Mountain Host

If you are member of NSP you are intitled to log into member services, go to memeber forum and post your question there. They will answer. Or if you like the more direct route email them.

Safety Patrols are separate entities from NSP and aren't entitled to any NSP member benefits. Safety is usually employed by the Resort Management for HostServices and slope control. Some also are part of Security.

Lars,
No, The Mountain host program is part of the NSP. It was a program started about 3 years ago, and gets full NSP membership and benefits (?the only benefit I can think of is the tax break), although most of my better benefits are set by the mountain, and they differentiate between Patrol and Host.

Highpeaks,
go to NSP.Org and there's "Become a Mountain Host" button right on the home page. from there is a link to an application which includes a box for mountain affiliation. Mountain host is more defined by the local mountain's needs, and is not necessarily a "safety Patrol"
Hunter and another Mtn. (might've been Whiteface) were supposedly the pilot programs, and when we became NSP, I was just told to go to the website and pay my dues and sign up. The only hitch was knowing the CPR course I had taken, which my host leader provided when he told us to sign up.
I've since switched over and became a patroller so I'm not up on it as I was and it might've changed, but when I switched over, my membership number stayed the same, but my status got switched to patroller.

I just looked at it,
https://www.nsp.org/nsp2002/mtnHost....=mh&mhmode=app
and it's a bit different from when I joined, (there was no mention of OEC then, only CPR), but I believe all you do is fill out the application, pay the dues, and they send you a membership #.

I wonder if any other Resorts are the same. Where I worked it wasn't. The Resort made all the rules.

I'm not sure which comment you're refering to, but yes, we'reemployees of the mountain and it's more or less like that where I work also.

I was a shift super for the safety host program @ Mt.Hood Meadows last year . At the time the resort ran it . However it is being assimilated by the Volunteer patrol now . The resort is still providing the personnel but patrol runs the show . I have moved on to skischool but my son still works that gig . I found it to be very rewarding work , we truly made a big difference for families and and people seeking a relaxing mountain experience . We patrolled a small designated area called the "comfort zone " . Many people would stop and express their gratitude for the difference it made there. I would recommend it for anyone that is not up to a full patrol position . I am going to try out next weekend for the Mt.Hood Ski Patrol , hopefully I'll have what they are looking for .

I think that this is just nomiclature that the NSP has chosen to use. They refer to "Mountain Host" but if you read the description in really applies more to Safety Patrol than Hosts (at least as the programs are run at my mountain). The Safety Patrol are more involved with skier safety and assisting ski patrol, while the Hosts are usually pointing at maps.

Many of our Safety Patrollers are currently NSP members under the "Mountain Host" catagory. I don't think any of our Hosts are NSP members. Next year we will likely make NSP membership mandatory for Safety Patrol (a volunteer group at our resort).

To put my two cents in, I'm the Mt Host Director at our MT and started the Host program 4yrs ago. Up til this year we were not part of the NSPS but this year our Owner and Mt Manager wanted the Mt Hosts under the umbrella of the NSPS all my Mt Hosts had to do was take a first responder coarse made up from the Oec coarse and pay their 41 dollars to NSPS for dues and then you are entitled to NSPS benefits.
Our program is not a saftey patrol it is what it says Mt Hosts we meet and greet the public first thing in the morning as folks come from their cars from the parking lot then we give free tours of the mountain twice daily 1000am and 100pm if we have no tours which we always have one or two we roam around the 3 basins that we ski in and give friendly advice as how to get back to lodge and help guests get back from a place they didn't belong or are in over their heads back to the more appropriete runs. All of my Hosts now the mountain and its history so they can give information out or give a Guest a brochure if they say they don't need help leaving a a carful eye on that person or personsto make sure the head in the right direction. We also give the person or persons that are new to the area and are more advanced skiiers a tour of our more challenging terrain. For me and my Hosts this is one best job you can have at the Resort for you get to meet lots of great people and show them what are Mt is all about.
Terry Adams
Mt Hosts Director
49NorthMountain Resort
tadams@ski49n.com