Have any ski instructors here decided to stop instructing?

[SkiBam]

I got my CSIA level 1 when I was over 60, then level 2 the following year. That first year I taught at the local hill - mainly kids, some very little. I enjoyed the older kids but really wanted to teach adults. Luckily, got hired on with Rod Roy Ski School (Montreal's oldest travelling ski school) and taught groups of (mainly) women once a week for quite a few years. Also taught at another ski program for adults (Twinski for anyone from the Montreal area who might have heard of Rhoda and Rhona Wurtele) for a few years. Loved these classes. Just once a week and always the same students.

Time went by and I got kind of tired so haven't taught in the past several years. I do miss the groups and working with the same people week after week. But I don't miss it enough to make the commitment. I do keep up my CSIA membership and qualifications. (I'm a Subaru buyer - they're a major sponsor of CSIA so I get a healthy rebate with each Subaru I buy or lease. That, plus pro deals on equipment, and I feel my membership is paid for life.)

As @Jilly says, Tremblant is always looking for instructors - especially English-speaking for American holidays. But I haven't heard much good about teaching at Tremblant so have avoided this. She also mentioned being an Info-guide (we always call them the question mark people as there's a big ? on their jacket). I looked into this but it requires too many days and I really live too far from the mountain to be there by 8 a.m. or whatever. Also, the job doesn't appear to be all "guiding." They always seem to be standing at the top of the gondola (and other places I expect) in the freezing cold to answer questions. Sure, you get a free pass but my pass (the seniors' Tremblant-only pass) is darn cheap so I'll stick with that.

All that said, I do enjoy helping friends - but I'll only give pointers if they ask for help.

 

[Jilly]

Does not being employed by the mountain as an instructor open up the option to teach clients privately?

Maybe for a travelling ski club. Teaching privately at a mountain is frond upon and could lose lift privileges at the mountain.

Info-guide is probably some sort of wording for translation with english and french.

 

[geargrrl]

Does not being employed by the mountain as an instructor open up the option to teach clients privately?

There is the whole insurance thing. Carry private insurance to teach sports is very expensive.

 

[geargrrl]

It sounds like you are enjoying the changes.

That should say, all my friends are not around for rides. One is riding the Trans American Trail, one has moved to her ski condo 100 miles away and has 11 grandkids, the others are still working and we can never get schedules to jive.

 

[Jilly]

There is the whole insurance thing. Carry private insurance to teach sports is very expensive.

Oh....now there is difference...CSIA dues cover your insurance and the snow school has to carry some too.

I had similar experiences as @nopoleskier with younger instructors not getting hours and experience. I'm working full time, don't the need money, just enjoyed doing it. I've paid my time with 5yr olds and really don't want to do glorified babysitting anymore.

 

[Pequenita]

Does not being employed by the mountain as an instructor open up the option to teach clients privately?

Not really an option, and you / your client can't skip the lines.

 

[liquidfeet]

Not really an option, and you / your client can't skip the lines.

In the US if you teach at a mountain privately for pay, without prior permission (which the mountain will rarely give, and which they charge for if they do), then you are breaking the law (or the rules, whichever). If you get caught you'll be banned from the mountain. I don't know about the client who is paying you. I doubt you'll find yourself in court, though.

Some people do it on the sly, assuming they won't get caught. Skipping the lift line is impossible without you wearing a ski school jacket.

 

[nopoleskier]

Does not being employed by the mountain as an instructor open up the option to teach clients privately?

No, teaching off the books for $$ I think is illegal in most states, to me it's definitely unethical and big insurance fraud. Instructors are under the Mt insurance umbrella and have to abide by the Mt Rules, attend clinics on safety for insurance are schooled on what to do in case of an accident.

But, No one can stop me from giving out free advice, :-) I still stop and help people with getting up or give a ski tip to some people that I know if they 'just did this or that, they'd ski better"

 

[WaterGirl]

In the US if you teach at a mountain privately for pay, without prior permission (which the mountain will rarely give, and which they charge for if they do), then you are breaking the law (or the rules, whichever). If you get caught you'll be banned from the mountain. I don't know about the client who is paying you. I doubt you'll find yourself in court, though.

Some people do it on the sly, assuming they won't get caught. Skipping the lift line is impossible without you wearing a ski school jacket.

There was a court case, this person openly advertised lessons on social media -- but it was the government that prosecuted for operating on USFS with out a permit....

Guilty Verdict in Case of Unpermitted Snowboard-Instruction Business on Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Within the Inyo National Forest

www.justice.gov

 

[liquidfeet]

@WaterGirl, thanks so much for finding that court case. I've always wondered what actually happens when someone gets caught. This guy got two years probation and a fine of $500.

