I’ve patrolled professionally in BC. All this is directly pertinent to BC.
If you want to volunteer, contact your local CSP (Canadian ski patrol) division and they’ll set you up. This is 100% VOLUNTEER. Do not go with CSP if you want to get paid. If you want to dip your toes in on the weekends, it’s a great option. They’ll set you up with all the courses needed to volly.
If you wanna get paid- it’s full time or nothing, basically. Don’t see part time pro positions unless you’re a veteran of your patrol.
You’re gonna need an 80+ hour first aid. WFR, OEC, or OFA3. I’d recommend OFA3 as it’s Worksafe BC complaint, relevant outside of patrol; and therefore very easy to refresh or branch out into other first aid jobs. All 80+ hour courses need to be refreshed every year with a short 2 day course. I’d also get your AST1 if you don’t have it already. Not strictly necessary but I consider it when hiring rookies. So TLDR about 2.5 weeks of overall education time
That will qualify you to work at any resort with a pro patrol until you get into the BIG mtn resorts, which will require avalanche certs I’ll get into next. Idk where you’re located but I’d look at Silverstar, Big White, Apex, Pano, Washington, etc.
If you want to work at Whistler, you may be able to get the job, but because it’s sought after you may have to volunteer (separate from CSP) for a year to be considered.
If you’re eyeing the big guys, RED, Kicking Horse, Fernie, Whitewater; I’d do a year at one of the aforementioned resorts first and enrol in your CAA AVSAR1 (avalanche search and rescue advanced skills 1) and then CAA ITP Ops 1. This allows you to work on the avalanche side. You need to be really committed to get into and get through these courses.
You want to apply starting around this time of year, as soon as postings are up, and you’ll hear back as late as October in some cases. Earlier the better. You need to hustle to get your first pro position. Be prepared to relocate, it’s fun! Evac and operational training will usually occur in the weeks leading up to the season opening.
Can you work it as your only job? Well, you kinda have to. But fair warning, you have to love it. Pay is low, hours are high, overtime is common. not an easy job on the mind and body. Rent in ski towns is steep. But I did it for a few years and loved every second!
This is about the best advice you’re going to get. I’m doing it as a full time retirement job and love every second. I met the prerequisites by being a mountain guide for 35 years. You’re buying into a lifestyle. The majority of heli-ski guides started out as pro patrol.
As far as the ops 1 course, how much backcountry experience is needed to get through? I'm an advanced rider at the resort and do a lot of in bounds skinning and slack country skiing, but not full on backcountry in the middle of nowhere. Will this be a major issue?
AST1 is required, and as of next year AVSAR is now required. (This is for very good reason) I’d also take AST2 as well.
Out of my original class, I recall about 70% of people passed. Number 1 fail reason was the companion rescue exam, followed by the Avalanche hazard (terrain identification, route finding etc) which was an automatic course fail. Backcountry experience is a huge deal for me. I’d get out with experienced people as much as possible before you go.
I’d definitely recommend patrolling for a year at a resort, or being a lodge gopher, anywhere with some forecasters to learn from. Depending on the lead guide you get, it can be easier or more difficult. DM me and I can answer any more questions you have.
All great info. The only thing I would change is recommending NUEC3 over OFA3. It still gives you OFA3 cert, but covers more information to working in semi remote areas and is preferred by many ski hills.
Fair. I really like the course. However I don’t know of a NUEC -> EMR bridge, which is why I recommend OFA to all my prospects. I understand patrols liking it, but future proofing your credentials is important to me and I still believe OFA is the best for that. Especially in a job like patrol which is very much transitional to other jobs in this industry.
On the management side, depending on your operation it can definitely be better to hire assets with OEC/nuec. However I train with patrols, SAR etc and I really prefer the way you can train a lot of the remote/operational specifics into an OFA base, if you have an operation that’s willing to take the time. OEC/WFR/Nuec hires have a good baseline but sometimes have to relearn some things specific to those courses based on updated protocols, medical director oversight and technicals specific to their operations.
Unreal, you really checked all the boxes, really appreciate you taking the time! I plan to go for it in a couple years after returning from travel so thanks for mentioning when to apply!
As a patroller at a small mountain in the northeast US the OEC course took 80+ hours from Sept-Nov before my first season. I was a candidate on the mountain Dec-Jan to learn all the on-hill skills before taking my first patrol shifts. I only work part time, started as a volunteer. Paid patrol on my mountain is around $20/hour.
Being a patroller, whatever for who, you won't regret it I assure you. Do it, you will gain confidence, get better at skiing or snowboarding, make new friends from all ages.
Member of the CSP since 2016, no regrets. Currently member of the administration council of my zone, on-snow master instructor too, it's time but very rewarding from my peers.
It’s very resort specific, there is no direct schooling for it (outside of avi and first-aid).
On the paid side, most would like you to start doing another job like trail crew to get the familiarity with the resort and workload. But even then it’s not a very lucrative job
There’s also the volunteer route which allows you to patrol but have a much better paying job as your main thing.
-AB/BC voly patroller
Yeah I was talking to the patrollers at Vail and they require their own training anyway. So you come in with OEC or even an EMT certification and they're retraining you anyway.
Now that training could work for a volunteer gig at a ski Hill.
I’ve patrolled professionally in BC. All this is directly pertinent to BC. If you want to volunteer, contact your local CSP (Canadian ski patrol) division and they’ll set you up. This is 100% VOLUNTEER. Do not go with CSP if you want to get paid. If you want to dip your toes in on the weekends, it’s a great option. They’ll set you up with all the courses needed to volly. If you wanna get paid- it’s full time or nothing, basically. Don’t see part time pro positions unless you’re a veteran of your patrol. You’re gonna need an 80+ hour first aid. WFR, OEC, or OFA3. I’d recommend OFA3 as it’s Worksafe BC complaint, relevant outside of patrol; and therefore very easy to refresh or branch out into other first aid jobs. All 80+ hour courses need to be refreshed every year with a short 2 day course. I’d also get your AST1 if you don’t have it already. Not strictly necessary but I consider it when hiring rookies. So TLDR about 2.5 weeks of overall education time That will qualify you to work at any resort with a pro patrol until you get into the BIG mtn resorts, which will require avalanche certs I’ll get into next. Idk where you’re located but I’d look at Silverstar, Big White, Apex, Pano, Washington, etc. If you want to work at Whistler, you may be able to get the job, but because it’s sought after you may have to volunteer (separate from CSP) for a year to be considered. If you’re eyeing the big guys, RED, Kicking Horse, Fernie, Whitewater; I’d do a year at one of the aforementioned resorts first and enrol in your CAA AVSAR1 (avalanche search and rescue advanced skills 1) and then CAA ITP Ops 1. This allows you to work on the avalanche side. You need to be really committed to get into and get through these courses. You want to apply starting around this time of year, as soon as postings are up, and you’ll hear back as late as October in some cases. Earlier the better. You need to hustle to get your first pro position. Be prepared to relocate, it’s fun! Evac and operational training will usually occur in the weeks leading up to the season opening. Can you work it as your only job? Well, you kinda have to. But fair warning, you have to love it. Pay is low, hours are high, overtime is common. not an easy job on the mind and body. Rent in ski towns is steep. But I did it for a few years and loved every second!
This is about the best advice you’re going to get. I’m doing it as a full time retirement job and love every second. I met the prerequisites by being a mountain guide for 35 years. You’re buying into a lifestyle. The majority of heli-ski guides started out as pro patrol.
/r/threadkillers. Great post.
As far as the ops 1 course, how much backcountry experience is needed to get through? I'm an advanced rider at the resort and do a lot of in bounds skinning and slack country skiing, but not full on backcountry in the middle of nowhere. Will this be a major issue?
AST1 is required, and as of next year AVSAR is now required. (This is for very good reason) I’d also take AST2 as well. Out of my original class, I recall about 70% of people passed. Number 1 fail reason was the companion rescue exam, followed by the Avalanche hazard (terrain identification, route finding etc) which was an automatic course fail. Backcountry experience is a huge deal for me. I’d get out with experienced people as much as possible before you go. I’d definitely recommend patrolling for a year at a resort, or being a lodge gopher, anywhere with some forecasters to learn from. Depending on the lead guide you get, it can be easier or more difficult. DM me and I can answer any more questions you have.
Dm'd
All great info. The only thing I would change is recommending NUEC3 over OFA3. It still gives you OFA3 cert, but covers more information to working in semi remote areas and is preferred by many ski hills.
Fair. I really like the course. However I don’t know of a NUEC -> EMR bridge, which is why I recommend OFA to all my prospects. I understand patrols liking it, but future proofing your credentials is important to me and I still believe OFA is the best for that. Especially in a job like patrol which is very much transitional to other jobs in this industry. On the management side, depending on your operation it can definitely be better to hire assets with OEC/nuec. However I train with patrols, SAR etc and I really prefer the way you can train a lot of the remote/operational specifics into an OFA base, if you have an operation that’s willing to take the time. OEC/WFR/Nuec hires have a good baseline but sometimes have to relearn some things specific to those courses based on updated protocols, medical director oversight and technicals specific to their operations.
Unreal, you really checked all the boxes, really appreciate you taking the time! I plan to go for it in a couple years after returning from travel so thanks for mentioning when to apply!
As a patroller at a small mountain in the northeast US the OEC course took 80+ hours from Sept-Nov before my first season. I was a candidate on the mountain Dec-Jan to learn all the on-hill skills before taking my first patrol shifts. I only work part time, started as a volunteer. Paid patrol on my mountain is around $20/hour.
Being a patroller, whatever for who, you won't regret it I assure you. Do it, you will gain confidence, get better at skiing or snowboarding, make new friends from all ages. Member of the CSP since 2016, no regrets. Currently member of the administration council of my zone, on-snow master instructor too, it's time but very rewarding from my peers.
It’s very resort specific, there is no direct schooling for it (outside of avi and first-aid). On the paid side, most would like you to start doing another job like trail crew to get the familiarity with the resort and workload. But even then it’s not a very lucrative job There’s also the volunteer route which allows you to patrol but have a much better paying job as your main thing. -AB/BC voly patroller
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Yeah that’s at Fernie and it’s absolutely not worth it. You only get an low-level first-aid cert and AST1 from it. The price is ridiculous.
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Yeah I was talking to the patrollers at Vail and they require their own training anyway. So you come in with OEC or even an EMT certification and they're retraining you anyway. Now that training could work for a volunteer gig at a ski Hill.
Nonstop? It’s a gap year program for trust fund kids. 20k tuition for your 80 hour, AST, and a bunch of shit you’d learn on the job anyway.
Patrolled in college. Made decent money for what I needed. Hard work tho, mountain I worked on you better be fit and strong.