Where to teach skiing in the US

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To preface this, I'm a dual Australian and Canadian citizen and a CSIA Level 2 with two years experience currently working in BC. I've been recommended by some mates that I should try to get a job in the states due to the lack of qualified and experienced instructors due to the absence of immigrant workers. I'm starting University back in Australia in a couple weeks and to my knowledge, as a student I'll be eligible for a j1 work visa. How likely would it be to find work over there?

My question to you guys as someone who's never skied in the States, what mountains are best to work for? I've heard Vail can be pretty trashy employers so might want to avoid them. Not really a park skier so that doesn't fuss me, more into steep stuff skiing the whole mountain.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!
 
Telluride Colorado might not be a bad place to look into. Cost of living is high just like any other mountain town but they have employee housing and have some other nearby towns where lots of employees choose to live since the cost of living is lower.
 
Vail is fine. Also why are you trying to work in the states? Doesnt seem worth trying to get a visa if you can work in Canada.
 
Vail-owned Resorts across the US (say what you like) will accept CSIA qualifications iirc.

Just a case of getting that visa which is can be troublesome
 
If you have a visa and experience you will find work in skiing.

Look at any of the major ski resorts. They are gonna have employee housing and probably the best options for a person in your situation in terms of seasonal worker who wants to work and ski.

Top of my head

Cali (can get tons of snow but serria cement): sqaw, medows, mammoth

Oregon/washinton (can get dumped but can also rain) : baker, timberline ( im not familiar with PNW resorts)

Montana (good snow but brutal winters): Big sky, bridger bowl, Whitefish

Idaho : Sun Valley

Wyoming (stuff of Legendary snowfalls and mountains) : Jackson hole, Grand targhee (heard they have a dope housing)

New Mexico: Taos

Utah (big mountains and big snows usually) : Park city , anything in Cottenwood canyon

Colorado (Good mix of sic mountains,parks and sunshine) : Breckenridge, Vail, Copper, Keystone, Abasian, Winter park, Beaver creek, Telluride, Wolf creek, And of course Asssspen (I've spent a fair amount of time there).

I missed a lot of resorts but I'm sure people will start posting favorite resorts and what I missed.
 
Can vouch for Grand Targhee (Idaho). Good vibes, good staff, housing is kinda shit, but you don't go there for the housing. Killer fucking snow. Ski school is small, so you know everyone. They are always hiring too. Most of their new instructors last season weren't even certified. With my CSIA L1, they paid me what they would have paid an ASIA L2. They should be fine with visas too, most of their housekeeping staff are on visas from South America. Good luck bro! Also teaching sucks, and I ended up getting fired. Being a liftie is a way better gig. PM me if ya got any questions.
 
13993896:SendyMcSendyface said:
Can vouch for Grand Targhee (Idaho). Good vibes, good staff, housing is kinda shit, but you don't go there for the housing. Killer fucking snow. Ski school is small, so you know everyone. They are always hiring too. Most of their new instructors last season weren't even certified. With my CSIA L1, they paid me what they would have paid an ASIA L2. They should be fine with visas too, most of their housekeeping staff are on visas from South America. Good luck bro! Also teaching sucks, and I ended up getting fired. Being a liftie is a way better gig. PM me if ya got any questions.
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Thanks dog! Might dm you if I got any questions. What's the pay like/rent for staff accom? Seems like a sick mountain with lots of rowdy terrain!
 
13993806:theabortionator said:
Vail is fine. Also why are you trying to work in the states? Doesnt seem worth trying to get a visa if you can work in Canada.
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Fair point. I thought that since I was in school anyway might as well take advantage of the J1 visa.
 
13993852:50Kal said:
If you have a visa and experience you will find work in skiing.

Look at any of the major ski resorts. They are gonna have employee housing and probably the best options for a person in your situation in terms of seasonal worker who wants to work and ski.

Top of my head

Cali (can get tons of snow but serria cement): sqaw, medows, mammoth

Oregon/washinton (can get dumped but can also rain) : baker, timberline ( im not familiar with PNW resorts)

Montana (good snow but brutal winters): Big sky, bridger bowl, Whitefish

Idaho : Sun Valley

Wyoming (stuff of Legendary snowfalls and mountains) : Jackson hole, Grand targhee (heard they have a dope housing)

New Mexico: Taos

Utah (big mountains and big snows usually) : Park city , anything in Cottenwood canyon

Colorado (Good mix of sic mountains,parks and sunshine) : Breckenridge, Vail, Copper, Keystone, Abasian, Winter park, Beaver creek, Telluride, Wolf creek, And of course Asssspen (I've spent a fair amount of time there).

