Work A Ski Season at Powderhorn
Discover information on working a ski season at Powderhorn and browse winter jobs.
Nestled deep in the heart of the Grand Mesa on the storied Western Slope of Colorado, USA, Powderhorn is a scenic, family-friendly resort featuring 1,600 acres of terrain suited to a variety of abilities and preferences. The major town in the area is Grand Junction (pop. 60,000 est.), which is 45 minutes away. Other towns nearby include Palisade (30 minutes), Mesa (15 minutes) and Cedaredge (30 minutes).
Resort Vibe
Powderhorn Mountain Resort is one of the best kept secrets on the Western slope. It is a hidden little gem on the biggest flat top mountain in North America. It is a small, quaint little resort that allows you to truly step away and enjoy the beauty, solitude and forget the worries of the world, the crowd and lift lines.
The Terrain at Powderhorn
At Powderhorn, you can find first tracks for days, and the powder is light, fluffy and plentiful. Seeing as the prices are some of the lowest in Colorado, there is a large local crowd who keep coming back to Powderhorn each year. Both the glades and the corduroy offer great skiing in Grand Valley. The terrain is reasonably steep and there is advanced terrain off both the Take Four Chair and the West End Chair. Backcountry access is also available at the top of both these chairs. There are five lifts at Powderhorn which includes one quad, two double chairs, one surface lift and one magic carpet.
Mountain stats
- Average snowfall: 250 inches
- Snowmaking: 21 acres
- Base elevation: 8,200ft
- Summit: 9,850ft
- Vertical drop: 1,650ft
- Trails: 63 (longest trail 1.8 miles)
- Trail difficulty: 20% Beginner, 50% intermediate, 30% advanced
Terrain Parks
There are three terrain parks at Powderhorn.
The EZ Park is the newest park and caters to beginners with simple rollers, boxes and rails. The Lower Peace Park is the second park which has more varied features for beginners to more advanced terrain park riders. It has rollers and round-bars. The Upper Peace Park is where the jumps are. There are three jump lines and several advanced boxes, rails and other features. It is possible to link together a slopestyle line at this park. This park is groomed daily.
Season Dates
The season runs mid-December through the end of March, depending on conditions.
Getting a Job at Powderhorn
Jobs are posted online at www.powderhorn.com/employment where you can complete an application for one of the seasonal winter jobs. Powderhorn is always looking for energetic, enthusiastic people who are passionate about sharing their love of snow sports with guests. Powderhorn will do interviews by phone so it is possible to email an application while in another part of the US and then conduct an interview before heading out to Colorado.
For instructors, training is available at Powderhorn and it is not necessary to already have an instructing certificate before applying.
Powderhorn does not currently accept international applicants.
Staff Perks
Some of the benefits of seasonal employment include:
- Season Pass
- Lift Tickets
- Discounts on Equipment Rentals
- Discounts on Ski/Snowboard Lessons, Clinics, and Programs
- Discounts on retail goods at our Alpine Trader
- Discounts on Food and Beverages at our Sunset Grille Mountain
Powderhorn employees are eligible for the Real Deal, which allows them to ski and ride for free at other participating Colorado Ski Country resorts. For 2014, these resorts include: Arapahoe Basin, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Eldora Mountain Resort, Howelson Hill, Loveland Ski Area, Monarch Mountain, Powderhorn, Purgatory (Durango Mountain Resort), Silverton, Ski Cooper, Ski Granby Ranch, Snowmass, Steamboat, Sunlight, Telluride, Winter Park and Wolf Creek.
Powderhorn also has an alliance which includes privileges at five resorts: Aspen/Snowmass, Steamboat, Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort and Sunlight. More details at Powderhorn.com.
Hotel Options for Work
There are several hotels on-mountain and in the area which may also require employees each season.
Slopeside inn Ski Club (hotel style accommodations) – slopesideskiclub.com
Goldenwoods Condominiums (condo style accommodations) – www.goldenwoodscondos.com
Palisade: Wine Country Inn – coloradowinecountryinn.com
Grand Junction: Double Tree – doubletree3.hilton.com/en
Hampton Inn and Suites – hamptoninn3.hilton.com
Fairfield Inn and Suites – www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/gjtfi-fairfield-inn-and-suites-grand-junction-downtown-historic-main-street/
Springhill Inn and Suites Grand Junction.
Seasonal Accommodation
Powderhorn does not have staff accommodation. Staff generally live in Mesa, Collbran, DeBeque and throughout the Grand Valley (Grand Junction, Palisade, Fruita). The Daily Sentinel is a local paper in Grand Junction which may have advertised places to rent for the season www.gjsentinel.com/
Outside Work
Powderhorn provides music and animation every weekend, with annual events, other events and music on the sunset deck. After finishing riding or working for the day, head down to Powderhorn’s ski town, Palisade, where the locals treat you like family. Palisade is a small little town on the outskirts of Grand Junction and the home of the fruit and vineyard byway. There are over 50 wineries, including the Peach Street Distillers and the Palisade Brewing Company.
Western Colorado is known for its wide-open spaces, distinctive topography and friendly local residents. It is also recognized for its vineyards, wineries and agriculture. The climate allows for skiing or snowboarding in the morning and playing a round of golf or enjoying a hike or mountain bike ride in the afternoon. The options for exploring around the Powderhorn area and throughout the Grand Mesa area are plentiful. Grand Junction, Palisade, Mesa and Cedaredge are all towns in the region which are worth exploring.
