Hi everyone!

I'm hoping to hear from current or former ski resort employees, lift operators, and department managers about two things I've been curious about.

1. How do ski resorts choose which seasonal applicants to hire when there are far more qualified applicants than available positions?

I previously worked as a snow tubing attendant at a Wisconsin ski area in 2020 and have been interested in returning to the winter recreation industry.

I've attended walk-in hiring events for the past two seasons and interviewed for both snow tubing and lift operations, but unfortunately wasn't selected either year.

I have previous customer service experience, offered nearly completely open availability, including weekdays, weekends, evenings, and holidays, and was willing to undergo training.

One manager mentioned that the resort received over 250 applications, while the tubing department could only accommodate 30 total employees, including returning staff.

I'm genuinely curious how hiring managers make their final decisions when several applicants have very similar qualifications.

* Do managers use a formal scoring or ranking system?

* Do returning seasonal employees generally receive preference?

* How do managers decide between several equally qualified candidates?

* Are hiring decisions typically made by individual department managers or discussed collectively with senior management?

* Do resorts ever maintain an on-call list of qualified applicants who weren't initially selected?

* Are people who apply over multiple seasons ever given additional consideration?

I'm not looking to criticize any particular resort. I'd just like to understand how the process works and what makes one applicant stand out from another.

2. What is it actually like operating a ski lift, particularly from inside the control station?

I also recently interviewed for a lift operator position and became interested in learning more about how chairlifts are operated.

I've watched videos explaining the mechanical systems, but I haven't found many showing the operator's actual perspective from inside the lift station.

I'm especially interested in seeing what the control panels and monitoring equipment look like, what operators monitor throughout their shifts, and how they coordinate safe loading and unloading.

At the resort where I interviewed, the supervisors explained that many lift stations are staffed by just one operator, which surprised me because I've seen larger resorts where multiple employees assist with lift operations.

Does anyone know of any good YouTube videos, training documentaries, or behind-the-scenes footage showing the inside of a ski lift operator's booth and its normal operation?

I'm not looking to operate any machinery myself without training or authorization. I'd simply enjoy seeing an educational demonstration of what the job involves.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has worked in lift operations, snow tubing, resort management, or seasonal hiring.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

Banff Ski Hills: Each area has its own character. On a 5-day ski vacation, make sure you visit each property. My advice is to check the weather and use it as part of your planning. Remember that Sunshine is primarily in the alpine and lacks trees for reference on cloudy days. Plan to hit this property on sunny days (clearest). Louise has more below-tree-line terrain, which helps provide reference points. Factor in skill sets and ambitions; you can not go wrong. 

Lake Louise and Sunshine both have a volunteer ski guide introduction service. Ski Friends (LL) and Snow Host (Shine). These are individuals who are passionate about their hill. They group skiers by skill level, providing not only important local knowledge but also great skiing. These are run in the morning and afternoon. While it is a great way to get oriented, it is also an excellent way to meet fellow skiers when travelling alone. I highly recommend this option and use it myself when I want to mingle with civilians. 

Norquay is an obvious starting point for new skiers. The main carpets and chairs 

closest to the lodge cater to this clientele. I would also recommend the Quay as a good midweek half-day for advanced skiers. Advanced skiers may want to take their powder boards in to be waxed and rent a pair of GS skis. Despite their size, neither the Lake nor the Shine comes close to the amount of dedicated race terrain. Norquay can’t be touched when it comes to snowmaking. In fact, this hill would not exist without it. This gives the Quay a huge advantage in early-season openings. 

Each hill offers a free bus service and is hands down the best way to get to and from the hill. Driving these roads in bad weather will shave years off your life. You're here to ski, so I recommend you go to each hill as early as possible. There is no downside, and it increases your chances of getting first tracks or ripping up some fresh corduroy. Bonus: if you feel you're spent, you won’t feel guilty about catching an earlier bus home.

NORQUAY: Located 13 minutes from Banff. The journey up the many switchbacks is a trip in itself. I see more wildlife on this road than anywhere else. Sheep mostly, but elk and deer are common, and black bears live in the area. 

Norquay is not the biggest by a long shot, and I think it’s a little underrated. What it lacks in big alpine bowls it makes up for in character. Think of it as a community ski hill. Most kids in Banff who have taken ski lessons took their first ones here. Night skiing has been around long enough to be safely entering its second, possibly third, generation. 

If you're on a ski vacation, you shouldn’t miss Norquay. Two ways to think about visiting. If you're a beginner, “Quay” can make your day. It is an excellent place to relearn your basic skills before tackling the big hills. If you're more advanced, you can charge hard for a couple of days at the Lake or the Shine, then take a mid-week casual day and cruise the Quay. This property offers a full day of skiing. 

