast skiing. Nothing against yall who rip out there, just not at all interesting to me. Im trying to become less of a park rat, not more of one.

Honestly I was thinking more about Europe or elsewhere in the world, outside of the US. Airbus and the ESA are doing pretty cool things and many euro car companies catch my interest far more than any shitty American ones

Yea totally feel you, don't downgrade to the skiing. It's going to get worse here too with climate change.
5 years ago
1 0
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CalP
Posts: 12 - Karma: 51
MXmxThere are automotive suppliers in New England.

Freudenberg is a huge supplier for the big 3 and nearly all of GM products seals come from them.

They are in Bristol, NH and other cities in the lakes area. I used to do programming there when they upgraded their plant.


Yea I shouldn't of said none. I know some people who work at Global Steering Systems in CT. It's just not as big as the aerospace, medical, and defense industry and you won't be designing and building an entire car. Just supply some parts.
5 years ago
3 0
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theabortionator
Posts: 52723 - Karma: 175,359
DominatorJacquesDo it now if you can because....................."The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, he said: “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health."

No guarantees in life. You could die anytime. If you wait until you can "retire" with money, your body might be spent already.


Yeah it's kind of a shot though that a good life is working all the time, never doing anything fun so you can ball out at the countey club when you're 60.
5 years ago
1 0
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Dilldoes
Posts: 761 - Karma: 5,852
I do remote logistics analysis. I've done it for Trane HVAC and now Restraunt Technologies. Literally just left my management position at a resort so I could ski more and enjoy the amenities instead of feeling jaded (and honestly make double the money too).

I thought being up at the resort all the time would be fun but turns out for me it got old and pretty quick too.
5 years ago
2 0
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MXmx
Posts: 345 - Karma: -155
There used to be a Chrysler factory in Delaware. GM too.

When Mercedes owned Chrysler they were shutting them down and the knocking them down to save on property tax. GM and Ford typically just close the factory and wait to see if it’s needed again.

Now Chrysler desperately needs factory capacity.

When I think of Connecticut (used to live there too), I think of ESPN, insurance (huge there) and German companies. For some reason German companies (lots of engineering) love Connecticut and Illinois.
CalPYea I shouldn't of said none. I know some people who work at Global Steering Systems in CT. It's just not as big as the aerospace, medical, and defense industry and you won't be designing and building an entire car. Just supply some parts.
5 years ago
1 0
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MilkPlanet
Posts: 74 - Karma: 354
Here's a different perspective, I'm still in high school, got a part time career at a local hill as a liftie, still lots of time to change where I'm heading without pretty much any repercussions, but as of right now I'm planning to get csia cert(level 2, maybe 3) for work during winter(my hill does mtb, I wouldn't be unemployed during summer) and go to post secondary for a couple different trades, then see where I want to go. It wont be a glamorous life, but I won't be unskilled, and I'll be enjoying it. Feel free to tell me how shitty that is, I am more than 100% happy to have a stranger tell me why that's a stupid idea and end up saving me in the future. It's not a solid plan, I guarantee it's going to change, but that's where I'm at.
5 years ago
4 0
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broken_skier0
Posts: 132 - Karma: 288
MilkPlanetHere's a different perspective, I'm still in high school, got a part time career at a local hill as a liftie, still lots of time to change where I'm heading without pretty much any repercussions, but as of right now I'm planning to get csia cert(level 2, maybe 3) for work during winter(my hill does mtb, I wouldn't be unemployed during summer) and go to post secondary for a couple different trades, then see where I want to go. It wont be a glamorous life, but I won't be unskilled, and I'll be enjoying it. Feel free to tell me how shitty that is, I am more than 100% happy to have a stranger tell me why that's a stupid idea and end up saving me in the future. It's not a solid plan, I guarantee it's going to change, but that's where I'm at.


CSIA, try to get hired at Whistler. Whistler is sick. COVID notwithstanding, the night life is sick. It has a better ratio of girls to guys than most ski resorts. There's so much big mountain terrain and it's one of the top resorts in North America for pow.
5 years ago
3 0
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