 

[Jilly]

I'd offer advice in exchange for apres....just suggesting...

 

[snoWYmonkey]

20 full time years in and the cogs are often turning, wondering what quitting would be like. I absolutely adore my work and dream of teaching if my body holds up for another 20.

Yet, I am not happy with my employer, amd not sure I can continue to afford to teach full time and part time is not worth it. If i stop teaching I doubt I would stay in my ski town, but maybe I would.

Two more years, and I get a lifetime pass. If I can manage to keep my mouth shut that long and after too.

Quitting with money and time to ski new places would be so great....

 

[marzNC]

20 full time years in and the cogs are often turning, wondering what quitting would be like. I absolutely adore my work and dream of teaching if my body holds up for another 20.

Yet, I am not happy with my employer, amd not sure I can continue to afford to teach full time and part time is not worth it. If i stop teaching I doubt I would stay in my ski town, but maybe I would.

Two more years, and I get a lifetime pass. If I can manage to keep my mouth shut that long and after too.

Quitting with money and time to ski new places would be so great....

Hmm . . . my father always took a full year sabbatical (every 7 years) when he was a professor in NYC. Of course, in that era that meant half-pay for the entire year. He would travel internationally and go teach in another country, as well as lecture and connect with other professors in his field. He was always a professor and clearly loved what he did. However, I'm guessing having a break from the usual situation was helpful to staying at the same college for a few decades. Every job comes with frustrations.

Pretty sure there are mature instructors who took a break at Massanutten because of the pandemic who may be back. I know they will always be welcome to work whenever they are interested. Of course, Massanutten is a small 4-season resort in Virginia so the employment situation for the ski school is very different than a destination resort on Ikon or Epic.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

@marzNC oh the old days of tenure for professors and sabbaticals. I hope those breaks were fun for you.

We did have some who came back and some who stayed away from instructing. We had more new instructor candidates, both experienced and brand new last year than we ever had before. Yet, every other department struggles to staff their psoitions.

People are tired of being unhappy and slaves to the money machines. Snow sports instructing is definitely viewed as a fun job.

 

[MissySki]

@marzNC oh the old days of tenure for professors and sabbaticals. I hope those breaks were fun for you.

We did have some who came back and some who stayed away from instructing. We had more new instructor candidates, both experienced and brand new last year than we ever had before. Yet, every other department struggles to staff their psoitions.

People are tired of being unhappy and slaves to the money machines. Snow sports instructing is definitely viewed as a fun job.

We don't get a full year, but my company (and I've seen others in my industry doing it) gives a 5 week sabbatical for every 5 years of service fully paid. You can do anything you want, but they will also kick in some additional funds to you if you are doing any volunteer work. I will hit my 5 years this December and have no idea what I want to do for mine yet. Not sure if I'll take it right away or not, we'll see what I come up with. Very cool perk that I'd never expected to have available to me.

 

[Pequenita]

That is fantastic @MissySki

 

[SkiBam]

Interesting about the insurance issue re teaching (sort of) independently at a hill. I realize I did this for all the years I was teaching for Rod Roy and Twinski. I know RR had full insurance for all their instructors and everything was totally arranged with the hill. Twinski was less formal and now I think about it, I really wonder what the insurance situation was. I know the twins had a great relationship with the hill (almost always skied at St. Sauveur) but I shudder a little now to think of what could have happened. Anyway, there was never a problem in all the years they operated.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

@SkiBam the US are unique compared to the rest of the world as only authorized schools can provide lessons amd no one peraon or private schoolcan sell lessons unless approved of by the feds or property owners.

i can buy supplemental liability insurance but am in theory covered by my employer. If they have a government contract they have to have insurance private property based resorts might be a more grey zone so best check.

 

[santacruz skier]

We don't get a full year, but my company (and I've seen others in my industry doing it) gives a 5 week sabbatical for every 5 years of service fully paid. You can do anything you want, but they will also kick in some additional funds to you if you are doing any volunteer work. I will hit my 5 years this December and have no idea what I want to do for mine yet. Not sure if I'll take it right away or not, we'll see what I come up with. Very cool perk that I'd never expected to have available to me.

Do you have generous vacation benefits? The five week sabbatical sounds great. Just curious (and definitely off topic) as I worked local government for 24+ years and as a manager had probably 8+ weeks paid vacation every year in addition paid holidays and sick time.

 

[VickiK]

@MissySki what a great perk, and what a shock to read that it's almost 5 years since you started.

Thank you for all the feedback to my question, all!