Find a Job This Winter Working at a Beautiful Ski Resort

For the outdoor enthusiast, seasonal employment is a great opportunity to work in some of the country’s most beautiful tourist destinations, earn money while receiving plenty of perks and meet new people from all over the country.

With winter just around the corner, many ski resorts are now accepting applications for all positions. Many resorts have job fairs during the month of October, giving applicants a chance to get more information about each job, check out the resort and submit an application. Upcoming fairs include Colorado’s Crested Butte (Oct. 25 and Oct. 28), Durango Mountain Resort (Oct. 29), Aspen Snowmass (Oct. 27), and the Heavenly Mountain Resort near Lake Tahoe (Oct. 21 and Oct. 24). (See contact information at the end of this article for more information.)

Applicants have a multitude of jobs to choose from including retail, food service, child care, fitness instruction, lift operators, bus drivers, housekeepers and more. Starting wage is usually between $7 and $8/hour. Ski resorts also offer plenty of perks including free lift tickets, discounts on food and ski gear, and employee housing at discounted rates. Some even offer health benefits and a 401(k) plan.

Texas native Laura Buchanan, 28, spent two years in Durango, Colo., a popular destination for winter sports. Because of the low starting wages, she said the resort depends heavily on high school and college students. The jobs appeal to younger people who do not yet have a lot of commitments. She said the best part of working at a ski resort is definitely the free skiing. Another perk is always getting the most up-to-date information on the snow situation before driving all the way to the mountain. But don’t expect to make a ton of money.

"It's a job you do for fun, not to make a healthy living," she said.

One downside to working at a ski resort is that transportation can sometimes be difficult.