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April, 2025

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What is THE place to be?

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micsinthetrees
Posts: 43 - Karma: 235
Hi everyone, i am a young dude (18) from eastern quebec and my goal is to work during the off season and ski all winter long.( if any of you are doing this, i’d be interested to hear how you do it)

that said i’m wondering what would be the best place to move for levelling up my skiing (park) and meeting chill people. i’m not looking for arrogant academy kids and rich kooks, more like people who are just passionate about skiing. thanks!
2 years ago
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Jems
Posts: 7721 - Karma: 101,039
live in vehicle
2 years ago
19 3
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dwt802
Posts: 3364 - Karma: 33,176
There is no THE place to be for skiing anymore. Everything is blown out.

If this new massive resort in Valdez AK actually happens, that could turn into THE place I think in the future and I wanna be around. If the resort is completed it will be the biggest in Alaska, completely game changing.



To help more with what you’re looking for, for the east coast I’d say like sugarbush or sugarloaf seem like they’d fit that description. As for out west, I’m not too sure.

**This post was edited on Aug 8th 2023 at 1:48:38pm
2 years ago
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bennwithtwons
Posts: 1747 - Karma: 17,098
most ski resorts come with ski resort towns built around them. that means you'll have very high livings costs compared to non-resort communities. Unless you have some way to make a shit ton of money (most 18 year olds do not), you'll need to have a job during the winter. if you get a resort job, perhaps you should look for a resort with employee housing. then try to save as much as you can during the summer so you only have to work weekends/holidays at the resorts (those aren't fun days to ski anyway, since they're much more crowded).
2 years ago
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Slowbro
Posts: 4129 - Karma: 24,618
Sunshine in AB
2 years ago
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GrapeHunter
Posts: 2406 - Karma: 8,779
Don't come out West lol
2 years ago
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Farmville420
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 66,989
Go to Burlington and ride jay peak, Killington, Sugarbush, etc.

So much incredible skiing around Burlington and that city is fun as he'll (very cold tho)
2 years ago
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Dlonetti
Posts: 1998 - Karma: 21,453
Lowkey come bum around the Midwest (MN/WI) and just lap the tow rope all winter. You’ll progress a shit ton
2 years ago
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Celery
Posts: 2117 - Karma: 26,560
Banff is a fun place to be for the winter and you might see this dude there
SlowbroSunshine in AB
2 years ago
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-Dan
Posts: 7189 - Karma: 53,458
Minneapolis is a good idea for real. Skiers don’t make that move enough.
2 years ago
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hi_vis360
Posts: 5317 - Karma: 55,080
Sounds like you’re looking for a smaller mtn with a decent park, I’ve found it’s always easier to meet people at smaller hills. Any large resort will have an element of academy kids and rich kooks, even places like sugarloaf which has great vibes compared to a lot of similar resorts
2 years ago
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johnblaze
Posts: 1543 - Karma: 2,841
Mammoth
2 years ago
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j.roc
Posts: 441 - Karma: 2,557
IMO the best resort access anywhere in the U.S. is from SLC. PCMR and Brighton are amazing for park progression.

If you want to stay on the East coast, Carinthia (mt snow) and Sugarbush have the best parks IMO.

I'd think twice about moving to the U.S. tho it's pretty fucked out here lol
2 years ago
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Rparr
Posts: 5752 - Karma: 49,061
dwt802Everything is blown out.



**This post was edited on Aug 8th 2023 at 1:48:38pm

Even my dumpy 300ft vertical ohio hills get blown out most weekends, it's sad
2 years ago
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hi_vis360
Posts: 5317 - Karma: 55,080
RparrEven my dumpy 300ft vertical ohio hills get blown out most weekends, it's sad


I had endless knee deep pow laps, first tracks on multiple runs, and no lift lines on a Saturday last season. There are still undiscovered spots
2 years ago
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HypeBeast
Posts: 10061 - Karma: 76,203
hi_vis360I had endless knee deep pow laps, first tracks on multiple runs, and no lift lines on a Saturday last season. There are still undiscovered spots

People always wanna hate. There's tons of these spots in the east and west. Shit half my ski trips purposely include places that are low key to avoid crowds.
2 years ago
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ajbski
Posts: 1313 - Karma: 5,420
Considering you are from Canada, I would 100% recommend Banff.

