I Want to Become a Ski Bum

[Soup Nazi]

I'm about to turn 30 and although I think I lead an exciting life, I definitely don't ski as often as I want to. My job, which I love, requires that I not take vacation in the months of January, February and March. Of couse, I always take a 3-4 day Utah skiing vacation in mid-December and early April, but that is not nearly enough to satisfy me.

Living in Illinois, I've managed to save up a pretty big chunk of money over the past five years and I feel I have the financial freedom to escape the rat race for a little while and bum it up. My review is probably going to be sometime this week or early next week and if I don't get a big raise I think I'm going to quit before the busy, 60 hours/week, no vacation, no fun season begins.

Am I being horrendously irresponsible and selfish?

[LightRanger]

Am I being horrendously irresponsible and selfish?

Do you have any dependents? If not, no.

Move to the mountains and find something you enjoy.

[enzo3366]

Do you have any dependents? If not, no.

Move to the mountains and find something you enjoy.

QFT

Having enough saved up this winter so I don't have to work and can ski everyday has been amazing.

[concretejungle]

If you need employment the arrangement at Alta seems to be pretty good. At least from what I've seen here.

[Bunion 2020]

Am I being horrendously irresponsible and selfish?

Maybe yes but who gives a shit.

You have one life to live.

[dumpy]

Or split the difference. Find a new job somewhere that doesn't require skiing to be a vacation only thing. Work a normal 40 hour a week gig, and still ski a minimum of two days a week, all season long.

I work 40-50 hours a week, day time hours and still fit in around 50 days a year. Most of them are not at a mountain worth writing home about (although I'm sure it beats the options in IL) and not all are full 8 hour days, but getting out there, even for a little while, sure as hell beats only skiing on vacation. Hell I actually just got back from a few quick night runs and I worked all day today and will be back at work at 7:30 in the morning.

At an old job where I worked from 4pm-midnight, I used to get amazing, empty mountain skiing just about everyday. Never had a chance to do any of the "normal" social activities people partake in (other than going to the bar with coworkers after work), but man did I ski a lot. Actually that job forbade vacations during Nov, Feb and May, so January and March were a very good time to take them. February kinda sucked, but snow around here is usually decent then,so not a big deal.

Whats your line of work? Unless you are a plow driver, liftie, ski instructor or another winter specific job I'd say you can find another job in your field (or close to it) that still allows plenty of time for skiing. You a bean counter that specializes in personal income taxes?

That being said, if you've got the means to bum it for a year or two and have no major responsibilities/dependents, do it up, you'll have a blast. Just keep the other plan in mind for long term happiness.

[Girardeau]

My bet = Accountant

People need accountants in the mountains too.

[dumpy]

My bet = Accountant

People need accountants in the mountains too.

Damn't beat me to it, just went back and edited my post to ask that.

Only reason that occurred to me was Ken Jennings didn't know that.

[BGnight]

Just take a fucking winter off and do it right. Your soul will be happy.

[boltonoutlaw]

Not bum. Enthusiast. Or amateur, in France.

You're not a bum if you are productively improving your quality of life.
Sounds like a good plan. Much better than improving the quality of life for your boss, or an employer who sweats your back.

[skifishbum]

bum
git sum

[Hugh Conway]

No. You can't do what you want with your life.

[Eluder]

Land of the free, home of the brave.

[bobrmr]

Soup Nazi, I was in a very similar situation. Left NW Montana after high school to do the whole go to college, get a job, make good money thing. After 8 years of skiing on average of 6 days a year, I finally made the decision that this was no longer acceptable. I started looking for a job in my field (telecom/ip engineering) back in MT. It took awhile but I finally found something that pays well and allows me to live in Bozeman.

I've already got 10+ days this year, which might not seem like much to most here but it's more than I've had in a single season in the better part of a decade; and it's only Jan. 5!

I'm w/ Dumpy on this one. Nothing is perfect but sometimes you can come pretty damn close. My $.02...

[TheSkiGuru]

To: Soup Nazi
From: TSG

A - stop being a puss and go get some

B - stop it.

[Blurred]

The ski bum responses in this thread RULE.

[lemonhead]

If you want to be a ski bum then DO IT.

[sftc]

Nah, you should probably lead a safe, boring life in middle America. Get married, have kids, grow old and then die still wishing you had spent a season or two skiing everyday.

[ISL]

If you're asking a TGR forum's opinion whether you should quit working and ski, you've probably already made your decision.

[skiingsamurai]

Just take a fucking winter off and do it right. Your soul will be happy.

this is my plan within the next few years. I want to save up enough cash, and have enough time in at my company to be able to take 4-6 months off to bum. I wish I could have done it this winter, but with such a lack of engineering jobs for college grads there was no way I could justify not taking the offer


so no, your not being selfish. Having a good paying job and money in the bank wont make you happy if your not doing what you love.
It would be irresponsible for you to not do what you want.

[Ski to Be]

Obama says " Go Skiing" Seriously do you think you are going to get an unbiased opinion on a ski forum. Don't ask anyone. Just do it. While you are not reigned in by the vises of modern society. Career & wife & kids will always be there in the future . Being young, optimistic, & being able to ski all day & party all night with minimal responsibility. You will look back at those times as some of the best. You may not even want to come back to regular society. Good luck

[My Pet Powder Goat]

what do you do for work?

rule#1 for true ski bumming is don't work days, ever.

take your savings get a menial evening job to supplement your new weed habit (pre-requisite to skibumming) with a bartender, bellman, frontdesk agent, tuning skis etc and ski everyday, all day.

however, if you have a good career that gives you flexibility of schedule, like working at home, or computer geek stuff do that. just make sure you can get out on the hill on a powder days whenever that day is.

[stevey s]

I'm about to turn 30 and although I think I lead an exciting life, I definitely don't ski as often as I want to. My job, which I love, requires that I not take vacation in the months of January, February and March. Of couse, I always take a 3-4 day Utah skiing vacation in mid-December and early April, but that is not nearly enough to satisfy me.

Living in Illinois, I've managed to save up a pretty big chunk of money over the past five years and I feel I have the financial freedom to escape the rat race for a little while and bum it up. My review is probably going to be sometime this week or early next week and if I don't get a big raise I think I'm going to quit before the busy, 60 hours/week, no vacation, no fun season begins.

Am I being horrendously irresponsible and selfish?

1) do you have children?
2) what do you do?
I would say at the very least change locations!!! Salt Lake City has many job and is close to a ton of ski resorts, their are numerous places in montana and Denver to live, Reno to ski mt rose and tahoe. The least favorable in my mind would be Sacto for tahoe

[McDee]

What a redundant question to ask on the TGR forum

[skifishbum]

what do you do for work?

rule#1 for true ski bumming is don't work days, ever.

take your savings get a menial evening job to supplement your new weed habit (pre-requisite to skibumming) with a bartender, bellman, frontdesk agent, tuning skis etc and ski everyday, all day.

however, if you have a good career that gives you flexibility of schedule, like working at home, or computer geek stuff do that. just make sure you can get out on the hill on a powder days whenever that day is.

That's not true I work from 5:00am to 6:00am 4 days a week. Ski teching I liked to put a few hours in the am then get out and ski, working nights grooming tending bar graveyard etc. is cool but you got to sleep sometime.
Even if you have enough loot to not work a part time gig at a resort is cool as you meet a lot of good peeps and the benis of having a locker or place to stash gear at the mountain is good.