Best US resort/town for a gap year (or two)

[Danny]

I'm writing for some friends whose daughter might want to take a gap year (or two!) after high school and work in a ski town, possibly as an L1-2 (to start) instructor. I'm familiar with the scene in Whistler and Banff and that would be perfect except she's a US citizen so I imagine the work visa situation would be tricky. So what I'm asking is what US town or resort is similar to that?

 

[Danny]

PS if anyone can tell me how to edit the thread title, I pressed return and posted it when I meant to press delete.

Thanks to whomever for the fix!

 

[Sibhusky]

Not sure that those are similar to each other.

But climate wise, we're just south of Canada by sixty miles. Probably have better snow than they do.

We have a real town, with continued employment over the summer due to it being a bigger tourist season.

The problem anywhere is housing. She's be living with five other people in Whitefish or she'd be twenty minutes further in Columbia Falls.

If mom and dad are footing the bill, there's a gap school here, Ridge Academy. They go in for a lot of adventure stuff.

 

[Danny]

Not sure that those are similar to each other.

But climate wise, we're just south of Canada by sixty miles. Probably have better snow than they do.

We have a real town, with continued employment over the summer due to it being a bigger tourist season.

The problem anywhere is housing. She's be living with five other people in Whitefish or she'd be twenty minutes further in Columbia Falls.

If mom and dad are footing the bill, there's a gap school here, Ridge Academy. They go in for a lot of adventure stuff.

I guess by similar to each other I meant having a combination of good sking and an outdoor oriented community with a good party scene and lots of Ozzies and Kiwis. The Ozzies and Kiwis might be dependant on being in the commonwealth though.

Actually Whistler and Banff both have a bigger tourist season in the summer, but fewer employees because of not needing instructors and Mountain Ops.

 

[fatbob]

Squaw/Truckee/Tahoe City?

The obvious answer is Aspen but I understand housing is the ultimate impossible ( a bit like Whistler in that respect). One advantage of Banff despite the commute to the hills is staff accommodation availability due to National Park restrictions on private property ownership AIUI.

 

[Sibhusky]

The Ozzie/Kiwi thing is pretty limited here. Tons of Canadians.

The summer employment AT THE MOUNTAIN would give some preference to employees from the winter, but probably more so to former summer employees. There is ziplining and other activities that need bodies to assist customers. Summer at the mountain is not as big as winter, but since we are by Glacier National Park, the valley as a whole is hopping (record visitors this summer, I hate it). Hotels and restaurants have plenty of those jobs. There are also rafting guides, yada yada, all the stuff that goes with tourists playing in the mountains.

How does she plan to support herself outside of winter?

I guess by similar to each other I meant having a combination of good sking and an outdoor oriented community with a good party scene and lots of Ozzies and Kiwis. The Ozzies and Kiwis might be dependant on being in the commonwealth though.

Actually Whistler and Banff both have a bigger tourist season in the summer, but fewer employees because of not needing instructors and Mountain Ops.

 

[pais alto]

If it snows, you can't beat Crested Butte.

 

[luliski]

Squaw/Truckee/Tahoe City?

The obvious answer is Aspen but I understand housing is the ultimate impossible ( a bit like Whistler in that respect). One advantage of Banff despite the commute to the hills is staff accommodation availability due to National Park restrictions on private property ownership AIUI.

Truckee's a great town. Not sure about party scene.

 

[Philpug]

I'm writing for some friends whose daughter might want to take a gap year (or two!) after high school and work in a ski town, possibly as an L1-2 (to start) instructor. I'm familiar with the scene in Whistler and Banff and that would be perfect except she's a US citizen so I imagine the work visa situation would be tricky. So what I'm asking is what US town or resort is similar to that?

18-19 year old girl in a ski town? What could go wrong.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

I'm wondering why on earth her parents are looking for somewhere with a good party scene???

 

[Snowfan]

No way would I encourage anyone's 18-19 year old daughter to live/work at Whistler.

