Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Hi all just wondering if anyone either moving over or already settled lived and worked all year in a Ski Resort, or maybe just lived.

Would it be suitable for a family to do this as in schooling etc, seems ideal for those who like skiing during winter and mountain biking in summer.

Cheers Gaz

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Few of the ski resorts I know that are affordable to live in year round are incorporated municipalities, therefore amenities like schools aren't available. Larger resorts like Whistler provided schools, but you're going to find the cost of property pretty frightening.

I have several friends and relatives that live at Sun Peaks year round - only one couple has permanent work there (self employed), everyone else commutes 45 minutes into Kamloops. Year round career options are limited to either working in a maintenance/administrative/management capacity for the ski corporation that owns the hill, shop/bar work, or in more itinerant positions as a lifty or groundskeeper, though there will be several months between seasons when work is slim.

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Cheers Rich, would be Sun Peaks we would be, possibly Big White. Just exploring all available options around area, whatever we will do is gonna be totally different for us.

Some nice perks to the staff working there i noticed including Free skiing and Golfing etc, something you dont get in the UK :) We where up in Sun Peaks in April a few times caught end of season looks a fab place wether living , working or just goin to ski weekends etc.

Gaz

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

The staff perks somewhat counter the low (often minimum wages) earnings that staff get paid.

If you've skills that the Sun Peaks Corporation want on an ongoing basis (admin/management), then I can see the attraction of living there, but bear in mind there's no real supermarket, only gift/ski/golf stores and restaurants/bars there as amenities - not even a gas station. You'll have a 45 min drive to shop for anything major, and if your kids want to participate in activities like soccer, swimming or other school stuff, you'll be spending a lot of time in the car.

You'll need $300k for a basic, small 3 bed condo in Sun Peaks, and have monthly strata fees to pay. If you want to avoid strata overheads, then the choice of housing is very limited, and purchase prices much higher.

Consider too, that proper winter on the hill starts at least a month earlier than in Kamloops itself, and snow's still on the ground up there into May. Temperatures are regularly 10 degrees or more cooler.

You might find living in a community like Rayleigh a better bet - mid way between Sun Peaks and Kamloops, so an easy commute to either, and far lower housing costs.

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

I would say that all this information is also true for Big White. Whilst it may only be 45 minutes into Kelowna it can be a hairy drive mid winter if you need to make it for school/shops/gas etc...

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Kimberley, BC would fit your bill. It's next door to Cranbrook and has a nice ski hill and town with a multitude of very good quality golf courses and lakes nearby.

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Based on el_richo's (canadian) definition of next door, Invermere and Panorama spring to mind.

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Agreed. Both nice places. A friend recently bought a place in Panorama and is enjoying it.

Kimberley is about 10 minutes drive from Cranbrook. Cranbrook has a very useful little airport with daily flights to and from Calgary and Vancouver that we use regularly.

Invermere has a lovely lake to play on in the summer too.

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Personally I prefer Kimberley to Panorama, but Inveremere over Cranbrook. That said Sunshine/Louise/Kicking Horse knock both resorts into a Cocked Hat and Canmore wipes the floor with either Cranbrook or Invermere :p

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Agreed again. Canmore is a lovely place for sure.

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Thanx guys i wasnt familiar with any ski resorts or areas apart from Kamloops and Kelowna, been checking out the other areas you have mentioned. Theres sooo many nice places all over Canada and BC :)

Have to see what work in these areas in my industry there are in order to look at further afield than Kamloops, but we as a family are open to where we end up

Gaz

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

Gaz, Not sure about the size(s) of the resorts round Kamloops/Kelowna, BUT I'm pretty sure you're more likely to find work in the Canmore/Banff/Sunshine/Louise 'corridor'.

Basically Mate you have Calgary (1million plus) then 40/45 minutes west is Kananaskis (VERY quiet in the summer though) maybe 20/25 west again is Canmore (year round and residential) another 15/20 minutes Banff (again year, round BIG 'posh' hotels which do LOTS of 'functions' conferences etc) 10/15 minutes to Sunshine (one slope side hotel) 25? minutes to Lake Louise (has a Fairmont Hotel which operates year round and a few smaller hotels).

With your 'experience' I'd be giving it serious consideration.

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

im typing this now from sunshine village....the pay is piss poor in all ski resorts but its the experience that is something different altogether.

accommodation in banff is expensive and limited (canmore is nice but its a horrible commute to sunshine - 30-35min each way) - general living expenses are expensive too (tourist town) but then i spent the day in Golden, bc cruising the backcountry by skidoo and it makes it all worth while.

i love it but it definitely isnt a lifestyle for a family!

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

check out Fernie as well

Re: Living and working on a Ski Resort
 

good grief that sounds good. perhaps i should get back into events...