By Abbie Digel Big Sky Weekly editor
Finding love can be difficult, especially in small towns like Big Sky.
Winter is here, and new faces will be swarming the ski areas, bars and restaurants.
Among the hustle of racing to the tram, après drinks and busy work
schedules, companionship may get lost.
Lisa Hagen knows this better than anyone. A seasonal worker by trade and
new Big Sky local (she’s lived here for a year and plans to stay), she’s bounced
between seasonal positions for the past six years.
Now she’s settled full time in Big Sky as a Moonlight Basin ski patroller and
summer raft guide. Hagen knows how difficult it can be to make friends, or
even find love within the seasonal sector.
This summer, Hagen launched seasonallove.com, a dating site for those just
passing through.
“I know from experience that seasonal workers need a service like this,”
Hagen said.
Hagen noticed dating sites like match.com and eharmony.com don’t have
categories for “outdoorsy types” and those who move seasonally.
Those sites are great for working professionals who are settled, she says, but
not for people who seek jobs at resorts or in adventure-based industries.
Last winter, Hagen discussed her idea with friends in Big Sky, who encouraged
her to take action. She launched seasonallove.com in October 2011. Hagen
used a basic dating software platform and specialized it for people with outdoor
interests.
Creating an account is easy. Facebook users can use their existing accounts, or
create a separate Seasonal Love account. From there, users can post updates,
interests and browse possible connections. Eventually, there will also be a
Craigslist type of market on the site.
“The site is targeted toward larger [resort] areas like Summit County and Tahoe,”
Hagen said, but anyone can create an account.
“I want Seasonal Love to be a place where people can find someone they want to
be with for awhile,” Hagen said, not just for people to meet quick “hookups.”
Hagen has found luck herself. She met her boyfriend while working at Spanish
Peaks, and they’ve been together for almost a year. seasonallove.com
