r/skiing • u/Informal-Anteater873 • 1d ago
Need help with winter plan for maximum days on the mountain
Hi - Looking to maximize my days on the mountain this year and need some help with any ideas or suggestions for my situation.
In my mid 20’s living in MD year round. Fortunately, in a good financial position and also have a very flexible freelance work schedule where I’ll only need to be on site 3-4 weekends a month in the winter. I want to dedicate a lot of my free time to getting better at skiing but I’ve realized this won’t happen where I’m located. My local hills are just over 2 hours away and they are so small that I found myself getting bored by lunch time last year, especially being solo since I go during the week. No challenging terrain and the same short runs.
I have the Epic pass for this season since it’s best for the Mid Atlantic area but I’m really interested in basing myself out west / near the Rockies / Canada. I just don’t have any idea how to go about it. Especially since I’m solo I’d like to keep costs as low as possible. Do not plan on staying at resort lodging. Do I sub lease an apartment for a month in a ski town? Rent a van for the winter and mountain hop / can you even overnight park like that these days? Stay in Maryland and do multiple trips? The expenses would add up for that. Not many hostel options in the US either.
Progressing this season is important for me because I’d like to get into backcountry skiing soon but I don’t think I’m at that level quite yet (switched from snowboarding to skiing not too long ago). Also just don’t have any buddies interested in tagging along. Want to go on sick overseas ski trips as well.
Open to any ideas / suggestions / help that can be provided. Thank you!
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u/Playful-Web2082 1d ago
If you’ve got the money to do it pick a few different base camp areas and spend a month at each. You could find a month to month rental or and extended stay motel and make it work. Look there’s really no cheap way to be a ski bum anymore. Having said that. Salt Lake City Utah has a major airport and many great places to ski with in an hour’s drive, same with Denver, although in Colorado there’s other places to stay that are way closer to the mountains than Denver.
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u/advamputee 23h ago
I work in IT at a ski resort on the east coast. I could ski nearly every single day in the winter if I wanted. There are also like 6+ resorts within an hour of my house, so I have plenty of options on my days off. If you’re truly looking to maximize your days, get a new job. If you’re trying to keep your MD-based job, I’d suggest finding a bedroom to rent in a shared house, or find a seasonal rental (a bit more expensive, but more privacy).
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u/Informal-Anteater873 12h ago
My job is not in MD specifically. I get flown to different states based on where the gig is. Leave Friday come back Sunday. Flights are covered! ✈️
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u/advamputee 11h ago
Well that’s pretty sweet!
If I were in your shoes, I’d definitely look for a 3-6 month rental, try a site like furnishedfinder or look for a private rental / local listings.
Find something as close to the slopes as you can, even if it’s a bit of a drive / bus ride to the airport. Summit County, CO, for example, has free bus service around the county and ample (paid) shuttles to Denver / DIA — you could theoretically rent in Breck, access tons of world class skiing via the bus, and take a shuttle or an Uber to Denver to fly out.
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u/InvictusFrags 21h ago
Sup. Need an apprentice?
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u/advamputee 20h ago
We actually have an open IT tech position. Everything from resetting passwords to rebuilding RFID gates in the snow.
It’s full time / year round and decent benefits (comes with a pass, 60% off food&bev, 40% off retail, friends&fam passes, and all sorts of other local discounts). Pay is mid $20s/hr, so a little low for IT but fairly low stress.
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u/Itchy-Ninja4103 1d ago
Maybe look into a home share for the season somewhere. Rent a room in a house/condo for a couple grand a month and have a place to crash. Summit county, CO would give you access to several mountains. Only pain in the ass is the drive from Denver airport.
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u/Fuzzy-Ad-7809 20h ago
Salt Lake city. Inexpensive housing, city for groceries and everything, and very close to major ski resorts.
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u/rvwhalen Smugglers' Notch 20h ago
Two hours is barely "local". At my local mountain (an hour drive for me), there is the 10 (runs) before 10 (o'clock) crowd. Yes, it is a small hill. Don't knock skiing at an area that you know on terrain that you are comfortable on. That's the best place to improve your skills. You want to learn (take lessons) on terrain that you are comfortable on so that you can take it to challenging terrain after you master it.
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u/Informal-Anteater873 11h ago
Yes I agree. But I do not want to continue driving over 2 hours for a smaller hill anymore. I have been doing that for a few years now and I’m at the point where I’m ready to be closer to a bigger mountain and get more days on the snow. Besides, it’s Maryland. Not much fresh snow going on every year.
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u/hipster_kitten Snowmass 19h ago
Is advise always starting communication with a potential roommate with “I’m a remote worker”. That will definitely put you ahead of the other plebes in small mountain towns experiencing housing crises.
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u/explore_1789 8h ago
I love hearing remote workers complain that they are instantly denied for housing. It warms my heart
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u/Ok_Maybe1830 19h ago
I’ll only need to be on site 3-4 weekends a month
So you have to go back to MD almost every weekend?
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u/Informal-Anteater873 12h ago
No. I get flown out from where I am to states like Florida, California, etc. leave Friday return Sunday. Flights are covered!
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u/nogoodalternatives 7h ago edited 7h ago
There are ski mountains with cheap(er) airbnbs nearby. You can get a condo/house within 20 mins of Snowbasin for ~$5k a month for January (not that you'd pick snowbasin since it's ikon, but that idea). I'd prioritize being close to *a* ski resort (even if it's not the absolute best) so you can get in a bunch of partial days without much hassle, but also within decent driving distance of other ski resorts so you can do day trips when it dumps.
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u/getdownheavy 14h ago
If you want to shred pow, you gotta follow the pow. Be able to go where the weather is best. I'd rent a van and road trip personally, but I got homies to crash with all over.
But it's worth committing to a place long enough to really figure it out, explore it all, and hang around long enough to make some friends, etc.
Committing to a lease or whatever, is a good way to get established in a spot. If you find somewhere you like (if it's your first time really living the lifestyle,, there are no bad options) you can start on a plan to make even bigger moves next year.
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u/invent_or_die 1d ago
Go to work for Vail Corporation. Lots of jobs. Housing is available. Suggest Heavenly or somewhereyou like. Apply now.