You can find cheap flights from Calgary to QC or MTL so you can go home every so often. Easy employment, no visa bullshit.

Get a job with a resort like norquay or sunshine or LL. The staff accommodations are pretty cheap, like 300-400$/month. You’ll meet and live with people from the resort and usually they get to know the hills pretty good and show you all the secret spots.

Ski patrol is ideal but hard to get into. Instructing you only need a level 1 from CSIA, but to get a decent wage you should at least get your level 3.

if you don’t want a job in the winter I highly recommend building out a decent camper van. (Kitchen, power bank, insulated and heater minimum) Ski the Rockies. Banff, revelstoke and red are on ikon and those are not too far apart. Kicking whores isn’t, but def worth the visit if you get more into steep pow.

you spend a couple of seasons in the interior and are enjoying it, take the next step and come over to the coastal ranges.

whis is a bit more expensive and the snowpack is a little different but the warmer weather makes van life easier.

good luck buddy. I skied out in the chic chocs this winter and apart from the shitty snow, it felt a lot like mountains in the west.
2 years ago
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dwt802
Posts: 3364 - Karma: 33,176
runforlove2024People always wanna hate. There's tons of these spots in the east and west. Shit half my ski trips purposely include places that are low key to avoid crowds.


Maybe a few smaller mountains in like Montana or Idaho but there is definitely not a ton of places left out west. Sure the east still has more lowkey smaller hills too but it’s also the east. (I’m from Vermont)
2 years ago
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HypeBeast
Posts: 10061 - Karma: 76,203
dwt802Maybe a few smaller mountains in like Montana or Idaho but there is definitely not a ton of places left out west. Sure the east still has more lowkey smaller hills too but it’s also the east. (I’m from Vermont)

There's a lot of smaller mountains (1000-2000ft vert) out west that don't get much credit. Definitely more than east coast tbh
2 years ago
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Slowbro
Posts: 4129 - Karma: 24,618
runforlove2024There's a lot of smaller mountains (1000-2000ft vert) out west that don't get much credit. Definitely more than east coast tbh


Even some of the big ones out west aren't bad. I never wait in a lift line at Sunshine, and the Vancouver hills like Grouse and Seymour can be straight up empty most weeknights. Grouse is possibly the best small mountain out west (in Canada) for pure park but Vancouver is way too expensive for most

**This post was edited on Aug 10th 2023 at 1:13:40am
2 years ago
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dwt802
Posts: 3364 - Karma: 33,176
runforlove2024There's a lot of smaller mountains (1000-2000ft vert) out west that don't get much credit. Definitely more than east coast tbh

Honestly that’s pretty true but if they’re near places with decent population it’s those that blow up. Like Montana has some real lowkey ones like Teton Pass, lost trail, and I think there is another lowkey one up north but to access those as a local you have to live in absolute bum fuck as a result, which wouldn’t necessarily be the worst but all the ones near the cities growing in people are getting mad crowded compared to what they are I hear.
SlowbroEven some of the big ones out west aren't bad. I never wait in a lift line at Sunshine, and the Vancouver hills like Grouse and Seymour can be straight up empty most weeknights. Grouse is possibly the best small mountain out west (in Canada) for pure park but Vancouver is way too expensive for most

**This post was edited on Aug 10th 2023 at 1:13:40am

That’s totally fair Canada has some seriously sick lowkey areas and lots of em
2 years ago
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thatsG
Posts: 2621 - Karma: 1,937
If you just want to ski park... what about Calgary and just ski WinSport?
2 years ago
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Slowbro
Posts: 4129 - Karma: 24,618
thatsGIf you just want to ski park... what about Calgary and just ski WinSport?