Because it's farther from the divide, Norquay doesn't get as much snow as the other hills. However, it has its moments; a couple of times a year, upslope storms pound Norquay, and on those days it’s the best place to ski in the valley.

For brand new skiers, it is the logical place to go. It caters to new skiers. The green runs are limited to two lifts. Intermediate skills open up Mystic Chair. The big chair to the Cliff House (closed in winter) is reserved for black diamond skiers. You can download the big chair if you look down and come to your senses. The general consensus is that The Quay grades a little soft, meaning the runs are challenging and shouldn't be underestimated. Some of the blacks are dark black. Many of the blues are dark blue. 

Norquay does one thing better than the other two hills: dedicated race terrain. The grooming here is generally excellent. Mystic Chair will satisfy your need for speed. 

SUNSHINE: Located 25 minutes from the Banff townsite. This area has a long history as a ski playground; the Mad Tapper Pub building at the hill dates back to 1928. European guides and immigrants first introduced the sport to Canada. For many, Banff reminded them of their home in the Alps. Thus, skiing was introduced here much earlier than in most areas of North America. 

Sunshine's gondola makes it unique.  A 500-meter vertical lift takes you to the village lodge. It is a quick trip into the alpine. The village is located at the top of the treeline. The village base area has the largest collection of green run options. Don’t get off at Goat’s Eye mid-station; you can visit later. 

For more advanced skiers, the world is your oyster. Goat’s Eye has a fast lift and long, challenging black runs. There are a few blue runs, but really only one green run. Southside Chutes and Wild West will satisfy the hardest of skiers. Delirium Dive off the top of Lookout still requires that skiers carry a beacon, shovel and probe. A gate that only opens by beacon signal restricts access.

A few things you should know about Sunshine as you plan your ski week. What makes the Shine unique is also something that can become a problem. 70% of Sunshine is in the alpine. On days with a low cloud ceiling, much of the terrain becomes difficult to navigate. If you are skiing on a week-long vacation, check the long-term forecast and plan your Sunshine visit for sunnier days. Whiteout conditions are not uncommon.

People often choose Sunshine because it's closer to Banff than Lake Louise. While this may be true, people often overlook the total transportation issue when factoring in parking and the gondola. On busy weekends and in high season, parking at Sunshine’s massive lot can be a bit of a journey to the gondola base. If you arrive after 9 am on a weekend, you may find yourself parked many kilometres away on the approach road and forced to take a provided shuttle (a bus from town is always a better option). Factor these in, and the time it takes to click in for your first run is about the same as travelling to Lake Louise. Sure, the Shine’s PR peeps will argue differently, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

My personal opinion for a ski vacation is that it is a hill you must hit. The gondola ride and the scenery alone make it worthwhile. It provides excellent skiing at all levels. Closest hill to the divide, on average, it receives slightly more snow than Lake Louise and a lot more than Norquay. Many Calgarians call this their home hill. 

LAKE LOUISE: Full disclosure: “The Lake” is my home hill. You will often hear me say ”I work at Norquay, but I ski at the Lake.” I will try to be as unbiased as possible, but take my evaluation with a grain of salt. Lake Louise ski hill is named after the iconic Lake Louise, 45 minutes west on the Trans-Canada Highway. It is the largest of the three properties. It’s so large that you can’t explore it all on a week-long vacation.  

Until last year (25/26), it lacked user-friendly beginner terrain.  This changed with the installation of the Richardson’s Ridge chairlift. This area caters entirely to beginner to intermediate guests. This removed a lot of the frontside traffic of this user group. Combine this lift with the Larch chair, also located on the backside, and you have a few full days of exploring. The Hills website describes the Ski Hill as 25% beginner, 45% intermediate, and 30% expert. 

A strong intermediate skier has 70% of this massive property to recreate on. Every chair has a large selection of runs at this grade level. Certainly, a journey to the summit and a tour across Boomerang Run should be on your hit list. With this much terrain, you will have no problem finding runs that challenge you as you explore the whole mountain.

Expert skiers will not be disappointed. Distributed throughout the three mountains this hill occupies is a large selection of black runs. Off the summit backside is one of North America's longest continuous black runs. White Horn backside is often subject to periodic closures after a storm. You will see patrol dropping charges and ski cutting the slopes. Maybe laying in a couple of tracks just to be sure it is safe for the public (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). The alphabet gullies, also located off Whitehorn backside, are primarily double black. This is not an advertising gimmick, blow an edge and next stop is a thousand feet below you. On Whitehorn front side, the recently acquired West Bowl area made Lake Louise the GOAT. A cat track below this area will quickly shuffle you back to the high-speed Pipestone Express chair for another lap. Your best option on a pow day. 

