In late Dec. 2024, nearly 200 ski patrollers at Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort launched a strike, citing inadequate wages amid rising living costs. Represented by the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA), they demanded an increase in base pay from $21 to $23 per hour.
The strike, which began on Dec. 27 during the resort’s busy holiday season, caused significant disruptions, including run closures and extended lift lines. Park City was able to keep only 17% of the resort’s terrain open.
Emma Marshall, a fourth-year Ph.D. student at the U’s School of Environment and Society, expressed solidarity with the ski patrollers. She noted that their struggle for fair wages resonated with many people in Salt Lake City facing similar economic pressures.
“I could really relate to the patrollers’ situation,” Marshall said. “Like many of us at the university, they’re not asking for much — just to be paid a fair wage that lets them live a healthy life near their place of work.”
On Jan. 8, 2025, the PCPSPA announced a new contract with Vail Resorts, concluding the 12-day strike and nearly 10 months of negotiations.
“This contract is more than just a win for our team — it’s a groundbreaking success in the ski and mountain worker industry,” Seth Dromgoole, lead negotiator and 17-year patroller, said.
The agreement includes a $2 hourly wage increase for entry-level patrollers, longer parental leave and career-growth incentives. Tenured staff will receive average raises of $4 to $7.75 per hour, addressing wage compression and recognizing experience.
Solidarity and Dissatisfaction
Marshall, who participated in the strike, highlighted the sense of community among supporters.
“It was really welcoming out there,” she said. “People were supportive, and there was a lot of appreciation from the patrollers for the solidarity.”
Kate Lips, PCPSPA president, called the agreement a “step toward fostering a safer, more financially sustainable workplace.”
Marshall also sees similar economic challenges faced by graduate students, including herself, who work at the university while trying to navigate Salt Lake City’s increasingly expensive cost of living.
“When I started at the University of Utah, the cost of living was much lower. But now, even with increases in graduate stipends, it hasn’t kept up with inflation,” Marshall said. “I’m on a $34,000-a-year stipend, and that’s higher than most grad students. But, that’s still well below what’s considered a living wage in Salt Lake. Many grad students are struggling, just like the patrollers.”
Vail Resorts, responding to guest dissatisfaction during the strike, also announced a 50% credit for the cost days skied from Dec. 27, 2024, to Jan. 8, 2025. These can be applied to 2025/26 season passes. Vail COO Deirdra Walsh apologized for the disruptions and emphasized efforts to rebuild trust.
“We deeply value the trust and loyalty of our guests, and while Park City Mountain was open during the patrol strike, it was not the experience we wanted to provide,” Walsh said in a recent press release.
Despite some criticism from guests whose vacation experiences were affected, Marshall noted that many skiers expressed understanding of the workers’ concerns.
“While some guests were understandably frustrated, a lot of people acknowledged that the patrollers deserved better pay for the hard and dangerous work they do,” she said.
Vail is now starting to experience lawsuits from unhappy guests who attended the Park City Resort over the strike.