Heartiage club looking for employss

[BenedictGomez]

Working at a private ski are would be a phenomenal gig.

 

[dblskifanatic]

Eh. Sounds like a job that's fun the first few nights then quickly dulls out. I've heard that it can be pretty boring if you're grooming wide, not-so-steep slopes.

But at the same time I was told by a cat operator on a night after a rain/flash-freeze he started sliding down a steep trail...even with the tiller engaged...so that must've been pretty fun!

Try replacing a track on on that slipped off in the middle of a fairly steep trail. That is scary shit. When I made snow at Jay Peak we had that happen and I thought we were going to die when it slipped of. Also had the opportunity to slide uncontrollably down the top part of Lower River Quai - was moving the snow gun and lost footing on a night when it was freezing rain! These guys do not get paid enough for those types of events.

 

[icecoast1]

There's a few people on this forum that have been told that time after time and they still don't get it and think that lifties in Jackson and Aspen should make $30/hr so they can afford a nice one bedroom apartment 10 minutes from the mountain.

No lifties shouldn't be getting 30 per hour but heavy equipment operators should be getting a lot more than 15 and the same can be said about many other positions

 

[snoseek]

The trick to it all is decent affordable staff housing

 

[deadheadskier]

If I'm a resort owner and I'm investing many hundreds of thousands of dollars on a Prinoth, I think I'd want someone a bit more capable operating it that demands more than $15/hr.

 

[mister moose]

^ That doesn't apply in many jobs. What is the hourly pay to operate a 6 million dollar detachable? What was the pay for Gemini astronauts to orbit the earth in a 2.25 billion dollar rocket program? That said, I'd be shocked if a groomer with experience makes anything close to $15/hr, but I'll bet it's less than you'd make driving a D6 Dozer on a construction project.

 

[Newpylong]

A non-supervisory groomer job typically starts in the low 20s/hr.

The comparison to operating a lift is not really realistic. Lift attendants, while having to be attentive, are essentially warm bodies that have to push one of three buttons during their shift and use a rake.

A groomer on the other hand is in direct control of that equipment and skill is required to both operate safely and put down a good product. Training a groomer is a multi-year investment.

 

[BenedictGomez]

No lifties shouldn't be getting 30 per hour but heavy equipment operators should be getting a lot more than 15 and the same can be said about many other positions

Who is forcing them to work for that rate against their will?

 

[deadheadskier]

^ That doesn't apply in many jobs. What is the hourly pay to operate a 6 million dollar detachable? What was the pay for Gemini astronauts to orbit the earth in a 2.25 billion dollar rocket program? That said, I'd be shocked if a groomer with experience makes anything close to $15/hr, but I'll bet it's less than you'd make driving a D6 Dozer on a construction project.

If you interpreted my statement as an absolute linear relationship between investment and wages paid out, well that wasn't the point.

It's a skiing forum. My assumption was people would recognize a Snowcat operator as a highly specialized employee who can not only operate an expensive piece of equipment mostly unsupervised, but also do so during the dark of night with horrible scheduling consistency. There's not a lot of people out there right now looking to take that job at what the industry is paying.

You pay that guy lots when you find them. Especially when 70% of the market wants a perfect groom.

That's all I was saying

 

[mister moose]

Doesn't look that way. Here's a posting for a groomer at Copper

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Starting is $16 - $17.39, it looks like it tops out at $24/hr based on a yearly 48k equivalent. So you get hired for 16, and probably make 20 after 5 seasons. $24 is probably a shift leader. That isn't "paying them a lot". Ski industry hourly jobs are just not highly paid. You can make far more (20-35/hr) as a regular heavy equipment operator.

 

[deadheadskier]

Thank you captain obvious

Perhaps with the labor shortages the industry is facing, management might want to take a look at wages. Just a suggestion

 

[mister moose]

Thank you captain obvious

Perhaps with the labor shortages the industry is facing, management might want to take a look at wages. Just a suggestion

My assumption was people would recognize a Snowcat operator as a highly specialized employee who can not only operate an expensive piece of equipment mostly unsupervised, but also do so during the dark of night with horrible scheduling consistency. There's not a lot of people out there right now looking to take that job at what the industry is paying.

You pay that guy lots when you find them. Especially when 70% of the market wants a perfect groom.

No need to be snarky. It wasn't obvious to you yesterday.

 

[raisingarizona]

Who is forcing them to work for that rate against their will?

