Last week I shared my thoughts on how beneficial ski school can be for skiers and boarders of all levels. Here are my top 10 tips on making the most of your investment in a lesson:
- Be willing to be uncomfortable for a bit when trying new techniques
- Many areas use a 1-to-9 ability-level scale with Level 9 being the most advanced
- Black-diamond (Levels 7, 8, 9) group lessons are rarely full
- Take group lessons on a storm day or weekday for smaller classes
- Tell ski instructor your specific goals
- Try to ride up chairlift with the instructor, but also let others in group do the same
- For safety, do not try to stop right above instructor or group on the slope
- For powder lessons, use powder cords or surveyors tape to prevent lost skis
- If you liked a private instructor, you can request the same one for the next time
- Tipping is not required, but 10-20 percent is appreciated
Lessons are a great way to kick off the season or your vacation. Make it a point to improve your turns this year, or focus on a particular area like bumps or steeps. No matter your ski level, you can always get better. After all, the U.S. Ski Team has coaches.
If you have any other tips, please share them with the Liftopia blog readers.
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