I missed a lot of resorts but I'm sure people will start posting favorite resorts and what I missed.
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Talk about comprehensive! Thanks, I'll look around at some of those and get some more info.Thanks boss!
 
13993916:-arc- said:
Thanks dog! Might dm you if I got any questions. What's the pay like/rent for staff accom? Seems like a sick mountain with lots of rowdy terrain!
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Pay as an instructor was $11/hr, rent for staff was $500/mo. Went down to $300/mo if you shared a room with someone. If you start looking soon, you can probably find a place to stay thats not affiliated with the resort. The housing situation was a bit of a pain in the ass. Targhee owns a bunch of new condos, that make up their main staff housing. I got placed in overflow, which were properties that they leased from locals. In my case, it wound up being a shitty trailer with questionable heat. To fix the heater, the landlord was required to go through Targhee which ended up taking 2 weeks. My buddy, who also got placed in overflow, wound up with a 3bdr, 2 garage house to himself for the whole season.

Pay is an issue though. As an instructor, you are only paid for the hours that you teach, meaning that you only get paid for 4-5hrs/day, despite being at work from 9 to 4. To make rent, I wound up working 7 days/week as an instructor, and 3 nights/week at the tube park. After I got fired, they let me stay on as a liftie. Even though I was only making $9/hr, I was able to work 4 8hr days/week, so I could pay rent without working at the tube hill, and still have 3 days/week to shred. Unless you love teaching, I really recommend being a liftie at Targhee over an instructor.
 
13993981:SendyMcSendyface said:
Pay as an instructor was $11/hr, rent for staff was $500/mo. Went down to $300/mo if you shared a room with someone. If you start looking soon, you can probably find a place to stay thats not affiliated with the resort. The housing situation was a bit of a pain in the ass. Targhee owns a bunch of new condos, that make up their main staff housing. I got placed in overflow, which were properties that they leased from locals. In my case, it wound up being a shitty trailer with questionable heat. To fix the heater, the landlord was required to go through Targhee which ended up taking 2 weeks. My buddy, who also got placed in overflow, wound up with a 3bdr, 2 garage house to himself for the whole season.

Pay is an issue though. As an instructor, you are only paid for the hours that you teach, meaning that you only get paid for 4-5hrs/day, despite being at work from 9 to 4. To make rent, I wound up working 7 days/week as an instructor, and 3 nights/week at the tube park. After I got fired, they let me stay on as a liftie. Even though I was only making $9/hr, I was able to work 4 8hr days/week, so I could pay rent without working at the tube hill, and still have 3 days/week to shred. Unless you love teaching, I really recommend being a liftie at Targhee over an instructor.
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Sounds brutal. Might look elsewhere.

You know anything going on in Little Cottonwood Canyon? I know housing will be a bitch there but holy fuck if Alta and Snowbird aren't insane. I know they both have snowsports schools, might flick em an email.
 
If you want to make a

Career put of it id suggest going to where the richest families vacation.

Park city

Deer valley

Aspen snowmass

Breck

Vail and beaver

Theres

So much money in those resorts is

Ridiculous.
 
Mammoth is a great spot dude, especially for instructors with qualifications. Cali has a pretty high minimum wage $12 an hour plus instructors here get raises for every 50-ish hours they teach and raises based on your level. My old roommate was making $20 an hour as a level 2 instructor by the end of the season.
 
13993984:-arc- said:
Sounds brutal. Might look elsewhere.

You know anything going on in Little Cottonwood Canyon? I know housing will be a bitch there but holy fuck if Alta and Snowbird aren't insane. I know they both have snowsports schools, might flick em an email.
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Looked into that, decided against it mainly due to housing, and the crowds. Would have meant living in SLC, and trying to commute up the canyon, which becomes a clusterfuck every pow day.
 
13994022:-eREKTion- said:
Mammoth is a great spot dude, especially for instructors with qualifications. Cali has a pretty high minimum wage $12 an hour plus instructors here get raises for every 50-ish hours they teach and raises based on your level. My old roommate was making $20 an hour as a level 2 instructor by the end of the season.
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Yeah I had a friend who worked at mammoth as well. Seems like an awesome place! I'm down for Cali but my eyes are drifting towards Utah, Wyoming or even Montana.
 
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