My goal here is not to make you second guess yourself as much as to warn you.
What some people think the park crew does.
What the park crew actually does some days.
Most of the major work is done after hours or on trails that are closed during the day.
This is why people get the idea that the park crew doesn’t actually do anything.
A lot of the real work goes down at night.
Any fencing or signage that needs to be put out is done at this time.
If any building is happening, this is when the fun starts.
Night builds, contests, and mother nature can come in at any time to change the routine day.
Powder days are awesome, digging out the park not so much.
Figure out who they are, and express your interest in working on the crew.
The sooner you get involved the better your chances are of grabbing that first job.
You will need to be 18 at most mountains but some smaller places do not have an age requirement.
The parks can also be a dangerous place and park crew injuries are not uncommon.
The majority of what you will be doing is learned through on the job training.
Maybe you work construction with your uncle in the summer, or you took a welding class in school.
Most of the people on the park crew love their job and keep doing it year after year.
This makes getting the first job more difficult as the openings are generally limited.
Some tips
Build things that everybody can have fun on.
(Even the noobs)
Be prepared for late nights and bad weather.
A good reference can go a long way.
DON’T BREAK THE RAKES!
(Or any tools)
Have fun!
Build like it matters!
In the end everyone likes to hit a nice looking setup.
At the end of the day people are paying to shred the park you work in.
There is something simply magical about watching people have fun on something you built.
You put in the extra time to do it right and now the kids are all smiles.
That is why park crew really is the best job in the world!
