Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

November 2, 2006 issue

Get Employed at the Local Ski Slopes This Winter!

Many Jobs Available at Hawksnest, Sugar, Beech, Appalachian and Fred’s

Story by Sam Calhoun

LIFT TICKET Returns in Two Weeks

After a successful inaugural year of High Country Press’s ski and snowboard column, LIFT TICKET, Sam Calhoun is pleased to announce that the weekly column will be back again for the 2006-07 winter season—debuting in the paper in two weeks.

Just like last year, LIFT TICKET will be packed with weekly snow, party and race reports; the names of ALL local snow celebrities and various locals on the mountains; and all the High Country ski and snowboard news and gossip that’s fit to print.

Stay tuned to LIFT TICKET in High Country Press throughout the season so you don’t miss any of the happenings during the High Country winter!

Rental Positions Open at Fred’s General Mercantile

Fred Pfohl, owner of Fred’s General Mercantile on Beech Mountain, is now accepting applications for ski and snowboard rental attendants at the store. The jobs will span the 2006-07 ski season. Several positions are available and are based on experience. The jobs feature great benefits and flexible hours. If interested, stop by Fred’s General Mercantile, click to www.fredsgeneral.com or call 828-387-4838. 

Ski and snowboard season is almost here and many local ski resorts have jobs available, from snowmaking to security, from operating a lift to making and serving food, from handling rentals to selling tickets. Most employers say that prospective employees only need a smile and a competent, dependable attitude—they can teach you the rest.

Here’s aroundup of winter ski slope employment around the High Country.

Appalachian Ski Mountain

During the peak of the winter ski and snowboard season, Appalachian Ski Mountain employs about 250 people—a big jump from the 18 employees who work on the mountain year-round.

Appalachian Ski Mountain is now taking applications for “enthusiastic, customer service-oriented individuals,” according to a spokesperson, for full-time and part-time employment for the season that begins November 17. Applications are being accepted for snowmaking, reservations, the nursery, the office, security, the ski shop, equipment rentals, the restaurant, the ice skating rink, lift operations, the gift shop, the terrain park and ticket cashiers. The pay varies for each job and prospective employees must apply in person at the lower level of the main office, located at 940 Ski Mountain Road in Blowing Rock, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. No phone calls about employment will be accepted. After potential employees fill out an application, they will have a preliminary interview.

Appalachian Ski Mountain is now also taking applications for a full-time seasonal position in the mountain’s Operations Department to run from now until April 2007. Duties consist of construction and grounds maintenance until the ski season begins and of varied outside ski area duties during the ski season. Interested parties must also apply in person at the lower level of the main office at Appalachian Ski Mountain.  

For more information, click to www.appskimtn.com.

Ski Beech

Between 350 and 400 employees run Ski Beech during the winter months. With a year-round employment of 20 personnel, Ski Beech is looking for local residents to fill in the gaps before the season begins in a few weeks.

According to Ski Beech’s Cory Hoilman, the operation is keen on young, energetic employees who want to have fun while working. Employers at Ski Beech look for people who are willing to do whatever they have to do to make the ski slope run smoothly.

Currently, Ski Beech is accepting applications for seasonal employment in the following areas: cashiers and ticket office, chairlift operations, ski rentals, snowboard shop, switchboard operations, group sales, ski school, Youth Learning Center, nursery, Village retail shops, ice rink, snowmaking, grounds maintenance, shuttle-bus services, parking and housekeeping services.

Employees at Ski Beech enjoy benefits such as free skiing and snowboarding; discounts on food, beverages and retail shop purchases; and competitive wages. The wages at Ski Beech vary but, as a reference, ski lift operators make $6.25 per hour with an additional $0.25 added onto each hour if the employee stays for the entire season. Adult ski school instructors get paid by the lesson.

To inquire about any of the employment opportunities, call the main office at Ski Beech at 828-387-2011 and ask to speak to the supervisor of the department for the specific job. Potential employees can also apply at the Ski Beech Administration Office, located at 1007 Beech Mountain Parkway.

Hawksnest Ski Resort

One hundred and fifty employees create the customer service at Seven Devils’ ski slope, Hawksnest. The five employees who work at Hawksnest year-round are looking for staff in anticipation of the rapidly approaching 2006-07 season.

The “biggest thing” Lennie Cottom, co-owner of Hawksnest Resort, said that he is looking for in potential employees is “smiling faces and competence.”

“We can teach them the other things, but if they aren’t happy, there’s nothing we can do about that,” Cottom said.

Hawksnest Ski Resort is now accepting applications for food and beverage workers, rental department employees, customer service representatives, ticket salespeople, retail workers, lift operators, operations personnel and tubing assistants.

According to Cottom, the range of pay for the available positions varies, but starts around $7. 

Interested parties can click to www.skihawk.com and fill out an online application, call 828-963-6561 or stop by the Hawksnest Lodge, located at 2058 Skyland Drive in Seven Devils, to fill out an application in person.

Ski Sugar

Sugar Mountain Resort will increase its workforce from the 20 year-round employees to 300 employees for the winter season.

The only requirements for all the positions, according to a spokesperson, are that employees must be dependable and have a reliable, four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Ski Sugar is now accepting applications for the following positions: general office, group sales, sports shop, rental shop, ski school, ski patrol, ticket sales, security, janitorial, lifts, snowmaking, parking and food and beverage.

Interested parties can apply in person at the Sugar Mountain Administration Office, located at 1009 Sugar Mountain Drive in Banner Elk, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or call Holly Green at 828-898-4521 ext. 227.

Most positions available start at minimum wage, but more money is offered based on experience.

For a more specific rundown of the jobs available at Ski Sugar, stop by the Sugar Mountain Resort Job Fair this Saturday, November 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the cafeteria in the Main Lodge. Department supervisors will conduct interviews with prospective employees, discussing hours and job requirements.