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Like many New York City millennials, my partner and I moved upstate with our two rescue dogs early into the pandemic. We ended up in the Catskills near a ski mountain and I wasted no time applying for an instructor role. I’m now in my third year as a private ski lesson instructor, and I still work full-time during the week, as a remote writer and editor. But in season, my weekends are spent on the slopes, teaching private lessons to both adults and kids.
Even though my livelihood doesn’t necessarily depend on teaching these private lessons, I’ve found that working as a part-time ski instructor offers a wide range of physical, social, and monetary benefits for which I’m eternally grateful.
Below are the many reasons you should consider joining your local ski mountain’s staff if you have the time.
Clinics and training sessions have made me a much better skier
Many ski mountains offer frequent and free clinics for their instructors. Sometimes athletes from other mountains come to lead them, and other times, higher-ups are in charge. If you aren’t already scheduled to work at that time, or if your lesson is a no-show, they strongly suggest that you participate — you’ll do some drills, learn new teaching techniques, and make sure your form is up to snuff. I’ve certainly felt that my skills have vastly improved from skiing alongside more experienced skiers over the last three years on staff.
I get to ski all the time
Adulthood hasn’t brought me nearly enough time on the slopes, especially compared to my high school racing days. Living in New York City in my early 20s earned me only a couple of trips upstate and to Vermont annually. Now, though, I’m skiing several times per week — whether I’m teaching a weekend lesson, or catching up with a fellow instructor over some morning laps before logging into Slack. I’m skiing more than ever — which means I’m always improving.
I get a free season’s pass, and my fiancé gets a discounted pass
There’s no denying that skiing is a wildly expensive sport — and as avid skiers, we’re always looking for ways to save money. As a part-time ski instructor, I get a free season pass, and my fiancé gets a steep discount on his (which is major, considering how much lift prices cost!). It ultimately ends up saving us up to a few thousand dollars per year, if we were both to pay for season passes — which is definitely a wallet win for us.
Instructors can get discounts on gear and lift tickets to other mountains
Another wallet win: instructors get access to a wide range of pro discounts. Every year, my mountain has a “pro night” where the staff is invited to peruse steeply discounted gear from a wide range of major ski brands. You can also get buddy discounts at mountains across the U.S. — just ask your superior to write a recommendation for a “buddy pass,” and bring it to the ticket office at your mountain of choice. More often than not, they will give you a discounted lift ticket, which is always appreciated.
It’s supplemental income (and private instructors often get tips!)
Obviously, teaching ski lessons comes with a little extra income, and what you get paid is generally contingent on what kind of lessons you’re teaching (whether it’s ski or riding school, private lessons, a seasonal program, etc.). It can also vary based on your level of expertise — as an instructor, you tend to get paid more if you get certified through PSIA (and there are multiple levels). You may or may not also receive tips as a ski instructor — although it generally is not required for patrons to tip, it’s strongly suggested.
I’ve made so many new friends
After moving upstate from New York City, I didn’t know too many people in my small Catskills town. But through working at the mountain, I’ve made tons of new friends to ski with. Every adult knows that making friends after college can be somewhat challenging, however, joining my local mountain staff has helped me find awesome new friends with similar interests (and as we all know, most skiers are cool as hell).
It can be extremely rewarding
As you can probably imagine, there are days that bring an unthinkable amount of frustration, for both you, as the ski instructor, and the student. However, most days on the slopes are incredibly rewarding. The second something new clicks for your student, or when you see them start to realize how much fun skiing can be, it feels like you’ve just passed on your passion to someone else. Whether you just effectively taught them how to carve, or to simply transition from pizza to french fries, it’s a small victory that you can bring to your aprés drinks, and more importantly, it’s something that your student will be able to look back on forever.
