You get the loft… | Photo: maticulous | Cover: Jordan Fischer

More and more ski municipalities in the United States are having to offer affordable housing to lure low-income employees to their towns. With rent prices out of control in most majorly popular ski towns, many newcomers are dependent on scoring a gig that also includes a roof over one’s head. For lifties, parking attendants and janitors– without employee housing, living the dream in Aspen, Jackson, Steamboat, Whistler, etc, would be unfathomable.

If you are making the move to your resorts employee housing for this winter, here is what to expect.

Someone is living on the couch for the entire season

Welcome to my bedroom | Photo: Jo Naylor

You may already be forced to share your modest apartment with an unhealthy amount of other dudes or chicks– but that won’t prevent your homie who didn’t make the housing cut from needing a place to rest his tired head. Whether that’s on the floor in a sleeping bag or on the couch in what he claims on his PO Box registration is his, ‘permanent residence’– the “homie” in question will be the most hated person in the house by the end of season.

Permanent dishes in the sink

Powder days are no time for household chores, especially doing the dishes from last week’s meal. Just move a couple of dishes around, that is if you actually need to wash your hands– or don’t, no one is gonna notice. Doing the dishes is about washing off the plate you need to put in the microwave before catching the bus.

There will be more snowboards and skis than furniture

Skis > Furnishings | Photo: kcxd

$400 can either buy you a decent couch or an almost new pair of skis. A fresh pair of sticks may not be as comfortable as that loveseat but they will keep you floating none the less. The overflowing ski/snowboard pile in the corner of your apartment is an acceptable replacement for overrated furniture anyways.

A hefty amount of beer cans scattered about

Cheap beer is to ski bums what water is to swimmers, or spinach is to Pop-eye. As such, the empty cans will definitely stack up this winter. Extra-credit points to those who utilize the beer boxes and cans as decorations instead of responsibly recycling them. Craft beer does not actually exist in employee housing, acceptable beer should come in quantities of 30.

The opportunity to live like a true ski bum in an expensive town

A little place called… ‘Asssspen’ | Photo: Wolfgang Moroder.

If it wasn’t for employee housing, living conveniently close to the mountain would be unfeasible for most resort employees. You may have to eat ramen noodles, and skimp on some basic necessities to survive on the meager wages, but for all the quirks, dirtiness and shenanigans that go on; any true ski bum is grateful for subsidized housing. Someone has to operate the lifts, park the cars and clean the toilets to keep the ski area running; shouldn’t they be able to ski and live in the community as well?

Also Read: 5 Things Ski Bums Can’t Live Without…

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