 

[tch]

My daughter ended up in Park City after graduating college. It was good for her; she got a job instructing right away (although she had to take another job b/c it wasn't steady enough or pay enough). Housing was work, but she found a decent place at a reasonable price. Town is big and active, but also has quieter options for groups and friends that form. She found a couple of great niches and stayed four years before moving down to SLC and buying a house.

But....she was 22 and very adult. 18-19...???? not so sure.

 

[SBrown]

What about getting a job at one of the Alta lodges? That takes care of room and board and gets you into the scene without being totally on your own. Right out of high school ... I mean, it depends on the kid, so I'm not going to judge. Ending there.

 

[Frankly]

A nice Midwestern ski area affiliated with an evangelical Christian college would be my only suggestion.

Otherwise, yeah Rustler dorms. Between the altitude and bong hits she'll grow lungs of steel. As a former 20-22 year old ski bum WTFF are her parents thinking? What's the male/female ratio? Like Google?

And seriously, as a Dad, perhaps make the gap year a carrot on a stick... Finish a practical job-skill Associates degree at the Community College while learning how to instruct locally, then go ski and see the world ~ then transfer to a good University after gaining maturity and learning more about life and the world? To me that's a win-win-win. Not only is the CC less expensive but having a hirable grey collar skill set bumps her up in the ski bum world.

18-year old newbie ski instructor = babysitter with a leftover jacket if she beats out 50 other candidates

20-year old experienced ski instructor = an actual ski instructor at a good ski mountain... Pay those dues!

 

[Philpug]

A nice Midwestern ski area affiliated with an evangelical Christian college a convent would be my only suggestion.

Took it a step further.

And seriously, as a Dad, perhaps make the gap year a carrot on a stick... Finish a practical job-skill Associates degree at the Community College while learning how to instruct locally, then go ski and see the world ~ then transfer to a good University after gaining maturity and learning more about life and the world? To me that's a win-win-win. Not only is the CC less expensive but having a hirable grey collar skill set bumps her up in the ski bum world.

 

[Sibhusky]

Hmmm. Hadn't thought about her age much. Maybe a church-backed-live-with-a-family scheme? I know there's a big exchange student program with the high school here where students live with a family, which isn't done through churches but certainly could be.

She'd definitely learn how to party hearty here. There was a period that bartenders didn't check ID about ten years back. Tons of sting operations changed that, but for all I know they are back to it, not in the papers much any more. They did check our thirty year old at the mountain last weekend. (Very unfair, why did they stop checking me at 22? Harrumph!)

 

[fatbob]

Hmm what's the issue here - if she went straight to college presumably there would be no alcohol, sex, bongs and regrettable decisions possible?

At 18 she's an adult and entitled to make her own mistakes ( at least setting aside your hangover from prohibition alcohol serving laws which make no sense given the huge amount of pot consumption by U21s)

 

[Sibhusky]

I actually think college might be worse. Here at least, it's a small town, the drunks tend to take care of each other. As someone with a job she'll have to cover the rent, show up for work, unlike college. But if the parents want some oversight, there may be ways to achieve that, through a gap year school or church alternative.

Speaking personally from when I was young, if someone wants to raise hell, they can do it anywhere. Every parent thinks they know their kid, until it turns out they don't. You've either done your job in the first 18 years or there's more work to be done.

Just because someone has reached majority by 18 doesn't mean they are an adult. I can think of plenty who still aren't adults who are decades older.

 

[SBrown]

Yeah, I just sent my 18-year-old daughter off to a large public university last year, and I'm pretty sure ski towns are no worse in many ways, better in some. That said, it kind of depends on why you want to do a gap year. Sometimes people do that because they are not ready for college, in which case maybe that means a little more supervision is required? Or not? Which, in the end is why I said it just depends on the kid and we don't know her…

 

[Sibhusky]

@Danny, maybe the friends should log on. Unless they said no and this is the girl's workaround.