"I feel it is important that we remember Lynn Reilly who passed away this past week.  Lynn worked for Okemo and was a truly a wonderful employee, a great member of the team  and was such a beautiful person.  While Lynn had moved on from Okemo to work for Gassetts Group she was one of those employees who you always remembered and you could call up if there was a question that needed to be answered and she would always answer the phone and help out. 

Lynn began to work for Okemo in the early 2000’s. She started in Daycare and then moved on to working in our Resort Services operation, Ski School administration and then worked in our Building Maintenance and Resort Operations department. Lynn spent many years in Snowstars.  She would help with morning check in, lunch and work to make the experience better for all the little skiers and riders. Many of our current instructors who went through the snow stars program and now are instructors, were watched over and helped by Lynn!  Lynn always gave the extra 1% and she was also willing to give pointed feedback if that was necessary.  I would stop in Lynn’s office at the Support Services Building (SSB) and she was always pleasant and wanted to talk about how things were going as well as at times talking to me about ideas she had or how she felt something could be improved.  I knew I was going to get feedback when she would start the sentence, “ I wanted to mention something to you…………….”.  Lynn worked for Okemo in both seasonal and full time roles through the years and she always embraced how she could provide the Okemo Difference.  There are countless stories of her helping guests while working in Resort Services as well as even more stories where she would make a difference or save the day for our property management guests or lodging partners.  Lynn knew the inner workings of Okemo, she knew who to call and she knew how to get things done.

After leaving Okemo Lynn continued to contribute in her new position in helping others as well as supporting the town when and where she could.  She was knowledgeable, had a quick wit and would always smile to keep things light.   While Lynn was an employee, I also considered her a friend and I hope she did with me also.   After the flood members of the Okemo team went to Lynn’s house on Meadow Street to help her clean up.  The team was so glad that they could help and support her during this time of need.

I am so saddened to hear of Lynn Reilly’s passing as I am sure you are too.  I share this grief with all who knew her and we so want just one more time to say to her “thanks for everything”.  We will miss our friend, our co-worker and our neighbor.  We will always thank her for choosing to work with us here at Okemo and we will cherish the memories we have of Lynn.  May you rest in peace my friend and always know we can’t thank you enough for making our resort and our lives better with you being in it."

-Bruce Schmidt

Introduction Stephen Gover, our new SRS Manager

Stephen is not your typical ski enthusiast turned manager. His journey into the world of skiing and snowboarding began after the 2014 Olympics in Sochi when he decided to take up snowboarding. Just two seasons later, in 2015-2016, he found himself teaching others the thrill of gliding down the slopes in Pennsylvania.

Stephen initially joined Okemo as a Snow Stars supervisor during the 2020-2021 season. He returned to Pennsylvania to complete his college education and took on the role of running the ski and ride school at Tusy Mtn, demonstrating his leadership skills and passion for teaching.

His journey came full circle when he rejoined Okemo as a private supervisor last season. This return highlighted Stephen's commitment to fostering excellence in skiing and snowboarding instruction, as well as his desire to continue contributing to the Okemo community. Stephen has always found joy in being surrounded by individuals who share his passion and dedication to snow sports. Stephen Gover is not just an experienced manager; he's a people person who thrives on the energy and camaraderie of the ski and ride school team. We welcome him to the team.

Introducing Matt Fassett, our new Skier Services Admin

Matt began working at Okemo on December 4, 2017, in On-Snow Service, (Trail Maintenance now), as a crew member. In November 2019 he joined Lift Operations as a Team Lead as well as performing Coaster Maintenance and Supervising. Fall of 2022 Matt transferred to Product Sales and Service as a Team Lead. September of 2023 Matt started with the Skier Service Team as an Senior Admin. His hobbies/interests are physical fitness, spending time with his wife, 5 children, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 7 chickens, and having crazy colored beards in the winter. 

11/4 Indoor SRS & Comp Center Training

- 9am-12pm at the Jackson Gore Roundhouse. 

- 8am-9am Breakfast and Social Hour

December Mandatory Training Schedule

All of the dates for Return Staff are already live online! You can sign up today. As a reminder the Categories are:

New Hire

1st Year Return SKI – This is a full day, 6 hour mandatory paid training session for staff who were new hires last season.

2nd + Year Return SKI – This is a 3 hour, half day mandatory paid training session for staff with 2 or more years teaching at Okemo.

Return SNOWBOARD – This is a full mandatory paid day for all return snowboard return staff, regardless of experience.

UPDATE: While this calendar is built, you cannot sign up yet until we reactivate you. We will update you once you are able to sign up. Apologies for the confusion. 

If you are planning to return this season, you may choose to view the calendar for the 2022-23 season, using the link below or by clicking here. This form is for all prospective employment status types, whether you are interested in full-time or part-time.

Requests for each day throughout the season are limited this year. You will see this number listed on each day you select for your preferred schedule. This number will change with availability to meet our scheduling needs. Once a day is full, it will not be an option for your schedule.

You will receive an email copy of your responses after hitting the green submit button, please keep this for your records.

If you have any questions about the upcoming season, please reach out to: okemoskischoolstaff@vailresorts.com

If you would like, please use the link below to complete your preferred work days. We hope to welcome you back this winter! 

To help us plan and prepare for a great season, 
the first deadline for you is to complete your intent to return by August 25, 2023.

If you have any questions about the season ahead, please reach out via email to: OkemoSkiSchoolStaff@vailresorts.com and we'll be happy to connect and answer any questions.

Please use the link below to complete your intent to return form (password: 2021snow). We look forward to hearing your responses and welcoming you back this winter!

For the 2023-24 winter season, Vail Resorts is offering a $300 referral bonus to employees who refer a candidate to any of our instructor roles this season! For employees to be eligible for the bonus, candidates must have never previously worked for Vail Resorts and must input the referring employee's name and employee ID in their application.

Please click here to find out the conditions and process for receiving this bonus.

All of our instructor job postings are officially live and can be applied to via here. 

Okemo Street Team End of Season Summer Party, Friday, Sept. 22nd @ 2PM in the Jackson Gore Courtyard.  Bring a your family and guests. See you there!  

SEE THE SLOPES THROUGH THE EYES OF ARTISTS  

This winter, we're collaborating with artists who love the mountains as much as we do to tell their unique stories in a way we've never done before: The Gondola Gallery by Epic.   

Featuring the paintings of Lamont Joseph White at Park City and the woodblock prints of Jim Harris at Stowe, we’re transforming gondola cabins at these legendary resorts into one-of-a-kind works of art that celebrate the different ways we all enjoy the slopes. A third collaboration at Whistler Blackcomb in partnership with Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Center will be coming soon. 

The project kicks off this week with two films profiling the artists: Watch the films, and be sure to Like and Share this post from @epicpass to help us celebrate and amplify the underappreciated diversity of skiing and snowboarding through art. 

And on Instagram, we'll be following the artists' journeys as their gondolas are wrapped for winter: Follow @epicpass to see it come to life.