COP park is pretty bunk a lot of the time. Features aren't maintained well and sometimes there are only a few features in the park that are actually trickable lol. Sunshine / Louise is way better as far as AB goes. COP does have big jumps though which is a plus
2 years ago
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OregonDead
Posts: 7072 - Karma: 26,616
best place to be in on your skis. just click in and stay clicked in. make it a goal to do everything clicked in and avoid going inside for the entire season. your skiing will improve and you will also avoid germs and high food prices in the lodge
2 years ago
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piss.boy
Posts: 1491 - Karma: 10,621
mn/wi fs
2 years ago
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rudager
Posts: 11336 - Karma: 4,650
Apply for a job at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, cheap staff accom (that is currently not burnt down), tons of transients your age coming through, and you’ll get a discount on a seasons pass. Plus once winter is done, you can keep working there if you choose, and not rely on seasonal work (although Louise is open November-May).

all of lake Louise is staff accom, only way to live there. Could be difficult to find places to live in somewhere like Banff.
2 years ago
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Aidan.Okelly
Posts: 61 - Karma: 258
micsinthetreesHi everyone, i am a young dude (18) from eastern quebec and my goal is to work during the off season and ski all winter long.( if any of you are doing this, i’d be interested to hear how you do it)

that said i’m wondering what would be the best place to move for levelling up my skiing (park) and meeting chill people. i’m not looking for arrogant academy kids and rich kooks, more like people who are just passionate about skiing. thanks!


I just spent the 2022 season working and living in Aspen CO. I had the time of my life. Free pass for 4 huge mountains, great younger population, housing is partially subsidized so its affordable, and its fucking aspen. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to work a winter and ski all the time
2 years ago
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TroyBallsack
Posts: 674 - Karma: 12,940
yea banff is sick too cuz drinking age is 18 so u can go out anywhere and theres something on every night of the week
2 years ago
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fucintight
Posts: 298 - Karma: 741
mt is one of the last places that you can find lowkey resort riding i feel like, even on busy days i havent waited more than 5min for a lift. went from lifty-ing at mammoth to spending winters up here and it was for sure a good move. small town/hill atmosphere is so much better, dont come here tho, it sucks
dwt802Maybe a few smaller mountains in like Montana or Idaho but there is definitely not a ton of places left out west. Sure the east still has more lowkey smaller hills too but it’s also the east. (I’m from Vermont)
2 years ago
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TheSasquatch
Posts: 68 - Karma: 727
Definitely Minnesota
2 years ago
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SendyMcSendyface
Posts: 3167 - Karma: 28,726
yo mamas house



jk, sun peaks is pretty dope! Plenty of good non-skiing jobs in Kamloops too, as well as stuff around the resort.
2 years ago
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tutipups
Posts: 1691 - Karma: 10,625
if you have to stay in quebec then st sau or le relais
2 years ago
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littleman34
Posts: 1405 - Karma: 4,256
Dude you should look into tree planting for next summer, you can make 20k if you work hard in the summer and live off ei for the winter. That's what I'm doing this winter in Revy.

1st year planting is a little tricky to make good money but you'll still come out of it making much more than minimum wage, plus no rent or costs while you're working. Lots of buddies of mine are doing the van life, plant all summer, ski all winter lifestyle. You work hard in the summer but it's fun and you make a nice bit of money to live off during the winter. Try Brinkman, they're an easy company to get in with.
2 years ago
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HypeBeast
Posts: 10061 - Karma: 76,203
Why not work for the forest service? Those jobs advertise a lot more money and aren't contingent on success
littleman34Dude you should look into tree planting for next summer, you can make 20k if you work hard in the summer and live off ei for the winter. That's what I'm doing this winter in Revy.

1st year planting is a little tricky to make good money but you'll still come out of it making much more than minimum wage, plus no rent or costs while you're working. Lots of buddies of mine are doing the van life, plant all summer, ski all winter lifestyle. You work hard in the summer but it's fun and you make a nice bit of money to live off during the winter. Try Brinkman, they're an easy company to get in with.
2 years ago
2 0
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littleman34
Posts: 1405 - Karma: 4,256
runforlove2024Why not work for the forest service? Those jobs advertise a lot more money and aren't contingent on success


Thats what I'm doing atm for the rest of summer. Working as a forest tech so idk if thats exactly what you're talking about but anyways I make much more planting. That being said I imagine the work I'm doing now is not exactly the high paying forestry jobs. But still, planting wage is hard to beat with any job I've found or heard of.

What exactly do you mean by forest service?
2 years ago
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b0ss
Posts: 821 - Karma: 6,368
Grass is greener where you water it.
2 years ago
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nCrow
Posts: 1319 - Karma: 9,228
This. Further from cities the better for more skiing to yourself, but it’s what you make of it no matter where you are. Everywhere is different with its own nuanced problems
and perks.
b0ssGrass is greener where you water it.
2 years ago
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HypeBeast
Posts: 10061 - Karma: 76,203
littleman34Thats what I'm doing atm for the rest of summer. Working as a forest tech so idk if thats exactly what you're talking about but anyways I make much more planting. That being said I imagine the work I'm doing now is not exactly the high paying forestry jobs. But still, planting wage is hard to beat with any job I've found or heard of.

