Whether it’s to kick off your participation in winter sports or to brush up on your technique after nine months away from the slopes, lessons play a key role in developing the skills you need to have fun and be safe on the mountain.
All local resorts offer lessons for kids and adults, with some programs geared toward children as young as 2 years old, like one offered through 49 Degrees North. Rick Brown, the ski school director at 49, who has also been an instructor for 18 years, says that getting kids into lessons will make it easier on them in the long run.
“The biggest benefit is that they’re going to learn to do [the sport] the right way,” says Brown, who adds that the development of proper technique will allow them to progress more quickly through the sport. “Get a good start, a good solid foundation, so you can start the fun earlier.”
Brown, who is responsible for training ski instructors across several states as a divisional clinic leader with the Professional Ski Instructors of America, has seen it all when it comes to lessons. He says a lot of people avoid lessons and opt to have a friend teach instead, but what seems like a logical move can often lead to trouble.
“It’s very easy to get frustrated with someone you know well on either side of the learning partnership,” says Brown.
This is true for couples, especially, he says.
“We say that that’s the best way to end a relationship,” says Brown. “If you’ve got a boyfriend or girlfriend you really don’t like, come up and learn to snowboard from one another.”
Instructors aren’t just a bunch of ski bums — they go through extensive training that teaches them to recognize different learning styles, techniques and how to handle different personalities. It’s a skill set that makes a huge difference when you’re starting a sport, regardless of age.
The difficulty of starting is something that Kristin Whitaker knows well. Whitaker, who is the marketing and guest services manager at Mt. Spokane, and who also taught lessons for six years, says that the experience can be initially overwhelming, especially for kids.
“Learning to ski and ride can be intimidating if you’ve never been to the mountain before,” says Whitaker.
The school at Mt. Spokane is focused on “creating a lifelong skier or rider,” says Whitaker, so their program is geared to eliminate any fears that newbies may have coming in. With more than 130 trained instructors, Whitaker says she believes they have the largest ski school in the region. Class sizes are usually four to six students for group lessons, and Whitaker says those are great for people who flourish in a team environment.
And like Brown, Whitaker says that she sees people skirting the programs in favor of trying to teach their own kids without much success.
“A kid is going to listen to a professional instructor they don’t know,” says Whitaker.
Beyond that, she says, instructors are finely tuned to notice small lapses in technique others may not, like pressure, balance and edging. Plus, she adds, lessons let parents enjoy some time on the mountain. Alone.
Whether child or adult, Brown and Whitaker agree it’s easy to maximize your lesson — you’ve just got to talk about what you want.
“The way to get the most out of a lesson is communicating with your instructor,” says Whitaker. She says that this conversation could cover anything from goals to fears, like being nervous about the chairlifts.
Bottom line — “It’s your lesson, you’ve paid for it,” says Whitaker.
For those interested in starting lessons, resorts will usually do a quick Q&A to determine skill level. For parents signing their kids up, Brown says it’s essential to be honest and take multiple factors into consideration beyond your kid’s experience — like their personality characteristics. If your kid has a short attention span or low energy levels, a one-hour lesson would be much more beneficial than an all-day one, says Brown, where getting bored or tired could squash enthusiasm.
Most parents are pretty good at gauging their kids, says Brown, but occasionally something will go awry. Brown recalls a case where a parent had signed their kids up as intermediate skiers, informing the staff that they had “skied the whole mountain.” Brown says that this wasn’t the case.
“The instructor figured out that the kids had never been out on skis before,” says Brown.
The truth? “They had played on their Wii,” says Brown.
Brown stresses the deeper importance of picking the correct lesson level — psychologically, it can make a huge difference.
“It’s great for a kid’s self-esteem to get bumped [to a higher level]” says Brown. “It’s hard to get demoted.”
It’s always a good idea to aim low when it comes to lessons, says Brown. That, or opt for private instruction, which lets the student move at their own pace as opposed to the pace of the group’s weakest member.
Lessons, overall, have benefits that extend beyond technique as well. They’re also a great way to get introduced to the culture and etiquette of snow sports, something folks may not be aware of their first time on the mountain. Just show up basically prepared. “And don’t wear jeans,” adds Whitaker.
Welcome to Snowlander, Vol. III
Wow! What a November and early December this has been. While we’re less than a month into the season, many avid riders in the region are boasting double digits for their ski day totals with still many days (and months!) of winter left to go. How many do you have?
If coverage or conditions are your concern for having not clocked your first day, there’s no need to have this worry. Conditions and coverage are historically better than many can remember. All ski areas opened within a week of each other, and 100 percent of the terrain in the region is open. Many of the resorts opened earlier than they have in recent history. The rain during the last week of November actually helped the current snowpack, which is why area resorts are still boasting great coverage even without any recent snow. But keep in mind that it is still early season so remember to ski and board with care.
With the shortest day of the year almost upon us and a lingering high-pressure system, valley fog is masking the beautiful sunshiny days up in the mountains. Soon, the days will start to get longer, and we’ll be back to enjoying long afternoons full of sun.
The holiday season is in full swing and the Inland Northwest has the most epic start to the best time of the year — ski season. So what are you waiting for? Get up to the mountains and enjoy the snow, sun and laughter with fellow snow-riding enthusiasts.
Happy holidays and see you on the slopes!
Jen Forsyth
Snowlander Editor
jen@snowlander.com
