How To Enjoy Life In A Ski Town

Ski bumming isn't the most glamorous life around, but there are some benefits to it. If you're someone who enjoys freshly-powdered slopes and the crisp rip of wind in your hair as you take a slalom, then being a ski bum doesn't sound all that bad. At least until you try to work out logistics. Ski bumming means figuring out how to pay your way through your lifestyle. Living long-term usually requires working out an arrangement. As Powder Magazine notes, traditional ski towns are no longer the cheap havens for skiers as they used to be in the recent past. Even so, the rewards for ski bumming may be worth the hassle of planning the stay. Here are a few ways you can live the good life on the slopes.

Get a Cheap Place to Live

Let's be honest - you won't be buying a home in any one of these towns. That doesn't mean you have to spend your time freezing in a van or a snow cave, either. There are several ways to approach getting a place to live. You could consider house-sitting for someone who won't be there over the winter. Alternatively, you could try to get yourself into a seasonal lease with a few other people. Seasonal contracts allow people to use the house over the rental period (usually the entire winter) at a reasonable cost. If you can get into one of these, you could be living at a resort-like home for the whole of the winter at a reasonable price that even a ski bum could afford.

Locate a Job

Getting a job at a ski resort isn't necessarily as hard as you'd think. There are many job fairs for resorts looking for personnel to add to their roster for seasonal jobs. The New York Times mentions that ski bums come from a wide variety of backgrounds and end up working jobs you wouldn't expect at resorts, including being waiters, ski instructors, and other exciting pursuits. Having a job is vital to being to afford food and rent, as well as some sweet gear like the Napapijri ski jacket for a little bit of hard work. You should also make sure your manager or supervisor knows when you need to get some time off. Most jobs only need you in the evenings, so you may be able to get some early-morning skiing done.

Upgrade your Kit

As we're on the topic of buying sweet gear, it doesn't do to go skiing in stuff that doesn't protect you. The mountain passes can be icy, and even if you're hardy, it doesn't hurt to take precautions. Before you set foot on the slopes, make sure your safety gear is up to date and providing the right amount of protection. If you're skiing for a weekend, you can get by with your duct-taped gloves or torn and ripped ski pants. If you intend to make a lifestyle out of it, you might not need to replace every bit of gear you have. However, you should at least ensure that wearing your clothing won't give you frostbite.

Explore the Slopes

If you're going to be a ski bum, you'll be hard-pressed not to enjoy freshly powdered slopes. Make time for your hobby and don't dedicate yourself too much to the jobs and people you meet. Pay attention to the snow reports to avoid getting caught in storms. Bring a reliable backpack and make yourself something to keep you fed. We know how hard it is to remember to eat when you're having fun. And that's the real goal of being a ski bum - enjoying life to the fullest doing what you love, and figuring out how to pay for it as you go along.

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stash member Adam Alosi