Worth working s a ski instructor to Ski for free?

[Ride Delaware ?]

I’m going to take this the complete opposite direction. I would never instruct. I have zero patience. I wouldn’t want to check in. I don’t need a culture where everyone is comparing who is best and who has good technique and who sucks balls.

However, I do volunteer as a ski patroller, and I love it. Yes, you have to have a certification (OEC is the National Ski Patrol’s cert, but many mountains allow a WFR or EMT and after a year experience will let you “challenge” the OEC instead of taking the full course). It requires you to do a one day refresher each year to keep yourself valid. All mountains are different with regards to ALL aspects of their patrol. I am required to put in 22 days in a year, but I receive passes for all my dependents and I receive a comp ticket for friends for each day. We patrol out of the top of the mountain and are free to ski as long as someone is at the top of the mountain to respond to calls. We rotate run by run and are able to take a run with family and friends if coverage is adequate. We are a working patrol, so we often find ourselves cutting trees, marking hydrants and obstacles, moving snowmaking equipment, and helping injured guests. Lots of the time we just hang out at the top of the mountain. The patrol family is very similar to the PASR family. I do it mostly for the camaraderie. It’s basically just hanging out and BSing with good friends all day.

As stated before, all patrols are different. I would suggest talking to patrol members or even “interning” for a day to get a good feel for what the mountain is like. I know some mountains that require members to get further NSP training (senior certification and higher). Mine does not. I know some that don’t really let you ski on the clock. They want you at the top in order to respond. This is more likely in PA because there are so many people getting hurt in a small area. I also know of mountains that respond from the bottom on a snowmobile.

It’s really not much work, and once you have the certification you need, it really is easy on a year to year basis.

[SallyCat]

6 hours ago, Ride Delaware ? said:

I’m going to take this the complete opposite direction. I would never instruct. I have zero patience. I wouldn’t want to check in. I don’t need a culture where everyone is comparing who is best and who has good technique and who sucks balls.

However, I do volunteer as a ski patroller, and I love it. Yes, you have to have a certification (OEC is the National Ski Patrol’s cert, but many mountains allow a WFR or EMT and after a year experience will let you “challenge” the OEC instead of taking the full course). It requires you to do a one day refresher each year to keep yourself valid. All mountains are different with regards to ALL aspects of their patrol. I am required to put in 22 days in a year, but I receive passes for all my dependents and I receive a comp ticket for friends for each day. We patrol out of the top of the mountain and are free to ski as long as someone is at the top of the mountain to respond to calls. We rotate run by run and are able to take a run with family and friends if coverage is adequate. We are a working patrol, so we often find ourselves cutting trees, marking hydrants and obstacles, moving snowmaking equipment, and helping injured guests. Lots of the time we just hang out at the top of the mountain. The patrol family is very similar to the PASR family. I do it mostly for the camaraderie. It’s basically just hanging out and BSing with good friends all day.

As stated before, all patrols are different. I would suggest talking to patrol members or even “interning” for a day to get a good feel for what the mountain is like. I know some mountains that require members to get further NSP training (senior certification and higher). Mine does not. I know some that don’t really let you ski on the clock. They want you at the top in order to respond. This is more likely in PA because there are so many people getting hurt in a small area. I also know of mountains that respond from the bottom on a snowmobile.

It’s really not much work, and once you have the certification you need, it really is easy on a year to year basis.

Thanks for that overview of patrolling! I was considering volunteering 1 day a week at Suicide Six this year solely for the patient-assessment practice. (I'm just finishing EMT training and am on my town's Fast Squad, but I want more experience/confidence working with patients.)  But then my employer offered me a SICK ski pass that lets me and one friend ski anywhere in Vermont, unlimited. Soooooo, I may put off patrol until next year. I'll be a better skier then anyway!  I really liked your insider view of patrol work, though--it's encouraging and sounds like a good deal. 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

1 hour ago, SallyCat said:

Thanks for that overview of patrolling! I was considering volunteering 1 day a week at Suicide Six this year solely for the patient-assessment practice. (I'm just finishing EMT training and am on my town's Fast Squad, but I want more experience/confidence working with patients.)  But then my employer offered me a SICK ski pass that lets me and one friend ski anywhere in Vermont, unlimited. Soooooo, I may put off patrol until next year. I'll be a better skier then anyway!  I really liked your insider view of patrol work, though--it's encouraging and sounds like a good deal. 