What exactly do you mean by forest service?

The employer on the job posting is the US forest service. That's what I mean. You mentioned a company in your post so I took that as a private government contractor.
2 years ago
1 0
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littleman34
Posts: 1405 - Karma: 4,256
First off Im in Canada where the real forestry takes place. And Brinkman is a reforestation company in Canada so they mainly employ people to plant trees. They take contracts from forestry companies who take contracts from the MNR/government.
runforlove2024The employer on the job posting is the US forest service. That's what I mean. You mentioned a company in your post so I took that as a private government contractor.
2 years ago
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HypeBeast
Posts: 10061 - Karma: 76,203
littleman34First off Im in Canada where the real forestry takes place.

Are all Canadians this pompous?
2 years ago
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Farmville420
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 66,989
b0ssGrass is greener where you water it.

This is actually the truth, there are definitely benefits of different places tho
2 years ago
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micsinthetrees
Posts: 43 - Karma: 235
littleman34Dude you should look into tree planting for next summer, you can make 20k if you work hard in the summer and live off ei for the winter. That's what I'm doing this winter in Revy.

1st year planting is a little tricky to make good money but you'll still come out of it making much more than minimum wage, plus no rent or costs while you're working. Lots of buddies of mine are doing the van life, plant all summer, ski all winter lifestyle. You work hard in the summer but it's fun and you make a nice bit of money to live off during the winter. Try Brinkman, they're an easy company to get in with.

i’ve heard this job destroys your body, that’s my main concern with it..
2 years ago
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1234567891011121
Posts: 1750 - Karma: 13,850
Live at home for a while or find something cheap more north, save cash at a job and maybe get some schooling (up to you). Ski Maximise and street (also some good-ass resorts around). You leave real damn close to some of the best skiing on the east coast IMO. The cold brutal winters, street, and having the chip on your shoulder being the one paying for your own trips to maximise around the others training will breed you into a good park skier if that's what you want.
2 years ago
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littleman34
Posts: 1405 - Karma: 4,256
runforlove2024Are all Canadians this pompous?

Maybe about logging and poutine
micsinthetreesi’ve heard this job destroys your body, that’s my main concern with it..

Yeah it kind of does if youre not smart about it but if you take care of yourself (sleep, stretch, drink less, plant with good form) it can be alright. Many people break themselves after a few years but other plant fine for a decade.
2 years ago
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cyphers
Posts: 1843 - Karma: 21,195
runforlove2024Are all Canadians this pompous?


little brother syndrome
2 years ago
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skiP.E.I.
Posts: 7960 - Karma: 23,216
Alberta is the cheapest for things like fuel and food because of the low tax. Like someone said, if you can get staff accom at Louise that's the place to go. There's a good park and the mountain is better than Sunshine imo.

That said, Sunshine was looking for park crew about a month ago, so maybe apply there if that interests you.
As far as making it work goes, just work hard in the off season, tree planting is a good option as mentioned. Avoid excessive drinking and drug use as that stuff is expensive and terrible for your health.
Whis has the best park in Canada for sure. It is expensive but you can make it work.

You could also stay in Quebec and ride Stoneham and Relais for a season or two if that would be cheaper.
2 years ago
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hoodratz47
Posts: 12028 - Karma: 9,579
Winter in Oregon. Way chill
2 years ago
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coachfraenk
Posts: 47 - Karma: 472
Its quite far away but innsbruck in the alps is really great for skiing. Its a Austrian city and is between the mountains. There are also multiple ski aread like the rail park in patscherkoffel, Nordketten Skylinpark and also Penken Park. Banger Park for summer practice is also very close. But I was sadly never there for skiing so i dont know how chill the people are there. I think dani bacher is also from innsbruck
2 years ago
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WoFlowz
Posts: 8093 - Karma: 64,453
Mad river valley slaps on weekdays. Had amazing experience there at sugarbush and snow. Didn’t make it to MRG. Mt Ellen Pass is clutch asf
2 years ago
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