How to Make a Living as a Ski Bum
A ski bum is someone who moves to a mountain community to find a life that consists of a lot of free skiing and snowboarding. This lifestyle is usually not for everyone, but those who enjoy the outdoors and being independent can do it.
In this blog post, we'll discuss how to make enough money by renting out your ski equipment, visiting restaurants in the season, or working as an assistant coach or instructor.
#1. Find a Place to Live
There are many ways to find an apartment on a mountain. One of the best ways is to have a friend who works at the ski resort that you want to be at and ask them for advice on where to live. Otherwise, you can visit websites like Craigslist and Mountain Housing.
Most people use Craigslist because it will allow you search by both cities and mountains. You can live in a city near the mountain or live in the mountain itself.
If you are looking for housing in the mountains, it is important to read all of the fine print, because some mountains will have a maximum time limit for your stay. Typically, these limits exist for seasonal employees.
Around ski resorts there are usually many apartments available. It may be better to search for places outside of the resort area, as these tend to be cheaper and more plentiful. Mountain Housing is a website that allows you to search exclusively by mountain and price range. This is a good resource if you know exactly where you want to live but can't find any apartments on Craigslist or if you want information on prices before choosing an apartment complex or house.
Taking advantage of summer camps may also help with finding housing around the mountain area. Camps are often located near resorts and may allow you to get a place for less than what a normal apartment would cost.
#2. Volunteer
Many ski lifts and other infrastructure around the mountain are operated by volunteers. These include sign posting, food service, store work, etc. Many resorts hire people to do these things but if you have time available and have previously participated in these kinds of activities, it can be easier to just do it yourself at no charge.
Camp directors sometimes hire volunteers during the summer months to help with event setup and takedown which can also be a great source of income. Pay is usually for an hour or two per day and if you can help out once a week, it can be well worth the effort.
Visitor services (inclusivity, information desk) are definitely more attractive to volunteers during the summer months. Those who volunteer at ski areas with high visibility (i.e. in town) may find that their services as a skier are more appreciated than at some smaller mountain resorts, as opposed to being a simple line checker or pump operator.
#3. Ski
If you don't and want to know how to make money surfing , read this article .
#4. Work at a Restaurant
If you are a good cook, you could work at a local restaurant and try to make enough money to put away some cash. There are plenty of restaurants in the area that will let you work as a chef, server, or dishwasher for as many hours as you want. This is also a great way to meet people around the town and learn about the surrounding area.
#5. Coaching / Teaching
Skiing is such an amazing activity but if you have any teaching experience or used to be an instructor, you may be able to assist other people by teaching them how to ski or actually skiing with them. Teaching will be especially helpful for those who need to learn the basics, or if you have learned to do special tricks. It will also be very appreciated if you are willing to stay with someone and teach them one-on-one.
#6. Rental Gear
A lot of people actually rent snowboard gear and/or ski equipment. This works best as a side job and it usually pays more during the weekends but somewhat less during the week. Some stores may offer more flexibility than others so it might be worth checking out a few places before committing somewhere. If you want to know how to make money with a website , then read this article .
#7. Seasonal Work
If you are not able to get a job at the ski resort, or if you just want extra money there are plenty of other options for seasonal work. The most popular options include grocery stores, trade shops (ski repair), and local motels and bars.
#8. Renting Out Gear
A lot of people rent out their gear in high season so that they can afford their gear for the next year. This can be lucrative but it's worth understanding the market and knowing when you should rent and when you should sell because otherwise, you may end up renting out your gear into summer.
#9. Selling on eBay
It is possible to make some interesting money on eBay but you will have to be very careful when selling things, as there are certain rules that govern it. Read this article to find out what you can and cannot sell online and know how to protect yourself from fraud.
#10. Selling at a Mall/Market
Many people assume that they can make a living by selling their wares at the mall but this is not always the case. You may end up having more luck renting out your wares or selling them at a farmers market or other outdoor market such as at the beach . This is because outdoor markets don't usually offer much for vendors and traders, so most people focus on indoor shops.
#11. Gifting
It is possible to make a small amount of money by giving people snowboard or ski gift cards, especially if you know that there are certain shops or brands that your friends will love receiving. This can be a good way to meet new people and expand your network, but it takes more work than most people think.
#12. Have an Online Business
If you have the knowledge and ability to set up a website , then it is worth the effort. There are countless other ways to earn money with websites and I encourage you to search through all of the different industry sites (i.e.
Conclusion
Now you have plenty of ideas of how to make money around the mountain and I hope that this article helped you in deciding which ones might work best for you.
All in all, skiing or snowboarding is a great way to get fit and make a good income. You just need to be wise with the choices that you make and make sure that you are prepared for anything.
If you enjoyed this article, check out my I am 25 years old and I make enough money on the side working as a freelance writer while skiing at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in California. In this article I will show you ways on how to make money around the mountain besides just being a ski instructor/vendor (i.e.