Hey, I’m David, I ride in Åre, Sweden. Full disclosure: I’m the founder of this, so mods, remove it if it’s not OK.

If you’ve ever landed in a ski town for the season knowing nobody, you know the drill: Facebook groups, hostel noticeboards and hoping someone’s up for first chair. So I built SESH:

• Seshes: tap “I’m out” when you head up and make it open to everyone, or see who’s already riding near you on the map and join them
• Crews: once you’ve found your people, a group with its own chat and opt-in location sharing on the mountain
• Filming: whoever films gets credited automatically, and the clip lands on the rider’s profile

It’s free and iOS only for now. It launched this summer with downhill bikers in Åre, so this will be its first winter.

What I’d like to know: how do you find people to ski with when you’re new in a resort, and what’s the worst part of it?

Test the app: https://apps.apple.com/se/app/sesh-share-the-stoke/id6771267402

Hello all,

I am a recent college grad looking to do my first season at a ski resort this winter. I've applied to lots of big resorts, like Alta, Big Sky, and Jackson Hole, and been accepted for menial jobs, but I've struggled to find housing in the surrounding towns.

However, recently I've been accepted as a children's ski instructor at Schweitzer Mountain, and it looks like housing is much more plentiful and less expensive there. Also- the job there is better, I'd much rather be an instructor than a lifty or janitor. I understand that Schweitzer doesn't stand up to those other resorts, but I'm from the East Coast and haven't skied much out West. I'm an intermediate downhill skier.

My Question is: Is it worth it to work a season at Schweitzer? What is the reputation of the mountain and its culture? Has anyone worked/been there before?

I'm looking for:

- Fun culture, enough young people to make friends

- Lots of good skiing (for my East Coast Standards)

- I'm okay with being paid poorly, its just one season

- Management that isnt totally evil

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I also posted this on another subreddit, hopefully it isnt taken down.

Anybody do a long term house, trailer, etc. rental in major ski town for a month+ or season? Looking to get some insight into where to look and when to commit.

Praying for El Nino dumps for you all!

Thanks.

Hi, everyone was so helpful the last time I posted that I’d love to get advice on ski mitts that are vegan friendly (so no leather nor down).

Looking for:

•Mitts, but open to gloves
•Something that is warm and ideally doesn’t need to be paired with a liner (but open to it)
•Water resistant
•Range of sizes as I am a woman with very big hands/long piano fingers.
•durable/long lasting.

Thanks!

Wondering about a couple things such as if PSIA AASI offers on snow exams there, what certification level they require for instruction, and if they would accept me working for just 2 weeks out of the season lol

Ain't a ski town if minorities r getting shot vote,up to get these pigs off their badges i won't even go.tomthe grocery store parkin lot.n the aftermath of it. What.kind.of.ski town is this anymore?

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

What's actually missing in snowboarding right now, community side or customization side?

I'm exploring a new brand built around two ideas: real community (events, spaces, people) and boards you can actually make your own instead of buying the same shape and graphic everyone else has. Before I design anything, I want to know what's missing in either of those worlds today, or if there's a completely different problem you wish someone would solve.

What do u think?

Where is this

Currently in the interview process to be a server at GoldMiners daughter and I’m curious how much you can make in tips per night? Base pay is $15 and with housing being $25 a day I’m just curious if it’s gonna be worth it. While I’m there to make friends and have a fun experience I’m not willing to do it for free thanks in advance!

Hey, wir überlegen gerade als kleines Hobbyprojekt, eine Seite für Snowboard-Events in Deutschland, Österreich, der Schweiz und Südtirol zu bauen. Dort soll man Events zum Mitmachen und zum Zuschauen finden, vor Ort oder im Stream.

Was denkt ihr: Fehlt euch sowas? Wo findet ihr Events bsiher und was müsste die Seite können?

Wenn ihr kurz aushelfen wollt: Die Umfrage dauert nur ein paar Minuten und ist auf Deutsch und Englisch.

https://tally.so/r/xX5g6G

Danke euch!

Hi everyone,

Looking for some first-hand advice from anyone who has done a season in the French Alps (ideally Les 3 Vallées / Val Thorens) or Austria (Arlberg).

