Siem Reeves 0 Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 so, after japan, i want to go and do a working holiday in canada... who can tell me what it's like getting a job at a ski resort... say somewhere like whistler. what kinda jobs are available, how easy are they to get etc. i really don't care what i do, i just want to ski a wee way away yet, but you can never start thinking about these things too early! Link to post Share on other sites
neversummer 0 Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Get your visa really early because they only give 3000 for oz/nz combined Link to post Share on other sites
Siem Reeves 0 Posted November 20, 2003 Author Share Posted November 20, 2003 so how early is early?? Link to post Share on other sites
neversummer 0 Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 I'm not sure because I forgot you were in Japan. If you were in NZ they would all be gone for 2004, I'm assuming that but when I considered doing it in 1997, the best I could do was apply in Nov 1996 and get a visa for 1998. The Canadian Embassy offers a certain amount of places to Japanese people and residents so I would try the embassy ASAP and hope that all the visas for 2004 haven't been allocated. It's so popular for Oz/NZ crew to head to Canada but I'm not sure about Japanese. You could be lucky. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 At whistler its hard to find a place to live without paying through your nose. Check out Fernie, Kicking Horse, Nelson, Sunshine Village Big white or sun peaks. Whistler rocks but its a 2 or 3 year deal before most people get settled. My buddy got a job there but he couldnt find a place to live. Link to post Share on other sites
badmigraine 0 Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 What? You want a ski resort job? It's all here, baby, and don't forget to write once you have our free lift passes ready! Link to post Share on other sites
Siem Reeves 0 Posted November 20, 2003 Author Share Posted November 20, 2003 It wont be till 2007 cos we have a couple more years here and a ski season at home first. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 At the big resorts it seems like every other person is from NewZealand and Aust. I would check out Red Mountain. My personal favorite. Fattwins mentioned SunPeaks but that place licks balls. (sorry Fattwins) If your going the Whistler route it would be wise to find a place to live early like even late Sept or Oct. I wouldn't wait till November or you will be sleeping under stairs with 5 other people for $1000 a month. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 Yeah not the most extreme mountain but tons of jobs and cheap houseing. Also the gills are worth the hike. Red is all well and good but where are you going to work. YOu cant work for the mountain. Whitewater working a bar in nelson would be cool plus they are planning a new resort just above the town. If you like tree sking Big white is good when you can see. Read this about nelson Link to post Share on other sites
neversummer 0 Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 You mean Big White Out dont you Fattwins ?? Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 I did say "when you can see". It snows there almost everyday about 2cm to 5cms I have had hairy times driving up and ove rthat road to whitewater. One time I was driving and watching the center lane line and my buddy was watching the outside lane line why. cause we could only se 6 feet in front of us. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 I think it is obvious though from just reading this post however that if you want to work anywhere in Canada. It would be best to stay on the British Columbia side of the Rockies. There is always Smithers and Shames as well. Never been but on the list for sure. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 You have many years to go so... I would say watch the resorts. If yu want to ski hard core and not work Red, Fernie, Whisler could kill a budget, whitewater or Castle mountain. Work Look for what resorts are growing Sun Peaks and Golden kicking horse tons of jobs both summer and winter a lot are high paying. Looks as if quite a few places are planning to expand so ask this Question again in 3 years. Link to post Share on other sites
crazyski 0 Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 POWDER just ran a big article on Sunshine Village in their last issue. Mentioned its a sweet place to ski...with tons of avalanches/backcountry danger. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 The place sucked untill goats eye was open then the dive opend up made it even better. You must have basic gear beacon probe shovel and a partner to ski most of those places, and yes they will check. You can ski the same lines that hold the comps. Link to post Share on other sites
barok 0 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I've heard Whistler sucks, because Intercorp owns just about everything and they have you by the balls and they know it. but that could be dead wrong. Link to post Share on other sites
sweetaz 0 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 shimba, I'm pretty sure the cut off is for Canadian wk Visas is mid February. It's first come first serve. Red Mountain is supposed to be good. Not as commercial as Whistler but huge powder. Actually if you speak Japanese, you should get a job EASY at Banff or Lake Louise ski areas. There's about 4 fields within about a 1hr radius. It is virtually all owned by Japanese and attracts alot of j tourists. Plus it is close to Calgary!! Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Intrawest does own pretty much everything but if your looking for amazing skiing (which lasts until mid June) and a pretty good nightlife it can't be beat. Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Its pretty much all been said, but for an easier time finding work and a place to live look to the interior of BC. But then again, a lot of people do go to Whistler and it is an out of control mtn with a picture perfect village taken right out of most peoples' idea of what a ski village should be. I am so jealous! How is it that I grew up 2 hours from BC, yet I can't work there pretty much no matter what...yet Whistler is completely full of people form the S.Hemi? Nothing against you guys...just the system sucks. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Canadian Ski Resorts are going through huge redevelopments. Its best to watch the development scene over the next few years. The American resorts are pretty maxed out at the moment the park Association wont let them expand much more. Canada’s resorts were underdeveloped for years. Canada is more about getting under the rope and playing in the back country. That’s all well for the locals but it doesn’t bring in the spenders. So the resorts are changing. Kicking horse can be bigger the whistler if it wants to be. Ferine interconnecting bowls for miles and miles. Fish bowl yummy. So many tasty lines 3000 vertical of straight shot pow. Sun Peaks long cruisers known for people who ski very fast. The Gills always powder in the gills. Red mountain do not ski before you look seriously this place is small but... Somehow it makes the top 5 every year for most difficult terrain in North America. Right now almost no jobs there. Big white owned by an Auzzie so hard to get a job at the job fair. Sorry but about 200 Auzzies show up for jobs and it is hard to get in. If you go to the resort and find a private job you should be fine. Good powder when you can see. If you cant see then the park is no go. Not being able to see affects the whole resort. Whitewater what a gem for 3 lifts one being a kiddy lift. Hike off either chair and your in some of the best Magazine shooting areas. Terrain can be as hairy as red but its all hike to. Whistler You know what you’ll get rain at the bottom great snow at the top. Snow at the bottom and even better snow at the top. Best resort in North America for about everything, but go with an open budget it can suck money, you would more than likely have a great time. Shames and ski smithers never went but buddies did. Small local hills but insane powder with insane backcountry. My buddy slid a face there to ice once. He had to camp on the mountain till a rescue party found him the next day. The person who found him was also a (teacher at my college slash manger of smithers). Jobs hard to get but even if you don’t get a job its hard to spend big. Powder Mountain deep powder but its not steep and again no jobs. Banff Owned by Canadians but many Japanese tour companies there. Japanese tourists are at a low there compared to 6 to 8 years ago. Every place in Banff has to supply employee housing. That said the wages are bad because of that Good resorts you can pick. Avie danger is high in this area please trust the signs. Castle Mountain never been but want to. Crazy Powder Mountain but I think jobs are not easy to get. Silver star don’t waste your time its too small vert wise. Coast mountains, with whistler being so close they are good for night skiing and the parks. Link to post Share on other sites
Siem Reeves 0 Posted November 23, 2003 Author Share Posted November 23, 2003 and did i mention that you are all wonderful thanks for all the info guys, it's nice to hear from people who know!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 23, 2003 Share Posted November 23, 2003 Forgot Panorama With the opening of the Bowl off the backside its got wild sking. Jobs they have jobs. Only 4 hours to Calgary and 2 hours to Fernie Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts