Living Car Free - Ski pataroller/mountain biker, suggestions on staying car-free

I am currently 19, still living with the parents. I love biking, and I love the fact that if I stay car-free I will have one less expense. My only problem is that I am a Ski patroller (first winter at a really small hill in the city) and an avid mountain biker. I don't know how I can maintain these activities without major inconvinience to myself and others or a car. I think I might break down and buy a decent used car, learn to do as much on it as I can to cut costs and just be car-lite. I'm waiting until I have a "grown-up" job to either buy or not buy a car (used of course).
Anyone in a similar bind?

Grown-up job? Do what makes you happy. Although my job may be considered grown up by some, there are many who wouldn't think so just based on the pay. Fortunately, my car lite lifestyle makes it so I can afford to do what I love, both on my commute in and when I get to work!

Is your problem commuting to the hill? Because there are many remedies for that.

I'm going to college next year to be a firefighter. I'm just saying that I'm going to wait till I'm past the broke ass student stage of life to buy a car.
I think I might go with a diesel and run the bugger off of biodiesel, I'm not beyond canvasing local resaurants for waste oil.
Yeah to clarify the biggest problem is really getting to and from the mountain and the trails (I am an avid outdoorsperson).

How far away is the ski hill? I was a ski patroller in high school and college and we had storage areas in the patrol room to store our skis and boots. I would just store your stuff there and, mountain, bike back and forth to the hill.

Another thing I did in college, when I didn't have a car, was to hitch a ride with someone else and get them a lift ticket- The hill I worked at allowed us one free guest ticket for every shift we worked. It worked out well for both.

Jon

ive got a similar deal. i enjoy climbing and would like to start doing some guide work year-round so i am gonna need to get a car before to long. But....as i see it ill be living basically out of my car and saving by not need a place to live. as i move from gig to gig i can be as car free as possible. think of it as a transportable way of being car-free:rolleyes: :D

Ski from home to the job.
Ride to the mtb trailheads.
Al

This year I'm working at a tiny little ski hill (more of a ski mound really) in the city so it's close, the hill has 3 runs, a ski run, a boarder run, and a mixed run. I am a boarder, I used to ski and I'll probably start again this year cause we get pro-deals from head and tyrola ski's, in addition to Oakleys (40% off sweetness!!!!). I think I'll get a diesel car and run it off boidiesel, I could make the stuff, from what I've read it's pretty straight forward, you just have to find a couple restaurents willing to donate their used deepfryer oil. I plan on only using the car if I'm leaving the city, all travel within city bounds will be by bike.

This year I'm working at a tiny little ski hill (more of a ski mound really) in the city so it's close, the hill has 3 runs, a ski run, a boarder run, and a mixed run. I am a boarder, I used to ski and I'll probably start again this year cause we get pro-deals from head and tyrola ski's, in addition to Oakleys (40% off sweetness!!!!). I think I'll get a diesel car and run it off boidiesel, I could make the stuff, from what I've read it's pretty straight forward, you just have to find a couple restaurents willing to donate their used deepfryer oil. I plan on only using the car if I'm leaving the city, all travel within city bounds will be by bike.

In one post you're a "broke ass student" and now you're ready to spend all this money on new ski stuff. So which is it?

JeffS: As a fellow ski patroller, let me be the first to say that the top 3 priorities for us are: beer, food, & gear, in that order.

david: How far from the mountain are you? You should have an equipment room & locker room at the mountain, so really all you need to get to and from there is yourself most days, and a bag of stinking thermals every few days. Let me tell you though, if your hours are anything like mine, it's hard enough to get yourself up in time to drive to the mountain when it's -10', with 40mph wind, and a 5 alarm hangover, much less bike the (almost certainly hilly) ride in pitch black conditions on icy roads. It really depends a lot on your location and the conditions you'll see.

By the way, Head makes good skis, and their boards are really starting to come along. This is the 3rd season my mountain's had a pro-deal with them where the mountain buys us all a set. I should have my Crown board next week.

This year I'm patroling at a ski hill in the city, it is painfully small so I can't handle more than two years before commiting suicide from boredom. It has three runs, a ski run, a board run and a mixed run. Most of the decent skiing here in Ontario is at least an hour away. Me and a couple friends are thinking of getting a place next year, like renting a whole house out, if this happens my buddy mark has a friend that reno's airport limos so we could get an airport limo crown vic for two grand.
We are all dedicated year round cyclists so we'd only use it for our outdoor stuff like ski patrolling, camping, hiking, canoeing etc.
oh yeah just to amend those priorities, beer/ganja, food, and gear. Not all ski patrollers are alcoholics.

You could get a cheap ATV, or motorbike.

When I lived in MN I bought a snowmobile 200 bucks. Avoided speeding tickets :) Insurance :)

In one post you're a "broke ass student" and now you're ready to spend all this money on new ski stuff. So which is it?
Hey, even students can afford some luxuries if they're not wasting money on a car.