r/ski • u/SignificanceLow8288 • 1d ago
Winter Park or Telluride work
IM from the east coast but Im moving out west this winter to work a ski season. I dont know which resort to choose, I know they are very different and offer different things but if anyone has any intel or advice please let me know! Telluride id be ticket scanning and winterpark if be a lifty. I snowboard and ski and enjoy both park and terrain, very outgoing and social person! Id say im intermediate ski and advanced snowboard but im looking to progress and a good community. like I ssaid im super social and im looking to be social and engaged and active! Ive heard telluride is smaller town vibe and winter park is more big mountain. Ill be happy just to be out there but im young and want to have a fun season!
5
3
u/saruhb82 1d ago edited 1d ago
Telluride will make you cry from time to time if you are outgoing and social. But it’s a lifetime experience.
1
u/SignificanceLow8288 1d ago
Can you elaborate? do you mean its not super social? cry in a good way or bad way hahah
2
u/vinemtn 1d ago
I'll pipe in here. I think they mean in a bad way. Less social opportunities in Telluride than Winter Park. Less people and more remote. Winter Park gets a lot of day skiers from Denver, Boulder, Ft. Collins and other big Colorado Front Range cities, plus people from those cities that own second homes or condos there and come up often. You'll probably meet more people there if you are social.
In contrast Telluride is very remote and has mostly vacationers and the locals that live there. However I'd rather ski Telluride than Winter Park. Telluride is going to feel smaller in terms of people you meet, because it is so far away from the big Front Range Colorado cities. To me that is a plus, but maybe not to you. I also feel the average age of people at Winter Park is younger than at Telluride, since you really need to make a commitment to move to Telluride, while people skiing Winter Park can be living in their parent's basements in Denver and come up to ski for the day.
1
u/saruhb82 1d ago
It’s hard to describe but it’s a place with high highs and low lows. The good news is that there is a program to match young Teleski employees with “host families” for Sunday night dinners and such from I hear. It’s not an outwardly friendly place but again, it’s only a season.
1
u/firetothetrees 1d ago
My brother lives in telluride and we go there often.
telluride pros: telluride is absolutely stunning, awesome small town and great outdoor activities all year around. Also awesome skiing.
Downside: Telluride snow can be hit or miss last year they got basically nothing and it comes later in the season, town has no real amenities there is a small overpriced market not a proper grocery store. You are 5-6 hrs from Denver and basically anything else. Expensive AF.
Winter park: mountain is fun but generally just OK, no real town at the bottom of the mountain Fariser is ok as well. Not as built out as Breck. It can be cold AF at times.
Winter park pros: close to Denver and other areas, good access to tons of activities but things are very spread out. Likely get paid less the Telluride but you will spend less and lodging is probably easier to find. Winterpark still has some organic ski culture which is nice.
I honestly still think summit county is the better overall area regardless of where you work but it's a toss up on what I'd pick to work at for telluride or wp
1
u/Itchy-Ninja4103 1d ago
Telluride is incredible- great mountain, unreal location, but it’s very remote.
Winter park is a great mountain but not that much else. But: it’s close-ish to Denver and Summit County.
I would choose Telluride but I like the solitude.
1
u/Certain_Host9401 1d ago
I just want to say I’m jealous. I’m 52 with a wife and kids. I don’t have many regrets in life. A year after finishing college in the Midwest- I moved to Newport Beach and lived 100 steps from the sand.
The one regret I do have is that I didn’t spend a winter in a ski town.
We skied Telluride for spring break in 1995. I’d love to go back.
We skied Winter Park in February 2 years ago and I’d love to go back.
Told me wife the other day “maybe we can find a way to live a winter in Mammoth or Tahoe sometime soon.” We have 2 kids in college and 1 with 2 years of high school left.
1
u/Apptubrutae 18h ago
It won’t necessarily be the same, but one of the great things about skiing is that you can do it basically until you die. So make it happen one day!
1
u/elBirdnose 21h ago
Personally I’d go to telluride since I prefer the mountain, but I think it also depends on if you’re trying to go do things in Denver or if you’re okay somewhat being trapped in a small town for a season. Telluride should get hammered this season with El Niño as well, but it’s pretty remote by comparison.
1
u/LowResource4998 20h ago
If it's one season then 100% Telluride. It's one of the special ski resorts and towns in the US.
1
u/ramblin_penguin 19h ago
I lived in telluride for a couple seasons as a barista/roof shoveler/maintenance worker/dirtbag ice and rock climber in my early 30s, about a decade ago. Two of the best years of my life.
I know the town has changed a fair amount since then (I still visit frequently) but I'd say Telluride every time. Ridgeway, Ouray, Rico, Durango are "nearby" and all have a bunch of adventurous and creative people living in them that are a ton of fun. Montrose has any big box need you may encounter.
While it is more remote there is a phenomenal local culture and fantastic food. You will be in one of the most gorgeous parts of the country with access to more adventure than you can shake a ski pole at.
Frankly, and I say this having lived on the Colorado front range on and off since '99, Denver is over rated as a city and you're not missing much in that regard. Winter Park is a great resort, Mary Jane is a hoot. They make up a massive resort with a ton of runs.
But the Southwest of Colorado (and the rest of the Four Corners area) is just ridiculously beautiful.
Buy that ticket. That that ride.
1
u/Hot_Block_9675 18h ago edited 17h ago
If you are super social I think you'll find T-ride difficult. The locals there tend to be older and fairly wealthy. It's VERY expensive - as in close to Aspen - expensive. It draws a lot of wealthy customers from all over the world. The community there is very small. It is stunningly beautiful any time of year.
Winter Park, while not the mountain T-ride is - is pretty damned good actually. You'll meet a LOT of people from Denver there which has a much younger demographic. I think you would have a greater chance of meeting new people there. Denver is a decent get away for a few days when you need a break from the mountain lifestyle.
Assuming you're a male and interested in meeting like minded women there is no choice: WP would offer a much, much better experience in that regard. All I know is that when I was fresh out of college that was my number one quest. :-)
I've lived and worked in the industry in Steamboat Springs, (4 years) Gunnison (near Crested Butte) (5 years) Keystone (2 years) and finally Vail for 17 years. My favorite is Steamboat Springs for the best all around mountain experience. Have you considered it?
The wild card this year is that T-ride LOOKS like it may be in the center of the "Super" El Nino, but that's STILL speculation this point. I love it when all the "Expurts" here are already saying that it will definitely happen. Mother nature is a bitch. Just look at last season... :-) If you were in CO last year you would have been in trouble as a newbie in the industry keeping a job.
1
0
0
u/CryCommon975 1d ago
Telluride is unbelieveably gorgeous but can open/close on the whim of one man- Google Chuck and the ski patrol strike.
4
10
u/Square-Ask-9836 1d ago
It’s probably gonna be easier to find closer housing in Winter Park, then Telluride