Cost of being a bum in Breck?

RtC.

RtC.

Active member
So I'm just wondering what you guys reckon it'll cost to bum around in Breck for a season?

I'm coming over from england and may have a H2B visa sponsoship to work on the hill in ski school but that may fall through due to Vail resorts being Vail resorts... So my alternative is to bum it.

So far i've accounted 550 for the epic pass and 500 on accom a month inc. amenities.

So thats $4050 on accom and pass for 7months.

What about food and stuff? How much a week would I need to budget?

If I brought over $8000 would I be sorted for the season with a few comp entries and trips around tahoe atah and the PNW?

Any help would be appreciated.

And housemates too, arriving late October.
 
ski school is actually a pretty easy job to get, like keystone was understaffed last year, especially for ski instructors, im not sure about breck, but i dont doubt you could get a job within vail resorts. 500 a month in breck may be hard to find if you start looking when you get out here, it all depends, i assume you're getting the epic pass to ski free on your tahoe trip, and as far as skiing in the PNW, it really depends on where you go...baker has cheap lift tickets but no close lodging, hood is flat and not that exciting to ski, crystal is fun but expensive and no park, stevens is sick but not much for lodgings either.
 
Sorry, call me a noob but what?

I plan to take the ski school job, but apparently they have huge trouble with the international visa system, there is a 33,000 visa cap, and Vail resorts are shit at getting their shit together and only like half the applicants get their visa.

So this is a kind of back up plan.
 
sorry I didn't elaborate. Riparoo is the Breckenridge Ski & Ride school mascot. You ski around all day in a dog (or whatever it is) costume and honk a silly horn and wave to all the kids.....heh
 
If you are straight with your visa I don't think it will be a problem. Vail had a very hard time finding ski instructors last year, so as long as you have a legit visa... Trips can be expensive though, especially when you drive half-way across the country.
 
Yeah man, I've been as straight as I possibly can be and was as helpful and quick in response as I could be.

It's not a question of me. it's a question of whether Vail get their system running smoothly and get all the international applications in on time. That is why they were short last year, and may be this year.

If they aren't within the first 33,000 applications to be processed, none or little of their applications will be granted. This then means they are understaffed and people like me are without employment for the season.

I am staying optimistic that it'll all be fine, but I do have to consider the fact that if I don't get a visa am I goin to be able to survive without a job.

Thanks for all the help though. Some actual figures of food costs pw and other things wouldn't go a miss.

That mascot sounds like a kinda sweet job, though I'd just lap the park all day long...
 
yeah just as a heads up the road trippin around the country will be a huge expense. I drove around utah, co, and the PNW and just slept in my car and it still was mad loot. And i mean i literally slept in my car when i went to baker, for a whole week, ate nothing but one loaf of bread, pb, noodles, and coors light, and plus lift tickets it still ended up being like 500 dollars. Gas will kill ya. i would say bring as much money as possible, but cut out the road trips first if you need to conserve.
 
Yeah man, that's what I'd been thinking, hold off on the trips for a month or two so i can get an idea of how long my skrilla will last and stuff. But yeah, max cash is the plan even if I end up working...
Thanks for all your help people.
 
i would cut out the pnw and tahoe trip and just go to utah even though u could ski heavenly for free with your pass but you dont want to go to tahoe and ski just heavenly and every where else in tahoe is pritty expensive for day passes. Utah would be the shortest drive and best skiing in my experience. day passes at alta solitude and brighton are all still under 60 billz i believe and snowbird isnt much more than that and you could just find a cheap place to stay anywhere in the city. and if your looking for cheap living look for other poeple coming over from around you that are trying to save money also and just cram into a house. also food at stores in resort towns can also be alot more expensive then in a normal area.
 
Thanks man, it's good to know what you'd recommend from experience. If it saves me money then +karma to you.
I won't be driving either so I'll have to rent, which is gonna hurt the pocket a bit...

 
Rental cars, especially SUVs are going to pretty expensive, especially if are under 25. Do you really need the epic pass if you don't have a car? I have a car and still never went to vail. It is a long drive if you live in Breck, traffic can suck balls due to weather or front range cock suckers. For the most part grocery food and booze are normally priced compared to the rest of CO. If you plan to go to the bars a lot that's going to get pricey, so just drink cheap whiskey at home till you pass out. And I am sure you could make some craigslist style cash doing odd jobs without the work visa, it won't be much, but more than nothing.

