Volunteer with us
Volunteers are the reason a guided day costs $20. In 2026, 76 unique volunteers gave 2,295 hours. Here is what it involves and how to join them.
What volunteering actually involves
A program day runs about four hours, typically 8:00 to noon. You help at check-in, you help people get skins on, and then you tour with a group and make sure nobody gets left behind. That is most of it. Some volunteers sweep at the back, some lead from the front, and some spend the whole morning at the lodge being the friendly face somebody needed.
Three programs a season is the minimum we ask, so that you get to know the people and the routine rather than doing it once. Most volunteers do considerably more: across the 2026 season, 76 unique volunteers gave 2,295 hours, which is an average of about thirty hours each.
The moment when all participants make it to the top of the climb, exhausted and happy to be done but elated and with a sense of pride and accomplishment.Volunteer, 2025 season
What you need, and what you do not
The single most common thing people say when they apply is some version of "I am probably not good enough". Almost nobody who says it is right. Most of our volunteers have one or two seasons of touring behind them, several started as participants on our own programs, and the job on the way up is encouragement and company rather than instruction.
Experience, honestly
For an assistant volunteer on an on-resort day: you have toured before, a handful of days is plenty, and you are comfortable on the terrain we use. That is it. You do not need to be a guide, an instructor, an expert skier or fast. Several of our best volunteers describe themselves as beginners.
Lead volunteers are different. You assist on two tours and shadow a lead before you lead one yourself, so nobody is ever put in front of a group before they are ready.
Gear knowledge
You do not need to know every binding on the market. This is the thing volunteers most often ask for help with, so we cover setups at the pre-season training and there is always somebody on the day who knows the awkward ones. If a binding needs adjusting rather than explaining, that is a job for the resort rental shop or ski patrol, not for you.
First aid certification
Welcome, and not required for on-resort days. Some of our volunteers are wilderness first responders and nurses. Plenty have nothing, or something that expired years ago. Tell us what you have and we will place you accordingly.
Affinity programs, if you are not in that group
People ask us this a lot and worry about it more than they need to. Our affinity days are led and assisted by volunteers from that community wherever we can, and where we cannot, allies are welcome and useful. Say on your application which programs you are interested in and why, and we will place you somewhere it works for everybody. You are not taking a place from somebody by applying.
Your own gear
Yes, for volunteering. Our loan gear goes to participants first. If that is the only thing stopping you, tell us anyway, because it is sometimes solvable.
Training, which is required
Every volunteer attends a pre-season training in December. Training runs regionally, at or near each partner mountain, and there is a virtual option as well, so a long drive is not a reason to rule yourself out. Lead volunteers do an additional session. We will teach you how we run a group, how no-drop works in practice, what to do if somebody needs to turn around, and enough about gear to be useful. If you cannot make any of the dates, email us rather than not applying, because we will usually find a way.
Reading the etiquette page beforehand is genuinely useful, and it is short.
Where your job ends on the day
Assistant volunteers help participants work out their layers, help with check-in, encourage people all the way up, and are the last person up and down the mountain so that nobody is behind you. You stay with the group on the descent as well as the climb.
Picking your days
Program days are claimed through an online scheduler and they go first come, first served. Backcountry days go fastest. We announce when the schedule opens by email, so watch for it.
The one thing we are strict about
No unsolicited technique advice, and ask before helping. Our participants are often people who have been talked over in outdoor spaces before, and the whole value of a no-drop day evaporates if somebody feels coached at. If that sounds like an odd rule, this may not be the right fit, and that is fine.
How it goes
Sign up
The waitlist is open year round, so you can put your name in any time and we will come back to you either way. The stretch that matters runs mid September to mid November, when we recruit for the coming season and match volunteers to mountains and dates.
Sign up any time. The waitlist is open year round.
Mid September to mid November is when we recruit and match for the coming season.
Training is in December, and every volunteer attends it.
If you sign up after volunteer training has run, you go on the waitlist for the following season. We do not add volunteers mid season, because they would miss training.
Found us mid winter? Come to a program as a participant, see what a day actually looks like, then train with us in the fall and volunteer the season after.
I love the big tours because of the excitement and enthusiasm everyone has, especially trying something new. And I love the small tours where you have a chance to get to know everyone and have in-depth conversations on your way up.Volunteer, 2025 season
Becoming a mountain coordinator
Each of our four resorts has a volunteer coordinator who runs the season there: dates, volunteers, the relationship with the mountain. It is a real commitment and it is the most important volunteer role we have. If you have volunteered with us and want to take one on, email the volunteer team. The current coordinators are here.
Related