Good choice. I don’t think you’d want to spend 6 days a week at suicide six. 

[Ride Delaware ?]

Thanks for that overview of patrolling! I was considering volunteering 1 day a week at Suicide Six this year solely for the patient-assessment practice. (I'm just finishing EMT training and am on my town's Fast Squad, but I want more experience/confidence working with patients.)  But then my employer offered me a SICK ski pass that lets me and one friend ski anywhere in Vermont, unlimited. Soooooo, I may put off patrol until next year. I'll be a better skier then anyway!  I really liked your insider view of patrol work, though--it's encouraging and sounds like a good deal. 

I have heard of these mythical passes. We used to have two of them at SR for the whole mountain because of their association with Ski Maine. I used them once in a failed attempt to hit Saddleback on a powder day. That’s too good a deal to pass up. They are much more useful in VT than Maine. Much better options for big mountains.

My wife’s brother patrolled at Suicide Six. He enjoyed patrolling but said their patrol culture just wasn’t for him. Not a knock on Suicide Six, but like I said, you have to find a mountain that works for you. Patrolling will definitely make you a better skier. Being on snow every day and not being able to avoid terrain and conditions you normally would skip is very helpful to your skill set.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

17 minutes ago, Ride Delaware ? said:

I have heard of these mythical passes. We used to have two of them at SR for the whole mountain because of their association with Ski Maine. I used them once in a failed attempt to hit Saddleback on a powder day. That’s too good a deal to pass up. They are much more useful in VT than Maine. Much better options for big mountains.

My wife’s brother patrolled at Suicide Six. He enjoyed patrolling but said their patrol culture just wasn’t for him. Not a knock on Suicide Six, but like I said, you have to find a mountain that works for you. Patrolling will definitely make you a better skier. Being on snow every day and not being able to avoid terrain and conditions you normally would skip is very helpful to your skill set.

Congrats RideDE on getting married!!!!  Did it happen over the summer?

[Ride Delaware ?]

Congrats RideDE on getting married!!!!  Did it happen over the summer?

More like late spring, but we just went on our honeymoon. I’m eager to get some of my work projects done and get to snowboarding, even if my work projects will force me to ride less this year. At least, that’s what I’m expecting...

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

5 minutes ago, Ride Delaware ? said:

More like late spring, but we just went on our honeymoon. I’m eager to get some of my work projects done and get to snowboarding, even if my work projects will force me to ride less this year. At least, that’s what I’m expecting...

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

[Ride Delaware ?]

We went on a cruise out of Miami to Cuba, Belize, and Mexico. It wasn’t my first cruise. It won’t be my last. Great relaxing time.

[Shadows]

everyone i talk to about cruises says theyre great. they also say theyre worried about the environment....but the cruise was fantastic.

[JFskiDan]

i have zero interest in getting on a boat with 4,000 other people and bobbing around the ocean.  

[toast21602]

1 hour ago, JFskiDan said:

i have zero interest in getting on a boat with 4,000 other people and bobbing around the ocean.  

Same. The only cruise I’ve gone on was a river cruise on the Rhine. That was only with ~100 people. The boat only moved at night while we slept, so that was nice. 

[indiggio]

4 minutes ago, toast21602 said:

Same. The only cruise I’ve gone on was a river cruise on the Rhine. That was only with ~100 people. The boat only moved at night while we slept, so that was nice. 

I saw them when I was over in Germany. 

On the bucket list...

 

[RootDKJ]

1 hour ago, JFskiDan said:

i have zero interest in getting on a boat with 4,000 other people and bobbing around the ocean.  

