Bristol Mountain Ski Patrol welcomes your interest!    

Considerable commitment and training are required for membership in the Bristol Mountain Ski Patrol.   On-hill patrollers, ages 15 and older, must exhibit above average ski abilities, with and without the toboggan. A "ski-off" is held in March to assess each candidate's skiing ability.     The evaluation will look at the following skills: 

• • Free skiing - ability to make short, medium, and long radius turns; ski in any conditions, including moguls or “crud”

  • Snowplow - ability to hold a braking wedge (not gliding wedge) on all terrain

  • Sideslip - ability to sideslip on appropriate terrain with controlled speed 

There are 2 distinct training programs: 

• • Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) training is developed and sponsored by the National Ski Patrol and runs from August to November.   Classes meet 2-3 times/week, averaging 3-4 hours per class, with reading assignments for each class.  This is a big time commitment!   Everyone who wants to be a patroller, even medical professionals, must take the OEC course.    Final evaluations include written and practical exams.  

  • Outdoor Emergency Transport  (OET) training takes place at the beginning of the ski season, usually December  - February, with 2 3-hour sessions/week.  Training is followed by a final on-hill test.    

Each year all patrollers must participate in several refreshers before the start of the new season: 

• • CPR & AED

  • On-the-hill refresher at Bristol Mountain

  • Outdoor Emergency Care refresher 

  • Blackout chairlift evacuation drill

  • Toboggan handling and ski skills clinics

Every patroller has an assigned schedule - some patrollers work weekday shifts only (8 hours) once a week, some work evening and weekend shifts, and some work weekends only.

Most patrollers work in excess of 100 hours per season. There are required patrol meetings, and on-going training through the season as new equipment becomes available. 

Initial cost to join is estimated at $400 - $500, includes pack, supplies, dues, jacket, and other items.

Your first year on patrol is a probationary period after which an evaluation for continued membership in the patrol is conducted.

If you think you'd like to join us, please fill out the below application.   Be sure to click the submit button at the end.  

You will be contacted via email sometime in late Feb. or early March about the ski-off to assess your skills.

Click here to fill out the application to join BMSP.