March 10th Is International Ski Patrol Day: Meet Victoria Jamieson, Verbier’s First Female Ski Patroller

To mark International Ski Patrol Day, lets give a shout out to Victoria Jamieson, a UK-born ski patroller who has worked with the Verbier Piste Patrol since 2008 and was the first woman to join the team.

Victoria’s route into ski patrolling began through mountaineering rather than resort skiing. While completing the traverse of Les Aiguilles de Chamonix, her partner was seriously injured by rockfall, suffering a crushed leg and requiring helicopter rescue. He went on to make a full recovery and now works as a mountain guide. Witnessing the incident first-hand prompted Victoria to develop a deeper interest in mountain safety and emergency response, ultimately leading her into ski patrolling.

Joining the Verbier Piste Patrol in 2008 was challenging from the outset. Victoria became the first woman on a team made up entirely of local men, and she began the role just six months after undergoing total knee reconstruction surgery. “It was tough, both physically and mentally,” she says. “Integrating into an all-male, local team took time, but I was determined to stay.”

Today, she patrols one of Europe’s most challenging and renowned ski areas. Located in Switzerland’s Val de Bagnes, Verbier forms part of the vast 4 Vallées ski area, offering extensive lift-accessed terrain, demanding off-piste routes and complex alpine conditions that require constant monitoring and preparation. For ski patrollers, this means early starts, intensive safety work and a deep understanding of the mountain environment.

What continues to motivate Victoria is the variety of the role. “No two days are ever the same,” she explains. “We work in nature, so conditions are constantly changing.” Some of her favourite moments come before the resort opens, riding the first lift as the sun rises over the peaks in complete silence, long before skiers arrive.

She believes many visitors underestimate the work that happens behind the scenes. Avalanche control days bring added pressure, with extensive safety work carried out on skis before the lifts open. “There’s a lot of preparation and responsibility involved before anyone sets foot on the mountain,” she says.

Despite the challenges, Victoria is clear in her advice to those considering a career in ski patrolling or mountain rescue. “It really is an amazing job,” she says. “If you’re thinking about it, you should absolutely go for it.”

When asked what she loves most about Verbier, her answer is simple: “Everything.” From world-class lift-accessed skiing and rock climbing to the resort’s food scene and sense of community, it’s a place she continues to be proud to call home.

Verbier: www.verbier.ch