which Canadian resort for the season?

Hi all,

I'm planning a season working in a Canadian resort next year (season 06/07)
with the missus. We're both reasonable snowboarders up for a challenge. We
will be looking for jobs when we come over, (I've an instructors licence
that i'd like to make use of). Anyway, we had been thinking of Whistler, but
decided it could be a bit of a tourist / poser resort and fancy something a
bit more 'real'. Now we're thinking of Fernie of Banff.

Does anyone have experience of riding/living/working in these places or
others that we should consider?

Cheers,
FC.

Can't say for Canadian resorts, but I worked SierraAtTahoe with G/F
for a season.
Weekends of course are tourist/poser city, but weekdays can be
interesting and fun. Besides, you could use the tips the rich give out
on weekends.
Don't plan on getting rich, as they give the good lessons to the most
experienced teachers, and first season, that just ain't you.
Plenty of days with split shifts, where you barely get to ride before
you gotta check in, and sometimes have to check in 3 times a day,
splitting your riding into tiny fragments, and making your wages depend
on ONE group lesson.
Always toughest first season, it usually does get better if you come
back for a third or fourth.....
Good luck, hope you saved enough $$$ to get by thru the winter....

Hi,

Have been squirilling away the wonga for a while now so should make and
through the winter ok. I've been thinking about the free boarding v's
teaching time thing a lot. Might it be worthwile taking a job in a bar or
something instead, then get lots of time to go riding?

"LeeD" wrote in message
oups.com...
Can't say for Canadian resorts, but I worked SierraAtTahoe with G/F
for a season.
Weekends of course are tourist/poser city, but weekdays can be
interesting and fun. Besides, you could use the tips the rich give out
on weekends.
Don't plan on getting rich, as they give the good lessons to the most
experienced teachers, and first season, that just ain't you.
Plenty of days with split shifts, where you barely get to ride before
you gotta check in, and sometimes have to check in 3 times a day,
splitting your riding into tiny fragments, and making your wages depend
on ONE group lesson.
Always toughest first season, it usually does get better if you come
back for a third or fourth.....
Good luck, hope you saved enough $$$ to get by thru the winter....

Night bartenders and waitress's get to ski the most, except maybe for
the cat drivers who work all night....but they're not usually the
boarding folks.
Least skiing is the lift ops and day restuarant employees, as they
get their one hour break, that's all, and work 5 days a week.
As a first year instructor, you'll probably get two classes each day
each weekend, and usually one or none each day during the week.
Problem is, you gotta check in every 1.5 hours, and your times will be
different from wifey's, and checking in means riding back to the
beginner lesson assembly area......

You rekon that it's the same everywhere?


"LeeD" wrote in message
oups.com...
Night bartenders and waitress's get to ski the most, except maybe for
the cat drivers who work all night....but they're not usually the
boarding folks.
Least skiing is the lift ops and day restuarant employees, as they
get their one hour break, that's all, and work 5 days a week.
As a first year instructor, you'll probably get two classes each day
each weekend, and usually one or none each day during the week.
Problem is, you gotta check in every 1.5 hours, and your times will be
different from wifey's, and checking in means riding back to the
beginner lesson assembly area......

Chris ONeill wrote:
You rekon that it's the same everywhere?

I don't know about the check-in procedure, but I've heard that his
comments about desirable jobs are accurate. Evening shift waiter at a
swanky restaurant is one of the best jobs - you can earn good money in
tips, and your day is free for skiing. I met one guy on the lift a few
years ago working at the Post Hotel in Lake Louise, he was earning as
much as $300/shift in tips. It really helps if you've got prior
experience as a waiter though. Ski towns are full of kids with no
experience. They also have lots of kids who only stick it out for one
season - if you get a hotel job and stay for more than a season, you're
senior staff practically. Easy to move up so long as you stay with it.

Neil

So has anyone got any experience of working in Canadian resorts?


"Chris ONeill" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I'm planning a season working in a Canadian resort next year (season
06/07) with the missus. We're both reasonable snowboarders up for a
challenge. We will be looking for jobs when we come over, (I've an
instructors licence that i'd like to make use of). Anyway, we had been
thinking of Whistler, but decided it could be a bit of a tourist / poser
resort and fancy something a bit more 'real'. Now we're thinking of Fernie
of Banff.

Does anyone have experience of riding/living/working in these places or
others that we should consider?

Cheers,
FC.

Chris ONeill wrote:
So has anyone got any experience of working in Canadian resorts?

Not myself. Try asking your question at www.bomberonline.com, I know
there are several people there who work either as patrollers or
instructors at Canadian resorts and a ton who work at US resorts.

Personally I think that your first choice of Whistler is probably a
pretty expensive place to live. Banff has lots of housing issues.
Fernie might be better. You could also check into Big White or
Silverstar, both of which have the advantage of being near small cities
(Kelowna and Vernon respectively) that may offer more options than the
typical small ski town. Fleaman over at bomber online works at Apex, he
can probably give you the lowdown on living in Penticton. Some other
options might be Sun Peaks, near Kamloops or Whitewater near Nelson.
Whitewater is smaller but gets dumped on nearly every year.

Neil

Thanks Neil

"Neil Gendzwill" wrote in message
...
Chris ONeill wrote:
So has anyone got any experience of working in Canadian resorts?

Not myself. Try asking your question at www.bomberonline.com, I know
there are several people there who work either as patrollers or
instructors at Canadian resorts and a ton who work at US resorts.

Personally I think that your first choice of Whistler is probably a pretty
expensive place to live. Banff has lots of housing issues. Fernie might
be better. You could also check into Big White or Silverstar, both of
which have the advantage of being near small cities (Kelowna and Vernon
respectively) that may offer more options than the typical small ski town.
Fleaman over at bomber online works at Apex, he can probably give you the
lowdown on living in Penticton. Some other options might be Sun Peaks,
near Kamloops or Whitewater near Nelson. Whitewater is smaller but gets
dumped on nearly every year.

Neil