Skiing News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Photo: ArtistGNDphotography/Getty Images

The 6 Best Summer Jobs for Skiers

Originally posted on Powder | By Izzy Lidsky | Last updated Apr 22, 2025 7:30 AM ET

Ski season coming to an end might not just mean the end of your favorite sport but also the end of your seasonal job.

If you've been working at a ski area over the winter, spring can mean it's time to find a new way to make some money to pay that ski town rent. Luckily, you're not alone, and there are tons of folks out there who work seasonally year after year.

Whether you're hoping to keep working outside or take a job that gives your body a bit of a break from whatever you've put it through over the winter, here are some ideas for seasonal jobs that can complement a winter ski area gig nicely.

Want to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing? Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates.

Enjoy snowmelt in its liquid form as a river guide!Photo: Erik Isakson/ Getty Images

1. Raft Guide

If you're hoping to be outside and enjoy all that snowfall in its liquid form, it's worth looking into river guiding.

There's a reason the ski patrol, ski instructor, ski bum to raft guide pipeline is so strong. In many ways, guide culture is similar to that of many ski-related jobs. It attracts folks who love to be outside and have fun but are willing to work hard when they need to.

Luckily, where there are mountains, there are often rivers with whitewater as well. Many ski towns often have at least a couple of local raft outfitters for day trips on nearby rivers. If you're looking to travel, there are also several large outfitters with locations around the country that have both multi-day and day trip operations.

Never run rivers before? Most outfitters have a guide school at the beginning of the season to teach you the ropes. Check in on their hiring status, though—completion of guide school doesn't always guarantee you a job. If guiding isn't quite your speed, but you're still hoping to work with one of these outfitters, there are often plenty of shuttle driving or office management jobs at these companies, too.

Landscaping is a great way to earn money and get your vitamin D during the summer. Photo: Jeremy Poland/Getty Images

2. Landscaping

If you're hoping to avoid the great indoors for your summer job, landscaping can be a great way to stay outside, work with your hands, and learn skills you can use forever.

While it might not be the most glamorous job, many resort towns have a few landscaping companies that pay decently and are eager to hire in the spring, before their busy season. Check out your ski resort's job openings to see if they have a landscaping crew, or look around for local companies.

Learn bike maintenance in the summer as a great skill to compliment ski maintenance. Photo: Daniel Balakov/Getty Images

3. Gear Shop

Whether or not you worked in one over the winter, a ski shop can be a great place to work over the summer. Many ski shops transition to bike shops over the summer, so if you're looking to gain a whole new set of skills and knowledge, or you're already an avid biker, it can be a great way to stay in a similar job with a new topic.

Sometimes, these shops will keep a discounted selection of ski gear around, so you can still flex that knowledge from time to time or score deep off-season deals with your employee discount.

If you work on-mountain during the winter, working in a shop can also be a good way to give your body a break from the elements and wear and tear of a more physical job. Some of these shops even offer benefits for employees who work year-round, which provides a great incentive to stay on for the summer.

4. Non-Skiing Resort Jobs

Ski areas have plenty of non-skiing job openings in the summer across a range of departments. Depending on what summer activities the resort offers, there are often positions for things like base area activity attendants who help with ropes courses, climbing walls, and other base activities.

If your mountain has a bike park, there are usually lift ops jobs for the bike park, as well as bike instructor jobs, bike patrol, and more. Resort amenities like restaurants and hotels usually keep operating in the summer and will have several seasonal openings that can be a great way to earn some extra cash in tips. Depending on the resort, if you're also a winter employee, there can be benefits to staying on in the summer as well.

Portillo, Chile and its iconic yellow lodgePhoto: MaRabelo/Getty Images

5. Ski Instructor or Camp Counselor

Ski season doesn't ever really end if you don't want it to; you might just have to travel a little further!

If you're willing to spend a few months abroad, look into ski instructing at a resort in the southern hemisphere during the austral winter. There are resorts across Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia that all operate during the northern hemisphere's summer. You might need to look into work visas in other countries, which can be a process, so make sure to hop on it early.

Or, if going abroad isn't an option, but you don't mind traveling, look into working on a volcano like Mt. Hood in the summer. There are camps like Windells that hire coaches, instructors, content creators, and camp counselors for their summer season.

The smell of fish will never bother you again!Photo: Thomas Barwick/Getty Images

6. Commercial Fishing

Not for the faint of heart, commercial fishing can be a great way to earn some real cash during the summer and possibly even free up your winters for more skiing. Some pro-skiers like McKenna Peterson hop aboard a boat in Alaska each spring and spend the summer fishing for salmon.

Fishing can be grueling work. Between minimal sleep, seasickness, close quarters with the rest of the crew, and intense physical labor, it's not a job to be taken lightly. If you do end up on a boat in Alaska, odds are you'll come home in pretty good shape for ski season and with a little fresh-caught Alaskan salmon to keep you fueled on pow days.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: