well; my curiosity got the best of me, so I looked up ski patrol.
Most of what I found was volunteer duty, consisting of out-of-pocket registering, books, training, uniforms, dues, equipment, medical packs, etc. No income for them, just lots of expense and training. Didn't find much on those who actually get paid. But looks like the pay is not relevant in this type of work.
That'd be like a man who's so eager to cut firewood, goes out and buys some new saws, woodsplitter, axes, and accessories, hardhats, few pairs of chaps, 1st aid kits, a new truck , trailer, and log loader, and gives the wood away free.
Your analogy would be more valid if millions of people paid large dollars to recreationally cut wood for fun and enjoyment.
Season's passes can be as high as $1,700.
I loved being a ski bum......
Unfortunately I had to grow up
A lot of the smaller ski hills rely solely on volunteer patrollers. Most of the larger resorts use full time paid patrollers mixed with volunteers during the busier days.
When you volunteer, yes you are working for free, but your mainly skiing, something you'd be paying for anyways. Season's passes can be as high as $1,700.
As Stayalert mentioned, you don't have to wait in lift lines (sometimes over a 30 min wait), first on the mountain (fresh tracks) and last off the mountain. This translates into a heck of a lot more skiing, even if you factor in the odd medical call.
I loved being a ski bum......
Unfortunately I had to grow up
