Pushing the Envelope on Private Lesson Pricing

[Erik Timmerman]

Those are the people that will hire one instructor for each of their kids, they will be an hour late, take a 2 hour lunch and quit early..

 

[graham418]

How much does the instructor get out of this? Their regular $15/hr? less an hour for lunch?

 

[ToddW]

I'm just going to say now, that there is NOBODY on Earth that is worth $1250 for a ski lesson.

Balderdash!

 

[James]

I'm just going to say now, that there is NOBODY on Earth that is worth $1250 for a ski lesson.

It’s a ski experience. So much more than a lesson. Lessons are so 20th century.

 

[LiquidFeet]

How much does the instructor get out of this? Their regular $15/hr? less an hour for lunch?

Probably. Instructors get paid by the hour for the time they spend with the client on snow. That hourly wage could be less or more than $15. They don't get paid for lunch, not at the mountains I've taught at. If the client asks for the instructor by name, there's a bonus.

Then there are tips, or could be.

 

[Nancy Hummel]

Aspen has raised it base pay to $15.00/hour.
https://www.pugski.com/threads/aspen-raises-minimum-wage-again-to-15.16082/

New inexperienced Aspen instructors start at $20.00 per hour or so. If you have experience or certification, you will be in different category.

We get paid for 5 hours for group lessons which includes paid lunch.

 

[VickieH]

As tempting as that experience offering is, per an instructor's comments on Epicski, I may not be good enough as a student. So I shall pass. "It's not you ... it's me."

 

[MarkP]

As tempting as that experience offering is, per an instructor's comments on Epicski, I may not be good enough as a student. So I shall pass. "It's not you ... it's me."

I thought the old saying was "There are no 'not good enough' students, only 'not good enough' instructors."

 

[fatbob]

Don't forget the $1250 is just the booking fee. Rob Katz expects you to make up the instructor's living wage in tips on top.

Mind you if I had the discretionary spend a day with the Argentinian instructoress I rode the shuttle with to Highlands might be worth the price tag /everydayobjectification /everydaysexism.

 

[Bad Bob]

A standard 15% gratuity, rounded up for simplicity to a modest (tax free) $200 a day would make the poor instructor feel much better about the experience.

 

[VickieH]

I thought the old saying was "There are no 'not good enough' students, only 'not good enough' instructors."

Mr Miyagi says "No such thing as bad student ... only bad teacher", but he didn't teach skiing. Maybe he should have.

 

[MarkP]

Mr Miyagi says "No such thing as bad student ... only bad teacher", but he didn't teach skiing. Maybe he should have.

Try as I might, I just can't come up with house/yard/car work that translates to skiing. Maybe if he maintained the rollerblade paths along the SoCal beaches.

 

[dbostedo]

Try as I might, I just can't come up with house/yard/car work that translates to skiing.

Well he could still use "wax on, wax off" at least...

 

[MarkP]

Well he could still use "wax on, wax off" at least...

Good point. Learning how to keep equipment in good condition is part of the process.

 

[David Chaus]

Actually a repetitive skating-motion drill would be the perfect Miyagi for skiing. Shift weight, engage edge. Shift weight, engage edge. Left and right, over and over.

But I digress......how do I get to be one of those people with more money than sense?

 

[dbostedo]

But I digress......how do I get to be one of those people with more money than sense?

There's an easy way and a hard way... the hard way is to find a way to make more money.... the easy way is just to have less sense.

 

[David Chaus]

There's an easy way and a hard way... the hard way is to find a way to make more money.... the easy way is just to have less sense.

So, pretty unlikely either way.

 

[BC.]

An all day private at Aspen/Snowmass is $845 with 7 day advance purchase or $965 walk up rate.

The Vail pricing is outrageous

Lol...Ok, so you say Vail’s $1200 is outrageous.....but Aspen at $900 is a bargain?.... that Aspen/Alterra/Ikon $900 ain’t far behind. I would think for most people, both prices are outrageous.

 

[Philpug]

Lol...Ok, so you say Vail’s $1200 is outrageous.....but Aspen at $900 is a bargain?.... that Aspen/Alterra/Ikon $900 ain’t far behind. I would think for most people, both prices are outrageous.

She didn't say it was a "bargain" but it is 25% less and that is pretty significant. What is also significant is the percentage of this amounts that instructors get paid at each of these resorts. I am not sure of the exact amounts nor will I ask these instructors to divulge the compensation but I will say where Vail has to advertise to get instructors, Aspen in turning them away because their their instructors do not leave.

 

[dbostedo]

Lol...Ok, so you say Vail’s $1200 is outrageous.....but Aspen at $900 is a bargain?.... that Aspen/Alterra/Ikon $900 ain’t far behind. I would think for most people, both prices are outrageous.

True... but any all day private lesson will be expensive. Between the mid-A and New England and out west, I've never seen (personally) less than $100/hour for private lessons. So a 6.5 hour lesson at a small mid-A place would be at least $650. Possibly a fair bit more. Not up there with Vail, or even Aspen... but a much different experience at a small place.

In general, private lessons are expensive.