Also living in a ski town without a job can lead to laziness if you aren't highly motivated. You will start getting to the mountain at noon, then 1, then by the end of the season like 2:30.
 
Well if i'm working for the hill then I get te pass free.
If not, it will be good to have for variation man, I am well motivated and will travel to get the better snow...
I'm not super huge on going out and buying everyone drinks, and will drink before going out and stuff.

This won't be my first season, I've done 2 in europe already and worked neither time, and one in NZ aswell. So i know what laziness can be like, personally i ski every day of the season, firstish lifts until close or pain. This past season I only missed 13days from december - may. So i know the lowdown.

I'm sure rental cars are expensive from your perspective but I coming from the UK where everything is twice the price of your country. i was renting an standard estate for £96 a day ($192) now that is expensive.

Cheers for the word on craiglist, I plan on getting to know as many people as possible around town and doing as much work more people as possible. That way I may be able to afford not working ski school, but we shall see.

thanks for the help bro.
 
Alrite, so Vail Resorts officially suck my balls. They have failed to get any of their H2B vis applications verified before the limit was reached... Now this gives me a problem or two.

So i am looking for some serious advice from people who have seasoned/live in Breck.

Realistically, how much would I need to budges for rent from November 1st until May 1st so a straight 6months including utilities? I have kinda thought 500-600pm inc. utilities.

Food? Just the standard eating in every night, and coming home for lunch. What do you reckon per month?

Drink isn't a factor really but what's the cost of a decent bottle of whiskey, say a nice bourbon.

I won't need to use a car as i can use the bus service to link me to key, vail, BC and Abasin correct?

I also need some new gear s it's gonna hurt.

So,
3600 (accom)
550 (pass)
???? (food)
900 (Skis/bindings/outer)
1000 (flights from UK)

Realistically you reckon $8000 will get me through the times?

Also, a huge favor, you reckon anywhere will give me any work without a visa, like a restaurant as a dishwasher or anything dirty... It's not ideal but it would ease my situation endlessly.
So if anyone is in Breck and could ask around I would be so amazingly grateful, i mean if you managed to hook me up with some work I would be in your debt all season and you will essentially become my god! So if anyone has an email for someone that may be able to help me out you'd be amazing.

I am desperate at this point in time and will appreciate any little input you may have
Peace

 
I would count on a little more than 8000 needed. I'm still in highschool though so I don't really know. Also, busing to vail sucks. Keystone, Abasin, BReck and copper are easy, but then you are out of summit county.

For work without a visa, it would be harder, because there are a ton of seasonal workers already and they can just about always find people to fill their jobs.

If you wanted to make money, their are a ton of tourists in breck, it seems like noone up there uses them. (not sure about laws) But try to get something where you could be a street performer. In Boulder I can make about 20/30 bucks an hour for 3 or 4 hours juggling. If you could learn magic quick, or juggling, or painting portraits, doing those name things...you could probably make decent money doing that every busy night for a few hours.
 
Unless you have a place already, or something lined up, rent might be more than that if you want it in Breck. You can eat for $100 a month if you just eat baked potatoes with cheese. But you can live okay on $200 a month if you don't go out. You can get handles of Ten High Bourbon for like 13 bucks. If you're poor don't buy good booze, unless you don't drink much.

There are also going to be unexpected expenses like ER trips (the Breck med center is relatively cheap though), blackout bar tabs and losing your wallet. I would keep a certain amount of cash around because they will happen.

I would just look on craigslist when you get there, someone will have some odd jobs for you. People are always looking for nannies there. I highly doubt street performing in Breck would work without some type of license. This isn't Boulder, the cops would send you home. Just sell weed, perform illegal late term abortions in alleys or sell booze to summit high kids.
 
ill take it! i'm good with kids, and i could bring out the badass jib nasty side of the ripa. not to mention the dogg steeze.
 
Yeah man, I've done seasons before though, and am pretty clever with money and living on a budget. Speaking to a few people they have told me that living off of about 300 a month is plenty for food so I will be plenty fine enough. I may have enough to get some new outerwear... Hmmm what to get?

Anyone who is looking for housemates please get in touch with me, I would like to try and get something sorted soonish. I am fully housetrained and a sweet cook.

But holy shit, 7g in 2months you must have been going hard out everynight and eating on the hill most days.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top