Winter 2026/2027: Ski Patrol

POWDR • Copper Mountain, CO

1d • $22 • Onsite

About The Position

Copper Mountain Resort is a vacation destination located 75 miles west of Denver, Colorado in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Three vibrant, pedestrian-friendly village areas host lodging, retail outlets, restaurants, bars, and family activities. During the winter months, Copper's world-class terrain offers skiing and riding for all ages and abilities. Each summer, the mountain transforms into a playground for hikers, mountain bikers, and anyone seeking a genuine Colorado experience. Copper Mountain Resort is also home to Woodward Copper action-sports camps, programs, and training facility.

The role of the winter/summer patroller is to ensure a reasonably safe skiing/biking environment. To provide medical assistance and evacuation, guest safety, search and rescue support, trail work, lift evacuation, daily duty station responsibilities, equipment maintenance, and other assigned duties. Each task requires a high level of decision making. Computers (proficiency in Microsoft Office programs), technical rope experience.

Requirements

• Must be an expert skier or rider
• Hold current (or be enrolled in) Colorado or National EMT (or higher) and current CPR certification
• Must be 21 years old
• Must have valid US driver’s license.
• Scheduling flexibility; work weekends, holidays, events and Camp Woodward and other activities
• Intermediate mountain biker
• Have a mountain bike to use at work
• Must be able to lift and carry toboggans weighing as much as seventy pounds.
• Other tasks include skiing difficult conditions, high elevations, carrying and transporting unwieldy materials such as tower pads and medical equipment, and working in cold and often inclement conditions.
• No history of injuries or physical limitations permitted.
• Must be able to hear and speak clearly in order to communicate via radios and telephones, must be able to hear beacon signals and skiers requesting assistance.
• Must be able to pass knee strength and stability test.
• Due to the sensitive nature of this position, a criminal background check will be conducted after position is accepted.
• This position may require the use of a motor vehicle and the employee is subject to comply with the Driver’s Standards of Copper Mountain

Nice To Haves

• Patrol or mountaineering experience preferred
• Lift Evacuation cable rider / gondola proficiency
• Collaborate with mountain bike trail crew to assist with trail maintenance
• Work on patrol related summer projects as they surface
• Previous professional patrolling experience, previously employed by Copper Mountain, mountaineering/Outward Bound, or experience within the medical field.
• Computers
• ACLS certification, EMT-P, PA knowledge of "kiwi devices" and technical rope experience.
• American Red Cross Advance First Aid with CPR minimum requirement, with NSPS Winter Emergency Care Course to be completed by end of first year.
• Strong alpine skiing background.
• Mountaineering skills preferred.
• Industry experience, i.e. ski instructor, lift op, trail crew.

Responsibilities

• Medical assessment, stabilization/treatment and evacuation.
• Incident investigation procedure, preservation of the facts, forms and records.
• Establish a reasonably safe skiing/biking environment, i.e. trail checks, trail openings/closings, early season preparation, boot packing, maintenance, obstacle marking, signage, sweeps, and special race preparation.
• Observation of ever-changing snow stability, snow pit profiles, ski cutting, and boot packing of avalanche starting zones.
• Search and rescue: All staff must know about the formulation of a preplan (Mountain Emergency Plan), practice drills, and execution. Use of handheld and avalanche charges. Skilled in the use of all avalanche/search and rescue equipment. Locating lost parties on the mountain.
• Responsible for the evacuation of people from a lift in the event of an extended breakdown.
• Enforcement of Skier Safety Act, i.e., boundary management, safe skiing, speeder control. Being visible to the public for skier information.
• base area public relations, distribution of surveys, skier information services, and VIP tours.
• All staff will participate in training and demonstrate proficiency in all areas of patrolling. This constant and ongoing process includes medical preparation (medical lectures), avalanche related skills, lift evacuation, snowmobile certification, mountain/company policies, inter-agency relations and contacts, etc. Ski/biking improvement through all terrain with varying technical terrain and conditions.
• Construction, maintenance, preventive maintenance inspections of equipment (duty stations, toboggans, medical, search and rescue, explosives, radios, emergency medical vehicle, rescue beacons, and snowmobiles).
• Maintaining ongoing historical records, daily observations for marketing, snow safety, and the development of a Daily Trail and Information sheet to include interaction with Copper Slope Maintenance, USFS and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
• Accident records input for the development of reports submitted to the insurance carrier, weather and snow safety factors, forms and records, and word processing. Weather facsimile for the development of weather forecasting.
• Hosting avalanche schools (national avalanche schools, AAI, C-RAD dog program). Teaching CPR classes. Patrol and SAR lectures for school and ski groups, Cub Scouts, etc. Orientation of employees in areas of mountain safety awareness.
• familiar with summer trail and road system, Understand lift breakdown, lightning and wildland fire procedures.
• May be required to assist lift operations

Benefits

• This is a seasonal position eligible for season pass for employees/dependents and privileges at several other resorts.
• Several discount programs (i.e. food & beverage, retail/rental, tickets, etc.) also available.

What This Job Offers

• Education Level: No Education Listed