Chaos of Park City Ski Patrol Strike Nears End With Tentative Agreement

Utah's Park City Mountain Resort's ski patrol has reached a tentative agreement with Vail Resorts to end a nearly two-week strike that disrupted operations at one of the largest ski destinations in North America.

The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association is scheduled to vote on the deal Wednesday. Terms of the deal are yet to be publicized.

Newsweek has reached out to both parties for comment.

Why It Matters

The labor agreement governing over 200 ski patrol and mountain safety staff expired in April, leading to months of stalled negotiations. Talks broke down after a mediation session in December, prompting the union to strike on Dec. 27—during the busy holiday season.

Park City Ski Patrol employee Erika Roetman holds a sign while on strike requesting livable wages in Park City, Utah, Tuesday, Jan 7. 2025. Ski patrollers demanded an increase in starting pay from $21 to... AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak

What to Know

The union sought to increase starting pay from $21 to $23 per hour, citing the high cost of living in Park City, where $27 is considered a livable wage.

They also advocated for higher pay for veteran patrollers, whose salaries currently top out after five years. Vail Resorts, which operates 42 properties worldwide, contended that overall wages have increased by more than 50 percent over the past four years and offered a four percent pay raise and $1,600 annual equipment stipend.

Limited Trails and Lifts Frustrate Skiers

The strike caused major disruptions at the Utah resort, which struggled to maintain operations with thin staffing. As of Monday, only 104 of 350 trails and 26 of 41 lifts were open, according to the resort's website. Although recent snowfall boosted trail openings, frustrated skiers posted videos on social media chanting, "Pay your employees!" from long lift lines.

Union officials noted that ski patrollers at Park City were frustrated not only by wages but also by the limitations in the pay scale, which maxed out after just five years on the job. Workers argued this discouraged long-term retention and undervalued the experience and training required for the physically demanding role.

Scenic shot of the snowy main street in downtown of Park City Ski Village, Utah on a calm winter evening, March 2019. Union leaders argued that seasonal workers face untenable financial pressures in expensive mountain... helivideo/Getty Images

What People Are Saying

Park City Mountain and the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association said in a joint news release on Wednesday "The tentative agreement addresses both parties' interests and will end the current strike." They added "Everyone looks forward to restoring normal resort operations and moving forward together as one team."

Utah ski instructor Grace Mauzy said "Ski patrol requires even more skilled learning than to be instructor, but to be instructor you also have to have skills training. They're both highly underpaid."

Park City ski patroller and association spokesperson Alana McClements said: "We just want to make sure these tenured patrollers are compensated for their skills and encouraged to stick around."

Park City Ski Patrol on strike requesting livable wages in Park City, Utah, Tuesday, Jan 7. 2025. Vail Resorts implemented a 50 percent base pay increase in 2022 but faced ongoing criticism for failing to... AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak

What's Next

The tentative agreement awaits a union vote on Wednesday. If approved, it could pave the way for resumed operations and potentially set a precedent for other resort workers seeking higher pay.

"There is a history of mountain workers being paid unlivable wages because people view parts of the job as fun," McClements said. "We definitely see this as a broader fight."

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press