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Hey Scotty,
We have 12 different permit areas. most USFS, three state park lands and a private landholder. Its a mix. We use USFS most, but depending on conditions and the client skill we have the other options. Sometimes people just want someone to ski with.
Richard
We do several dozen backcountry tours mostly on XC skis every season. Guided on permitted areas. Groups from 1-20 (multiple guides, generally 5:1 ratio max) The gear and the tour terrain depend on the skills and interests of the client. We don’t do overnight, but refer to another guide service. We use basic xc gear for most, but have a fleet of BC skis and boots from 90-110 width for the more adventurous.
I did a flat payment to cover utilities and let them keep any profits from the venture. It really didn’t cost me anything to host them and it was a great partnership and amenity. low cost, low stress and they hired their own employees. The big win for them was catering for parties and groups on site.
I’d say try them all. The labor market is a mess these days and finding the right combination of desire, money and location will be key. Especially important is location – resort communities are basically not affordable for housing the workers or their managers.
I’d love to maybe arrange an alpine area to host – do some grooming set ups in the base area on April snow?
One thing I did a few years ago was partner with a local coffee shop and bakery. Invited them in to a no-rent kiosk as an experiment. A very nice amenity that allowed the food service professionals to deal with permits and inspections and the nordic center people to focus on operations. Not a lot of profit, but great exposure for a small business and a no-stress solution for the ski center