Out of the 4000, half of them are brain dead.  Half of that group seems to never leave the buffet.

8 hours ago, Shadows said:

everyone i talk to about cruises says theyre great. they also say theyre worried about the environment....but the cruise was fantastic.

I love them.  Very relaxing way to travel, especially right out of Bayonne. 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

1 hour ago, JFskiDan said:

i have zero interest in getting on a boat with 4,000 other people and bobbing around the ocean.  

Same. My parents love cruising they’ve done Alaska and a few in Europe. I think cruising is good for people who don’t want to do a lot of planning. If you’re having a bad day, watch YouTube videos of people missing their cruise ships by a minute or two.  

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

34 minutes ago, toast21602 said:

Same. The only cruise I’ve gone on was a river cruise on the Rhine. That was only with ~100 people. The boat only moved at night while we slept, so that was nice. 

The Rhine is a serious river. 

[Ride Delaware ?]

Luckily we opted for a smaller boat of 2,000 people and hardly felt crowded. It’s the perfect size, even in the boat lacks some of the newer amenities.

We saw the Allure of the Seas in port on the last day, and I think that one holds 6,300 people. It is massive. I couldn’t imagine being with that many people...

[Schif]

At least every two weeks I see shipments to the Allure of the Seas and other such named vessels in Miami. these boats are in constant need of marine and protective coatings. It amazes me that maintenance like that is just perpetually happening right under drunk passengers noses and no one even notices. Maybe they schedule the big painting jobs for the hour that the shrimp is put out on the buffet so most people are distracted. 

[Ride Delaware ?]

I couldn’t imagine running a business like that. Constant repairs. Low margins. Constantly trying to one up the competition.

[JFskiDan]

2 hours ago, JFskiDan said:

i have zero interest in getting on a boat with 4,000 other people and bobbing around the ocean.  

And keep in mind, i like boats.  If somehow, someway, someone conned me into going on a cruise, i would be the one wanting to see the engine room, steer the ship, work the throttles, etc.  

When i was younger my friends family was big into boats.  they were in a club that organized cruises.  one year i went with them from OCNJ down to the Chesapeake area.  Stayed at a bunch of different marinas, had a frickin blast.  There were 4 people on that boat.  Thats more like it.  

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

1 hour ago, Ride Delaware ? said:

I couldn’t imagine running a business like that. Constant repairs. Low margins. Constantly trying to one up the competition.

Selling tombstones is better. 

[Schif]

2 hours ago, JFskiDan said:

And keep in mind, i like boats.  If somehow, someway, someone conned me into going on a cruise, i would be the one wanting to see the engine room, steer the ship, work the throttles, etc.  

100% agree. Forget the waterslides and the basketball court. I would spend my entire trip on the bridge. Boating and navigation is incredibly fascinating to me. 

[mbike-ski]

I didn't think I'd like to cruse but its a blast - done two now. The way I see it Its just a floating hotel/town as long as your ports, excursions and dinner table are cool. Don;t think i could do more than 3-4 days though. We still semi follow the one band from one of them...

[zzslope]

On 10/18/2018 at 7:35 AM, toast21602 said:

Same. The only cruise I’ve gone on was a river cruise on the Rhine. That was only with ~100 people. The boat only moved at night while we slept, so that was nice. 

If I was going to do a cruise, a European river cruise would be the one for me.

[rummy]

On 10/18/2018 at 6:29 AM, JFskiDan said:

i have zero interest in getting on a boat with 4,000 other people and bobbing around the ocean.  

You ought to try a ship cruising the Alaskan Inner Passage or around Hawaii with a few friends.  You may change your mind.

I'm planning on taking my kids and grand kids back to Alaska this coming summer.

Edited October 20, 2018 by rummy

[RidgeRacer]

You ought to try a ship cruising the Alaskan Inner Passage or around Hawaii with a few friends.  You may change your mind.
I'm planning on taking my kids and grand kids back to Alaska this coming summer.

I have no interest in taking another cruise unless it's an Alaskan cruise which is totally on my bucket list