Striking Patrollers Disrupt Season at Largest Ski Resort in U.S.

Over two feet of fresh snow blanketed Park City, Utah, this past week, just in time for holiday skiers flocking to Park City Mountain, the largest ski resort in the United States. However, instead of reveling in pristine powder conditions, skiers and snowboarders were met with long lift lines, limited open terrain, and mounting frustration due to an ongoing ski patrollers’ strike.https://wordpress.com/

“Five minutes of joy for 50 minutes of waiting,” one Park City skier lamented on Instagram.

The strike began on December 27, with the Park City Professional Ski Patrollers Association, which represents 204 ski patrollers and mountain safety staff, walking off the job in a wage dispute with Vail Resorts, the resort’s owner. The patrollers are seeking a $2 increase in their hourly base pay, raising it from $21 to $23. Despite presenting their proposal in September with hopes of resolving the issue before ski season, negotiations failed, prompting the strike during the critical holiday period.

In response, Vail Resorts noted that patrollers’ wages have increased by more than 50% over the past four years.

“We are proud of the significant investments we have made into all of our employees, including ski patrol, which have far outpaced inflation,” said Bill Rock, President of Vail Resorts’ Mountain Division, in a statement on Friday.

Due to the strike, only about 25% of Park City’s trails are currently open. Typically, more than 100 patrollers cover the resort’s 7,300 skiable acres, but only 30 to 35 are working now—most of them supervisors or patrollers from other Vail-owned resorts. This shortage has affected essential operations, such as trail openings, accident response, and avalanche control.

“We deeply regret any impact this is having on the guest experience and are grateful to our employees who are working hard to provide a safe and enjoyable experience at Park City Mountain,” Mr. Rock added.

Negotiations between Vail Resorts and the ski patrollers’ union are ongoing, with a federal mediator involved. Both sides have suggested progress is being made, but the union claims Vail is still failing to address most of their concerns.

Vail Resorts, which purchased Park City in 2014 and merged it with the adjacent Canyons Resort, owns 42 ski areas across North America, Europe, and Australia. Valued at nearly $10 billion, the company has transformed the ski industry with its Epic Pass, introduced in 2008. While the pass made skiing more accessible and affordable, it also brought large crowds, leading to complaints from visitors and strain on local communities.

The striking patrollers have garnered significant community support, both online and offline. A GoFundMe campaign has raised over $200,000, and locals regularly visit the picket line with food, encouragement, and donations.

“We’ve had so much support from the community, with people stopping by to express their solidarity and contribute to our strike fund,” said Margaux Klingensmith, a six-year Park City patroller and union business manager.

For frustrated skiers, however, this support does little to alleviate their disappointment. Instead of sharing clips of powder runs and big air, many have taken to social media to vent their frustration about overcrowded lift lines and limited skiing.

“The amount of money spent to not ski is absurd,” one disgruntled vacationer told the local news outlet, TownLift.