Telluride ski closed due to ski patrol strike

[GON]

Interesting article that Telluride ski area is closed the busiest week of the snow season due to ski patrol strike

I learned quite a bit in the article. For decades I thought ski patrol was a volunteer position, one gets to ski for free in exchange for being ski patrol. I was very wrong.

Finding out not only is ski patrol a paid job, it is a union job at this resort, I assume might also be a union position at other resorts.

I might have found a new career field to look into! Currently Telluride has a 80 year old man working the ski patrol. Is it reasonable to assume ski patrol workers are not required to take a urinalysis as part of employment?

https://coloradosun.com/2026/01/01/telluride-ski-patroller-strike-resort-closure/

 

[BobsArmory]

The cost of skiing out west has gotten so expensive that it's sometimes cheaper to fly to Europe for a week and Ski there instead. As I recall, a few decades back it was a volunteer position in Michigan but I may be wrong. I would assume that with all the ambulance chasing lawyers these days, ski patrol has to be much better trained requiring more professional type employees. I could see First Responder/EMT credentials mandated?

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

LOL well hopefully the Patrol will be back by golf season!

 

[BobsArmory]

LOL well hopefully the Patrol will be back by golf season!

Someone has to drive the beverage cart.

 

[edyvw]

The cost of skiing out west has gotten so expensive that it's sometimes cheaper to fly to Europe for a week and Ski there instead. As I recall, a few decades back it was a volunteer position in Michigan but I may be wrong. I would assume that with all the ambulance chasing lawyers these days, ski patrol has to be much better trained requiring more professional type employees. I could see First Responder/EMT credentials mandated?

Living in the Front Range and skiing is absolutely not expensive. I have lived here for 12 years. I skied as many as 60 days a year, as few as 20 days when the kids were infants. I stayed in hotels up there maybe 4 times, mostly family visiting, or my wife and I caught a deal, and grandparents were visiting. But, we have season passes, know where to go, etc. etc.
Flying into CO, staying in a hotel, buying a daily ticket, yeah, the trip to Cortina d'Ampezzo is cheaper.
Now, think about living there and working for $21/hr, where 350sq ft condos go for $1 million? Not to mention that if you screw up your knee, etc, you better have another profession in the pocket.

 

[RoadDukie]

The employee strike is the least of their worries...

The central Rockies have no snow right now. Colorado is around 52% snow pack. The temps are so warm, they've been having trouble making snow with this LA Nina.

 

[edyvw]

The employee strike is the least of their worries...

The central Rockies have no snow right now. Colorado is around 52% snow pack. The temps are so warm, they've been having trouble making snow with this LA Nina.

I did not plan to ski much this year because we had a baby, but I was expecting at least a few runs this fall. I'm yet to go skiing. Absolutely horrible. And not sure what the impact of the strike will be on Telluride. They are in a dead zone with the La Niña pattern. So, they are already losing money big time, cancellations, etc.

 

[methusaleh]

The employee strike is the least of their worries...

The central Rockies have no snow right now. Colorado is around 52% snow pack. The temps are so warm, they've been having trouble making snow with this LA Nina.

I’ll gladly send you some of this single-digit warmth we’ve been having in Vermont for the past few weeks, in exchange for some warm air!!

 

[D60]

Drug testing seems to come and go with owner(s) and presumably insurance companies??

The problem with testing at most CO ski resorts is that you'll disqualify 75% of your labor pool for pot. I grew up working at Purg and I'd guess 80% of my co-workers smoked pot (I actually didn't, just not my drug of choice). This was WAY before legalization, and when legalization did arrive it was a big yawn in my world -- everyone who was gonna smoke pot was already doing so, regardless of the law.

I was employed during a time when we literally had to play a video game before clocking in. It was supposed to test reflexes and was THE dumbest thing ever. Stoned people would pass and sober people could fail -- I did on a couple occasions and I was 100% sober (truly)

And yeah, conditions down here are terrible. One of the warmest winters I can recall. The lack of snow is not THAT unusual, but so far most days are in the high 40s and even low to mid 50s, which is not normal for late Dec/early Jan

 

[edyvw]

Drug testing seems to come and go with owner(s) and presumably insurance companies??

The problem with testing at most CO ski resorts is that you'll disqualify 75% of your labor pool for pot. I grew up working at Purg and I'd guess 80% of my co-workers smoked pot (I actually didn't, just not my drug of choice). This was WAY before legalization, and when legalization did arrive it was a big yawn in my world -- everyone who was gonna smoke pot was already doing so, regardless of the law.

I was employed during a time when we literally had to play a video game before clocking in. It was supposed to test reflexes and was THE dumbest thing ever. Stoned people would pass and sober people could fail -- I did on a couple occasions and I was 100% sober (truly)

And yeah, conditions down here are terrible. One of the warmest winters I can recall. The lack of snow is not THAT unusual, but so far most days are in the high 40s and even low to mid 50s, which is not normal for late Dec/early Jan

La Nina supposed to be only mild. Mild La Nina still delivers punch to Steamboat and Winter Park, and Summit is at least on average. This is absolutely ridiculous.
I was passing through Georgetown on Sunday, and there is no ice on lake at all. At this time I think CSP should have winter driving school on the lake for stat law enforcement agencies, and that Auto X on ice.

 

[GON]

Two weeks ago we snow tubed in Frisco, and the next day skied Loveland with the grandkids.

The man made snow did a admirable job. Selfishnesly, I prefer to snow ski at 45 degrees and sunny.

Supplemental- we spent the night at the Microtel in Georgetown. Rooms were $250 a night USD, for Christmas week. The hotel was nicely maintained, had a decent indoor swimming pool for the grandkids and a indoor hot tub for all. Immediately next door was a brew.pub with above average food for the area. I had very low expectations for the Microtel, all the other area hotels were over $600 USD per Christmas week night, and those hotels, every luxury brands, had underwhelming ratings/reviews.

 

[Dave Hess]

Interesting article that Telluride ski area is closed the busiest week of the snow season due to ski patrol strike

I learned quite a bit in the article. For decades I thought ski patrol was a volunteer position, one gets to ski for free in exchange for being ski patrol. I was very wrong.

Finding out not only is ski patrol a paid job, it is a union job at this resort, I assume might also be a union position at other resorts.

I might have found a new career field to look into! Currently Telluride has a 80 year old man working the ski patrol. Is it reasonable to assume ski patrol workers are not required to take a urinalysis as part of employment?

https://coloradosun.com/2026/01/01/telluride-ski-patroller-strike-resort-closure/

Really not surprised employees want to make more money.