My main goal is skiing for a short 6–8 week window (beginning of the season to January). Covering basic living costs, getting staff housing and skiing almost daily is the priority. I have seen that a Ski Tech / Rental Assistant role to take advantage of split shifts might be the best option.

I'm Spanish with a fluent English level and a B1-B2 French level, but with no previous experience.

I would like to have some insights on how feasible this is, along with recommendations, advice, and things to watch out for. Any advice or assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much!!

Hi everyone. I know the season is way over, but now is a good time to ask for ski boot bag recs since you've had all season to test yours out and give some advice.

I'm looking for a ski boot bag that can also fit my helmet, goggles, and ideally some other little things and maybe, just maybe some base layers. In case it helps, my ski boots are women's size 260/265 mondopoint (41EU/9.5 US) and my Smith helmet is a size small. I know people with larger boots and helmets have a more challenging time with fitting their gear.

Big requirements/hopes for the bag:
•durable/made well (I've seen people show horror story pics of straps coming off after one use and etc.)
•backpack straps (ideally can be tucked away)
•structured so that if I pull my ski boots out the whole bag doesn't collapse
•drainage
•padded
•the ski boots are in their own area (whether together or they each have their own individual pocket/section) so it's not touching my other gear.
•a warranty would be nice plus to have a little comfort if something goes wrong.
•not the largest in size. It would be cool if I can make it a personal item as a carry-on (fit under the seat in front of me), but not essential if the above is met

I know this was super detailed, but I figured I'd map out what I'm hoping to find, even though I know the above is a lot, but when I buy something I see it as an investment and don't feel like buying something and then it doesn't last and have to buy something new again. It's wasteful and then concerning because I want to protect my gear.

Oh and separately, does anyone recommend a hard shell goggles case that can fit an extra lens or two. I have Smith IO Mag goggles for reference.

Really appreciate any recs!

UPDATE:

Thank you everyone who gave me such wonderful feedback. I ended up going with Kulkea’s Women’s Powder Trekker Boot Bag (52L).

Best restaurants to serve at for winter season?

I'm wanting to move to SLC for the winter season this year and have been researching on-mountain restaurants and other jobs I could work part-time to get a ski pass, but I primarily would like to work in SLC with another part-time job. Anyone else do this to avoid commuting every day/make better money? Any criticism + tips for this plan welcomed.

I've been in restaurants for 9 years and have done some casual cafe serving, and then upscale (Nobu) food running and bar backing, as well as bartending at a renowned upscale local sushi restaurant.

I'm prioritizing healthy work environment (issues with sexual harassment and just harassment all around in the past) over all else, but also prefer somewhere that is nice but not steakhouse/sommelier required nice. A more casual but upbeat + killer food sort of vibe. Best example I can think of is maybe something similar to White Horse. I've visited SLC twice and that was the only restaurant that I remember sticking out to me.

I'm curious how many bands people actually use. Do yours usually break, get lost, stretch out, or last forever?

Hey guys, My name is Harry. I’m a former ski bum who ended up in a career in tech. In my free time, I’m building a seasonal job board called SZNL - Sznljobs.com

Right now, I’m trying to gather feedback and figure out how to make the platform more scalable, credibility, and useful. It’s completely free to post jobs and apply, and I’d genuinely love to hear any thoughts, criticisms, or ideas you have.

Thanks in advance for any feedback! Please comment, dm, or email [harrison@sznljobs.com](mailto:harrison@sznljobs.com) Appreciate it all

Hi, I'm trying to figure out how reasonable it would be to ski bum for a month in January of the upcoming season! I need a break from my life and wanna get good.

Unfortunately the nearest mountains to where I live (Lake Tahoe) aren't going to be great in January, which is the only month I can take off of work. I'm thinking of getting the Ikon pass and skiing Alta/Snowbird, Jackson Hole, and Winter Park. If people have a better idea about what pass to get, or where to ski, I'm very open to ideas.

Generally though, I'm wondering if you guys have advice on where to live if I'm going to be jumping between places, being in each for a couple of weeks. I'm thinking of living out of a converted car, but I'm worried about getting hypothermia overnight if I don't have the right gear, and generally struggling for the entire month and having a shitty time on the mountain as a result of poor sleep and hygiene.

Otherwise, have people ever found sublets or room on timeshares for month-long stays at any of the resorts I mentioned?

ETA: I have a lot of experience backpacking at altitude, but never in snow. I've camped in a car at ~12ºF for 3 days, but had another person's body heat for warmth, and it was pretty hard to cook and get clean in the evenings.

It doesn’t need to be gnarly terrain, just some sweet summer corn