Working at Alta/Bird

Skithedeep

Skithedeep

Member
So I'm planning on spending my winter in SLC again in 2012/13, and I am wondering if anyone has worked at Alta or the Bird, how they liked it, what they did, and general knowledge stuff.

I spent 2010/11 at the U and had my pass to Alta so I know the area and what its like in SLC, but I'm wondering specifically about life as an employee up there. I have also worked at ski areas before so I know the typical stuff, but I want to know specifics and what working at Alta/Bird is like and how it may differ from other resorts.

So feel free to lend your experiences and let me know what I'll be getting into!
 
I've talked to a few guys who worked/work at the Bird and most of them didn't speak too highly of the management. I was gonna work there last season and they talked me out of it.
 
Are you trying to live in the valley, or at the Peruvian up there? If the latter, get ready for hippies, the non-stop smell of weed on everything, and copious amounts of powder when the canyon is closed and the resorts are still running chairs.

I've heard the bird is a little more strict about facial hair and long hair and tattoos. And they made my buddy who was a cat driver take drugs tests from time to time, and a medical exam so he doesn't scam their benefits system. Could just be the nature of being a cat driver though.

 
i've had a few homies that worked at the rustler and alfs and loved it. sounds like a wild time, lots of skiing and a pretty laid back community.
 
I hoping to live at the Peruvian, and I'm wondering how that all works. Is that the only employee housing in the canyon? and what positions are allowed to live in the dorms/housing?

I'm also trying to decide if I wanna work on the mountain or try and find a morning/night job at a restaurant or something to enable maximum ski time.

I would only work at the Bird if I couldn't find anything at Alta, not a big fan of much at Snowbird, which would encourage me to try and find something in BCC.

 
i worked at the alta ski shop this year, pretty chill except management blows. bunch of nerds...they like workers not skiers. im going somewhere else next season for sure
 
Did you get much ski time on work days? Or by liking workers you mean they keep you in the shop all day?

I totally understand when you are working you are working, but come on, people work at ski resorts to ski a lot, ride breaks are a must
 
I currently work for Alta and I really like it. My roommates work for Snowbird at the Aerie restarant, and hate it. Shitty management, late nights, crappy pay. I dont make any money, but I like working at Alta (I work mid mtn) and I ski everyday. got the bird upgrade pass for 300.

i do have some friends who work at the pdog, GMD, a-lodge, snowpine, or are lifties. they seem to like it, but you'll definitely get cabin fever living and working up there all the time.
 
I tried pretty hard to get a spot at the peruvian this year but it didnt work out. The manager said there were 435 applications for 15 or so open jobs.
 
yeah pretty much an hour everyday... some days deff more. it wasnt about the skiing, this specific shop is run by a NYer and he brings a posse of fags that work at his rafting company. They all dont ski. so its not a bro bra bla bla bla its, half chill kids that deserve to work in a ski shop... and half fags that belong back east still. it was a fun year non the less. but they dont treat u right if ur not in their posse.

so i get laid off and DONT keep my pass.... good thing i bought a bird upgrade. fuck the alta ski shop. alta itself rocks. i love it there. GMD or Alfs next season fa shooo
 
the peruvian is a private lodge, only people who work there live there. i have never lived there but i am tight with a lot of the employees, they kick ass and have nothing but good things to say. the same is also true for the A lodge, GMD, snowpine and the hustler, though you'll hear varying opinions on each place. the lift company employees live at the buckhorn which is down near the bottom of wildcat or a couple other smaller places depending on what their job is. i worked at snowbird a few years ago in my first summer here and would never work for them again, management and the whole corporate BS sucks. i left after a couple months, regardless i love the mountain so i still ski there.
 
one of my good friends and former roommate has worked at the bird for a long time as an instructor.

there are pros and cons, just like with anything, but overall he likes it.

work sucks, no matter where it is, but if you have to work, why not be on a mountain?
 
They didn't let you keep your pass?! Fuck that. Is that why you've been touring all the time?

Agreed on the ski shop.. Sucks that he just carries employees over, regardless of whether they skied or not.
 
I don't know about AltaBird, but most resorts won't do a pre-employment check so you'd be ok. That being said, if something happens on the job or you get hurt, then they almost definitely will. That's the way most resort employees get fired, at least where I worked.
 
alta does not drug test. snowbird threatens to, but i dont know anyone who has. working at alta is a good way to ski everyday, or working at snowbird at night
 
I was a lifty up there for a couple years and from open to close you get around 4 hours or more, the best part is you also get paid 8+ hours a day depending on if you do early morning stuff.
 
In the valley, you can find houses very close to the mouth or just live up there, the valley is nice tho cuz you dont end up feeling stuck up there come march when things slow down. But either way being a lifty is a good way to get tons of ski time up at alta.

 
Depending on the avvy danger and udots planned avvy migations for the day they try to run aearly am convoy of essential mountain ops personal before closing to shoot.

The majority of the times the road is closed alta bird is under interlodge and your not leaving the

building your in.

Working for the alta lodges your pay is prorated for your 3 hots and a cot so you don't make shit.

Working for the bird

well they don't call it the "corp" for no reason

 
Generally when that happens there's enough liftys that live up there that can get everything started, but it pays off to be up there with the road closed and the mountain open cuz you basically get the resort to yourself and the other employees.
 
i worked as a lifty at alta and it was the shit. I lived in the black hole-part of the buck horn which is the employee housing and its a pretty sick set up. kinda like college dorms. i definitely had it made in the shade with lemonade down in the black hole, own kitchen, bathroom and own bedroom whereas the guys had to share rooms and one bathroom but besides that its a great experience. working either as building maintenance or lift operations gives you the most ski time. As part of living up there in the employee housing, they take out the room and board (food isnt that bad,josh is best at making good dishes out of limited supplies) out of your pay check so you dont have to worry about that. as for saving though, unless you dont buy a pair of skis, new outwear or anything else, you will be able to save up a little money. Really everyone goes out there to ski, if your looking to ski but mainly make alot of money i wouldnt go to alta, the whole mindset there is ski ski ski!! PM me if you have anymore questions! its been 3 years since i worked there, but i go back every spring break and winter break and visit all the buckhorn homies!
 
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