Lifties

[Glenn]

Maybe this had to do more with where I skied, rather then "when" (back in my day!).

Did it seem like they're used to be more local lifties? You know the...the older gent with the really long beard? Wearing Carhart coveralls? I grew up skiing at a small mountain in Western Mass and all the lifties were local guys...we even knew all of their names a month or so into the season.

It seems now that a lot of the lifties are younger, or shipped in from South America.

 

[marcski]

Maybe this had to do more with where I skied, rather then "when" (back in my day!).

Did it seem like they're used to be more local lifties? You know the...the older gent with the really long beard? Wearing Carhart coveralls? I grew up skiing at a small mountain in Western Mass and all the lifties were local guys...we even knew all of their names a month or so into the season.

It seems now that a lot of the lifties are younger, or shipped in from South America.

Agreed. The lifties when I was growing up were all locals. It's all related to the bottom line.

 

[deadheadskier]

All of the resorts I've worked at the past 15 years had a really difficult time staffing for the winter and pretty much had to use H1Bs. I'm sure part of it was the low wages offered.

 

[WWF-VT]

Maybe just my observation, but the majority of the lifties at Sugarbush continue to be locals and have I have seen many of the same crews working for the past several years

 

[UVSHTSTRM]

I worked as a Lifty about 10 years ago and it was nearly all young americans and international folks. Granted i worked at Waterville Valley and they had Plymouth State to draw from for there american lifties.

It's not really much of a surprise that you have more and more international people working at mountains. They are generally low paying jobs and those jobs everywhere you look are being occupied by those with english as a second language. Even here in the Upper Valley of NH the Subway's and McDonalds of the world are this way now as well. I think it has to do with the Parents of young kids these days............too good to have there kid working at a McDonalds. I really noticed it about 5 years ago on the 95 rest areas in Maine.....lots of international languages.

Back to the lifties for a minute, the lifts at Sugarloaf, Killington, etc still seem to have a fair share of americans some of them being older.

Personally I enjoyed watching the know it all assholes from Mass and RI (and yes NH) fall off a lift becuase of there own fault, but blaming me and other lifties it was great.

 

[vonski]

Maybe just my observation, but the majority of the lifties at Sugarbush continue to be locals and have I have seen many of the same crews working for the past several years

I agree!! Sugarbush keeps the cute imports at the cash register in the cafeteria. Brightens up my lunch.

 

[bvibert]

At Sundown they're all local, but mostly younger guys, not much in the way of beards either. There's a lot of guys that have seasonal summer work, landscapers and the like, and are looking for something to do in the winter.

 

[jbs1677]

I have to say I wouldn't mind seeing more Cute international brazilian students anywhere on the mountain.. That's just fine with me. I would even give good tips if they implemented bathroom attendants!

 

[Grassi21]

At Sundown they're all local, but mostly younger guys, not much in the way of beards either. There's a lot of guys that have seasonal summer work, landscapers and the like, and are looking for something to do in the winter.

The only bad thing about the lifties at Sundown is the older dude that wears too much cologne... Yikes!

 

[Glenn]

Maybe I'll suggest to the folks at Mount Snow that they issue all lifties Carhart coveralls....and fake beards. :lol:

 

[bvibert]

The only bad thing about the lifties at Sundown is the older dude that wears too much cologne... Yikes!

I think I know who you're talking about, and yes, yikes! There's always a few questionable characters, but for the most part it's a good bunch.

More people should bring them cookies and other treats..

 

[bvibert]

Maybe I'll suggest to the folks at Mount Snow that they issue all lifties Carhart coveralls....and fake beards. :lol:

When I first started working as a liftie a few years ago that's what I was expecting to find, well the Carhart attire anyway. I was surprised to find mostly ski apparel on my fellow lifties. I always got a kick of the young dudes who would show up for their first day on the job wearing sneakers, and usually jeans. Not a very good combination when you're going to spend all day outside in the cold, on snow. They didn't tend to come back for a second day..

 

[roark]

Go to MRG. Or Magic (bring back Harley!).

 

[Glenn]

When I first started working as a liftie a few years ago that's what I was expecting to find, well the Carhart attire anyway. I was surprised to find mostly ski apparel on my fellow lifties. I always got a kick of the young dudes who would show up for their first day on the job wearing sneakers, and usually jeans. Not a very good combination when you're going to spend all day outside in the cold, on snow. They didn't tend to come back for a second day..

Yeah...sneakers and jeans...that's just a bad combo!

 

[4aprice]

Last year we had a really cute redhead for a liftie at Camelback. Hope she's back this season.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[Puck it]

I have to say I wouldn't mind seeing more Cute international brazilian students anywhere on the mountain.. That's just fine with me. I would even give good tips if they implemented bathroom attendants!

WV using cute ones from South Africa.

 

[marcski]

Go to MRG. Or Magic (bring back Harley!).

Go, Go, Goooo!

 

[tarponhead]

I think it has to do with the Parents of young kids these days............too good to have there kid working at a McDonalds. .

Or maybe it has to do with the 4 hrs of homework on top of sports.... :roll: move on


At Blue it's all local for lifties.

 

[ERJ-145CA]

The lifties at Belleayre are locals. One of them looks like Santa with the big white beard and he wears a Santa hat around X-Mas. There's also the old guy who is at the mid-station of the Tomahawk Quad who blasts classical music and waves or salutes you when you go by.

 

[Geoff]

I think it's all tied to how the minimum wage has tracked inflation. In 1968, the minimum wage could actually attract locals who typically worked construction in the summer. Over the last decade, it wasn't anything like a living wage and people would opt to do public assistance or collect unemployment.