Colorado women are reshaping ski patrol in the high country

CBS News

2 days ago

For Jasmine Wieger, her office looks a bit more adventurous than most. It entails thousands of vertical feet of snow-covered terrain, where the uniform requirements usually feature heavy winter gear. The most important qualification is a can-do attitude.
As a ski patroller at Arapahoe Basin, Wieger said she has witnessed a transformation, not just in the landscape of the ski industry, but within herself too.
Six years ago, when Wieger first started, the physical demands of the job were daunting.
"Driving a toboggan with a person in it, a hurt person, it was really, really exhausting and tiring," Wieger recalled. "Now, you know, I run two or three of them in a day and still keep going the rest of the day."
That physical growth is just a part of her success story on the mountain. Wieger says she's now able to do things she never thought she was capable of.
"Being asked to lift and carry 50 pounds while I was on skis was a lot," Wieger says. "I was so worried I was gonna get hurt. And, now, it's just like, 'Pick it up. Throw it over my shoulder, and keep it moving.'"
Wieger's growth on the job mirrors a larger shift happening on the mountain. When Wieger started, it was a, "very male-dominated mountain operations," environment, she said, at Arapahoe Basin. She noted that, in the last decade, the number of female employees within operations at Arapahoe Basin has more than doubled, from about six or seven to around 15 currently.
"The mountains are finding out that women can do this job," Wieger said.
It does depend on the local demographics, Wieger added. Since A-Basin is closer to the Front Range, there's more diversity in terms of who might be interested in applying compared to smaller mountain towns that are predominantly more male populated. Still, she's proud of the steps her mountain has taken to foster the growth within her occupation.
It's a job critical to the heart of Colorado's identity. Ski patrollers are the stewards of the slopes, ensuring guests can enjoy the sport safely. It's a responsibility Wieger takes seriously.
"I'm one of the people that helped spearhead getting all those ropes and bamboos and signs up so the public can be safe and have a blast back there," Wieger said enthusiastically. "A lot of people come to Colorado because they want to ski. Being a patroller here, we're giving people that opportunity to be here to ski."
For anyone -- especially other women who might feel intimidated to enter a physically demanding and historically male-filled career -- Wieger offers a powerful message of encouragement, reflecting on her own journey from a 10-year career as a restaurant cook.
"Someone like myself who felt like they were in over their head when they started on patrol -- if you put your mind to it -- you can do it," Wieger said. "If you have the drive, I believe you can become a patroller too, even if you have the tiniest bit of doubt."