• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Ski New Mexico

Skiing and Snowboarding in the Land of Enchantment

  • PLAN YOUR VACATION
    • PLAN BY SERVICE
      • ALL SERVICES
      • LODGING
      • EQUIPMENT RENTALS
      • RESTAURANT
      • ACTIVITIES
    • INSPIRATION
      • CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE
      • COMPARE NM RESORTS
      • COVID-19 UPDATE
  • RESORTS & DESTINATIONS
    • Resorts
      • ANGEL FIRE RESORT
      • PAJARITO MOUNTAIN
      • RED RIVER SKI AREA
      • SANDIA PEAK
      • SIPAPU
      • SKI APACHE
      • SKI SANTA FE
      • TAOS SKI VALLEY
    • Nordic Resorts
      • ANGEL FIRE NORDIC
      • ENCHANTED FOREST
    • Destinations
      • ALBUQUERQUE
      • LOS ALAMOS
      • RED RIVER
      • SANTA FE
      • TOWN OF TAOS
      • VILLAGE OF ANGEL FIRE
      • VILLAGE OF RUIDOSO
      • VILLAGE OF TAOS SKI VALLEY
  • WEBCAMS
  • DEALS
  • STORIES
  • SNOW REPORT
BACK TO BLOG

A Day in The Life of a Sandia Peak Ski Patroller

by monica December 7, 2021


Have you ever heard the maxim, “You should love your job so much you’d do it for free”?

Well, that seems to apply to the ski patrollers at Sandia Peak Ski Resort, and it’s almost time to clock in.


There are two kinds of ski patrollers — Pro patrollers are usually employed on a full-time basis by a resort for an entire ski season. Volunteer patrollers dedicate their time for the love of skiing in addition to their day jobs, which makes sense at Sandia Peak, since they only open three days a week — the BEST three days of the week for the entire Sandia Peak Ski Patrol.

However much fun it is to spend your days on skis, being a ski patroller is serious business. Their most important responsibility is serving as first responders for any incidents, medical or otherwise, on the mountain. Typically, ski patrollers are trained to the National Ski Patrol’s (NSP) Outdoor Emergency Care certification, or they have Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license. There are additional certifications that allow toboggan transport and avalanche mitigation, among other things. After a patroller gets their certifications, they participate in pre-season refresher courses every year on about 1/3 of the NSP book in addition to brushing up on basic skills (like splinting). Every three years, they have covered the course completely.


Long before the season starts, the Sandia team is up on the mountain practicing their lift evacuation skills, learn-ing medical protocol changes, and getting hands-on experience with new equipment. Kim Linder, a ski enthusiast who has been a patroller, OEC Instructor AND a ski instructor for more than 23 years, calls the day “On the Hill”, and she says it’s usually the first time everyone gets together in anticipation of the new season.


“We are really like one big family on and off the mountain,” she says. “It’s important that we work together like clockwork when the season is in swing, so we have a lot of respect and responsibility to one another.”
So what’s a day in the life of a Sandia Ski Patroller like? The 12-15 patrollers start the day by 8:30 before the lifts are open to the public. They all ride up and take different trails down, looking for debris that may have fallen during the night, signs that might need to be cleared after a new snowfall, and making sure boundary ropes are in place and visible.


Throughout the day, they take turns manning the upper and lower patrol rooms and constantly skiing the trails, making sure someone is always in the right place at the right time and able to respond as fast as possible to incidents.


At the end of the day, they all start together at the top and do an evening “sweep” looking for straggling skiers, clearing boundaries for the snowcats, and making notes of trail conditions. They meet at the bottom to account for everyone, and they call it a good day.


“The important thing for me, “says Kim,” is the opportunity to give back to the ski community and a sport that has given me so much joy throughout the years. I love to help people discover a passion for skiing and provide a safe and enjoyable experience for them.”


An off-season activity that is unique and critical to the operation of the Sandia Peak Ski Patrol is their sponsor-ship of the annual Ski Swap in Albuquerque every October. They are their own nonprofit, and they raise all of their own funds for new equipment and supplies exclusively through the Ski Swap. It’s an incredibly well-organized event where skiers can exchange or consign outgrown or unused equipment and clothing.


If spending your winter days on skis is your idea of a great job, you can find out more at the NSP website, and Sandia Peak is now taking applications for the 2021-22 season.

Categories:
  • Ski New Mexico News, 
  • Skier Stories, 
  • Tips, 
  • BACK TO BLOG;

    Primary Sidebar

  • Categories
    • Behind the Scenes
    • Contest
    • Culture
    • Food & Drink
    • Happenings
    • Sandia Peak
    • Ski New Mexico News
    • Skier Stories
    • Skiing
    • Summer Activities
    • Tips
    • Travel
    • Uncategorized
    • Weather

    Open
    Enjoying this incredible snow! 

@foreverfitvic #skinewmexico #skinm #girlswhosnowboard
    Open
    Let's be honest, we're all smiling ear to ear whenever we get on the mountain! 😄 

📸: New Mexico True

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM
    Open
    We are constantly in awe of the photos taken of our beautiful state! Thanks @kevinrebholtzphotography for letting us share this beautiful picture of @skitaos! 

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM
    Open
    Gotta keep warm during these snowy days! Where's your favorite place to stop after a day in the snow? ❄️ ⛷️ 

📸: @saltbushandsage at Taos Ski Valley

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM
    Open
    Sunday vibes 😎 

📸: @adam_dantonio

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM
    Open
    These beautiful winter days have us feeling some type of way! ❄️ ⛷️ ☀️ 

Where are you headed this weekend?

📸: @khandybee

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM
    Open
    Snowmaking magic at Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort! ❄️ ✨ 

📸: @sipapunm 

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM #sipapu #SkiSipapu #Sipapuskiandsummerresort
    Open
    Gotta teach 'em young! How old were you when you first learned to ski or snowboard? 

📸: New Mexico True

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM
    Open
    The Big Rocks at @skisantafe have us jumping for joy! 😉 

📸: @skisantafe 

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM #skisantafe #skibueno
    Open
    Give us a front row seat to Taos Ski Valley any day! ❄️ 

📸: @catforceone 

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM #skitaos
    Open
    Incredible weekend on the slopes! Thank you to all the great staff keeping us safe and happy! 

The conditions are so good. Make your plans to get up to the mountain. 

📸 @austin_4aslan 

@skisantafe #skinewmexico #skinm #nmtrue #skibueno
    Open
    We love ski selfies! 📸 

Shoutout to @alikhaneats for letting us share this picture! Don't forget to tag us in your photos to be featured on our pages! 

#SkiNewMexico #NewMexicoTRUE #nmtrue #SkiNM

    Footer

    KNOW THE SNOW

    GET THE eSNOW REPORT, NEWS & DEALS!

    • ABOUT US
    • EMPLOYMENT
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • MEMBERSHIP
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • NM SKI HALL OF FAME
    • RESOURCES
    • WEBCAMS
    • BLOG
    • CONTACT US
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • nmtrue logo

    ©2020 Ski New Mexico Site Designed by Carristo Creative