Well I can’t speak for everyone and let’s face it, broad generalizations are pretty dumb anyways but a lot of folks are desperate and have bills to pay so they get taken advantage of.

 

[raisingarizona]

There's a few people on this forum that have been told that time after time and they still don't get it and think that lifties in Jackson and Aspen should make $30/hr so they can afford a nice one bedroom apartment 10 minutes from the mountain.

If there’s no housing for the employees you won’t have any.

I was talking to a friend up in Jackson just a few days ago and some restaurants in town are so desperate for employees they are offering up to 40-50 bucks an hour to start. That’s quite the turning of tables and imho proof that employers can afford to treat their staff better.

Some of you sound like a bunch of crusty boomers with the whole “they don’t deserve better pay” BS but statistically there aren’t enough jobs out there that have good wages, especially in ski towns. So if you crusty boomers from the city want quality service on your vacations these resort business operators are going to have to rethink their programs. The traditional ski bum imho was the soul of the sport and is unfortunately an endangered species

 

[raisingarizona]

Eh. Sounds like a job that's fun the first few nights then quickly dulls out. I've heard that it can be pretty boring if you're grooming wide, not-so-steep slopes.

But at the same time I was told by a cat operator on a night after a rain/flash-freeze he started sliding down a steep trail...even with the tiller engaged...so that must've been pretty fun!

Getting paid table scraps to risk your life isn’t fun. It’s stupid and it sucks.

 

[snoseek]

If there’s no housing for the employees you won’t have any.

I was talking to a friend up in Jackson just a few days ago and some restaurants in town are so desperate for employees they are offering up to 40-50 bucks an hour to start. That’s quite the turning of tables and imho proof that employers can afford to treat their staff better.

Some of you sound like a bunch of crusty boomers with the whole “they don’t deserve better pay” BS but statistically there aren’t enough jobs out there that have good wages, especially in ski towns. So if you crusty boomers from the city want quality service on your vacations these resort business operators are going to have to rethink their programs. The traditional ski bum imho was the soul of the sport and is unfortunately an endangered species

Huge shift in restaurants right now. A lot of skilled labor moved on...and now people are realizing you can't just throw a warm body in there and expect any kind of decent food/service. The ones that are left are fried and the word union is being brought up alot more. Expect the bill to get high soon...its been artificially low forever.

Part of me is enjoying the mess. Part of me wants the first of thanos to cut this industry in half and weed out the shitty owners and companies. Part of me wants to see people cook there own food more often.

So yeah if pass prices need to go up to compensate people not starving then so be it. It ain't like years ago when ski bums rolled into town in masses every october...the pressure for kids exiting high school is.alot more real these days imo

 

[JimG.]

Some of you sound like a bunch of crusty boomers with the whole “they don’t deserve better pay” BS but statistically there aren’t enough jobs out there that have good wages, especially in ski towns. So if you crusty boomers from the city want quality service on your vacations these resort business operators are going to have to rethink their programs. The traditional ski bum imho was the soul of the sport and is unfortunately an endangered species

I'm glad you qualified your "boomer" call out with "crusty".

I'm a boomer and I've been relishing the day that the labor crow comes home to roost and big business is forced to pony up. If you can't find people to work for the pennies you want to pay them it's time to pay them more or roll up your sleeves and do the dirty work.

So at least I'm not crusty.

 

[raisingarizona]

I'm glad you qualified your "boomer" call out with "crusty".

I'm a boomer and I've been relishing the day that the labor crow comes home to roost and big business is forced to pony up. If you can't find people to work for the pennies you want to pay them it's time to pay them more or roll up your sleeves and do the dirty work.

So at least I'm not crusty.

Fantastic reply! I’m going to use that for sure.

 

[raisingarizona]

Solving the West’s housing crisis - High Country News

We need to care for the priced-out average worker or something is bound to break.

www.hcn.org

 

[Not Sure]

Solving the West’s housing crisis - High Country News

We need to care for the priced-out average worker or something is bound to break.

www.hcn.org

Taking rich peoples money is going to make things worse, they'll hide it or stop spending it . Either action doesn't help overall , too much cash chasing to few assets is not good. Stop paying people to stay home the jobs are out there.

The ski bums will have to share couches ....Just wondering what happens to menu prices when servers get paid $40.00 hr ? I just had a conversation with a restaurant owner friend a few days ago . He was complaining his chicken cost had tripled ... he pointed to his menu prices on the wall ,he has some decisions to make .