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Why Ski School Isn't Just for Beginners: 8 Reasons to Book a Lesson

Why Ski School Isn't Just for Beginners: 8 Reasons to Book a Lesson

Ski school is cool, and it’s where beginners to experts find the secrets to skiing (and Utah’s secret powder stashes). Learn to ski the entire resort.

Written By Paula Colman

Snowbird | Austen Diamond/Visit Salt Lake

We love to ski! It conjures images ranging from the adrenaline-seeking to the stylish (or, in Lindsey Vonn’s case, both). But suggest going to ski school, and folks will look at you like you just sentenced them to three days of Driver’s Ed. Ski school is not remedial or punitive — just the opposite. It is designed to take you to the next level: to get you on more-challenging runs or, especially in Utah, into the powder (Read: Big Snow. Gotta Go.) Now, that sounds pretty cool. Here are a few other reasons to get signed up:

Key Reasons to Sign Up for Ski School

Ease Into the Climate: Pace yourself to handle elevation, dry air and Utah powder.
Discover New Terrain: Get a backstage pass to secret spots, traffic patterns and lunch timing.
Improve Skills & Unlock Fears: Break through skill plateaus and conquer steep or narrow runs.
Maximize Family Enjoyment: Increase skills, share stories, and get the most out of vacation days.
Get Great Discounts: Save money with beginner packages, equipment perks and seasonal deals.
Ski More, Ski Longer: Skip lift lines, fine-tune stance positioning and extend your ski days.
Meet Other Adventurers: Join small groups, hydrate, rest and share coaches and cheerleaders.
Make the Most of Bad Weather: Turn crummy conditions into an opportunity to learn crud and side slipping.

1. Ease Into the Climate

“The elevation and dry air of some of Utah’s ski resorts can present a challenge to your body if you’re not used to it,” says Maggie Loring, director of Snowbird Ski Resort’s Mountain School. Having someone along who can help you pace yourself will help you take advantage of all those fantastic trails in the right order. If you’re used to very different snow conditions, that pacing will also help when you’re experiencing Utah powder for the first time. (Read: The Greatest Snow on Earth)

2. Discover Hidden Terrain Like a Local

“Spending the extra money on day one to get someone who knows the mountain (as well as snow conditions and traffic patterns) to show you around is like having a backstage pass,” says Loring. Getting the lay of the land early on in your trip even allows you to find out which après is worth quitting early for, when the lunch rush frees up that trail you want to check out and more of those little-known tidbits that can make a good trip, a great one.

3. Improve Your Technique and Conquer Mountain Fears

So many skiers and snowboarders get stuck at a certain level, spending years riding the same runs out of comfort or fear of steep drop-offs and deep moguls. Professional instructors can address issues or fears and give you the confidence to tackle advanced terrain safely. Look for specialty clinics available at Utah resorts grouped by:

Type: such as skiers, snowboarders, telemark, women, men, teens, special needs, seniors, experts and lapsed

Terrain: including moguls, trees, backcountry and sidecountry

Night Skiing: Cherry Peak Resort offers evening skills clinics focusing on improving particular skills

4. Maximize Family Enjoyment

Your vacation days are limited. Why not make sure you get the most out of your time on the mountain, so you can have fun and increase your skill level with ski lessons in Utah? “Some visitors spend ski school money on their kids, but don’t feel like they can also spend money on themselves,” says Loring. “If you can get the experience for yourself, you can appreciate more what your children are doing.” Sharing stories at the end of the day, learning more about each other’s fun and scary moments, is part of what makes family bonding so valuable on outdoor vacations. Don’t leave your own enjoyment and development out of the experience. (Read: A Mom’s Take On Sharing Skiing With the Next Generation.)

Sundance Mountain Resort

Photo: Marc Piscotty

5. Unlock Great Discounts

Whether you are a first-timer or looking to conquer a black diamond run, there’s never been a better time to learn. Every Utah ski resort has a beginner ski program for kids and adults, and most offer discounts throughout the season on gear, lessons and lift tickets.

Powder Mountain: Offers discounted gear, lesson and lift ticket packages for beginning and intermediate lessons.

Snowbasin: The award-winning Learn & Earn program offers three lift tickets, three lessons, season-long rental equipment and a season pass after instruction for $879.

Alta: The Sunnyside At 3 Season Pass ($99) gives beginner lift access from 3-4:30 p.m.

"Every Utah ski resort has a beginner ski program for kids and adults, and most, like Powder Mountain, offer discounts throughout the season on gear, lessons and lift tickets."

6. Ski More, Ski Longer

Ski school participants will enjoy saving time and money with priority access to the front of lift lines. Instructors routinely fine-tune guests’ positioning or equipment helping them to ski longer and better than ever before. My father-in-law experienced this first-hand one season when the instructor adjusted his stance, immediately taking pressure off his quads allowing him to ski more hours and more days throughout the season.

Correcting your form can also translate to more ski days even beyond just this season. Remember there’s no age limit to skiing. Check out the viral videos of 100+-year-old George at Snowbird or ask members of The Wild Old Bunch (they stop briefly to refuel around noon at Alf’s Restaurant) at Alta, where senior passes are only available to those over 80.

7. Meet Other Adventurers

Private lessons are amazing, but they are also more expensive than group lessons, clinics or meetups. Moreover, a full-day private lesson your first day on the mountain can be exhausting, especially if you just traveled from Houston (50 feet above sea level) to Park City (7,000 feet). Consider joining a group to get you started. Utah ski schools typically keep group lessons and clinics as small as possible (4-5 max is common, but feel free to ask). The upside is that you: (1) get to watch others succeed and fail (groups laugh and cheer for both; it’s like having coaches and cheerleaders with you); (2) hear more questions and answers (those small insights and, often, hysterical comments stay with you); (3) get a chance to rest and HYDRATE which, counterintuitively, will keep you on the slopes longer; and (4) meet some amazing people who also love the outdoors.

Ski school is not remedial or punitive — it’s designed to take you to the next level.

Photo: Adam Clark

8. Make the Most of a Bad Weather Day

There are times when the snow or the weather is...less than optimal. Sadly, not every day is a powder day, but one of the best group lessons I’ve ever had was on a crummy one that taught me how to ski crud and side slip down a nasty hillside. That lesson transformed my skiing, because learning how to do that now allows me to exit sidecountry gates, glide through some trees and roll over a little log to the opening of a powder-filled bowl that people pass all the time. So, if the conditions are, shall we say, less than optimal, then sign up for a lesson or clinic and feel like a cool kid on the mountain.

Need to do a little more reading before booking? Read What to Know for Ski School.

Family-Friendly Ski Lodges in Utah

Written By Grace Simpson

5 minute read

Utah's world-class ski resorts offer families a perfect winter escape. With exceptional lodging, from cozy cabins to luxurious hotels, and endless activities both on and off the slopes, you can create unforgettable memories.

Explore

About the Author – Paula Colman

Paula Colman is not a professional skier, mountain biker, sommelier or chef, but spends her time pursuing these and whatever else pops up along the way with an inordinate amount of enthusiasm and humor. As a recovering attorney and practicing parent, who has lived in seven states across all four time zones, she landed in Utah over a decade ago and decided that she could study for the bar or learn to ski…hmmm. She now shares her stories about outdoor adventures and entertainments throughout Utah as a regular contributor for Visit Utah, Ski Utah, ApresSkiUtah.com and others and on Instagram at @harpo_utah.

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