Ski Lesson Prices (Examples from your mountain)

[Coach13]

I purchased a 3-Class Pass at Loveland ... 3 1/2-day group lessons plus a season pass for $579. The season pass also gives me Powder Alliance benefits.

After those classes, I can take 1/2-day group lessons for $99. Or if I find a particular instructor I want to work with, 2-hour private lessons for $179 or 3-hour for $249.

Like you, I will do midweek lessons and hope that results in a smaller group.

When you factor in the pass option I don’t know of many lesson options that compare value wise to Loveland’s packages.

 

[Coach13]

My 3 local Mid Atlantic resorts allow you to ski off the same night pass. For about $40 on top of the Night Club pass ($195) you get a group lesson every visit if you wish. The lesson quality is hit or miss depending on the size of the group and the instructor, but a $40 add-on for a lesson option is a great value imo.

 

[pchewn]

Update: I signed up for a 3-lesson plan at Mt Hood Meadows. $109 for 3 days of 2-hr morning lessons.

The first lesson was Wed Jan 15 at 10:00 in the morning.
This was a day after about a foot of new snow, so there was powder to be had in places.

4 students and 1 instructor (Brian Beardsley).

Instructor wanted to know our experience levels, what we wanted to work at. These were the 4 self-described advanced skiers taking lessons that day.
Student 1 (me), male, 63. 53 years of skiing. Well developed skill set in variety of conditions, low physical conditioning.
Student 2, male, approx 30, 4 years skiing. Not really an "advanced" skier -- doesn't even know how to skate. Enthusiastic, good physical shape.
Student 3, female, approx 35, 3 years skiing. Unskilled, but extremely strong and balanced.
Student 4, male, approx 50, ??? years skiing. Semi-skilled, poor balance, falling several times.

I wanted work on my "swimming" skis on the groomers/hardpack.
Everyone else wanted tips on skiing powder. So that's what we did.

We ski through some powder.... It is clear that the instructor and I have done this numerous times and can ski quite well in powder. The other students get instruction on powder technique. The instructor uses me as the "demo dummy".

I get a few pointers on pole plant position and a suggestion to vary my turn radii more. (My go-to turns are quite short radius). Both pointers are good and help me out.

I teach the other students my 3 skating gaits (gears). The instructor tells me I have the most efficient skating technique he's ever seen. I tell him I have to be efficient because I'm out of shape. The students pick up some good powder skiing and skating tips.

The good: Skied a lot of runs I might not normally go on. Got some interesting pointers. It was an ego stroke because I was more skilled than the others. The instructor was friendly, listened to students, and offered valid advice. Low price

The bad: I didn't get to ski groomers/hard snow to address my concerns. 4 students is 1 too many (for quad chairs).

Looking forward to 2 more lessons.

 

[fatbob]

Yeah show up on a near powder day and don't complain if the rest of the class want to ski that. Otherwise hope you were paid for the lesson

 

[pete]

I have once a few seasons ago.... BUT I was the only person who showed up for the group lesson.... so it was really a two hour private, so doesn't really count.

this is something to consider, if your group lesson can be aimed at a "slow" period and up the teacher to student ratio.

Our family trip is on a slow period for the ski school and in multiple cases, while I dislike the cost of the 5hr group lesson, don't mind when on multiple occasions my kids were the only ones with the instructor.

Happened last week for my youngest who ended up having private snow boarding lessons, 2 days of private at group rate resulted in vast improvement. (course, boarding harder to learn, quick to master goes the saying)

@pchewn, while 4 isn't bad, maybe just pegging specific low days to up your odds of more private group.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

4 students is 1 too many (for quad chairs).

Haha - so true. Also, what is "swimming" on groomers. Never heard of it.

 

[pchewn]

Haha - so true. Also, what is "swimming" on groomers. Never heard of it.

"Swimming" is what I call it when the ski wanders about and does not stay on track in a carve. The tips and tails wiggling about.....

 

[PNWRod]

"Swimming" is what I call it when the ski wanders about and does not stay on track in a carve. The tips and tails wiggling about.....

I'm not picturing this unless your ski is flat. In a carve and doing railroad tracks at speed I'd be surprised AND wigged out if my skis were swimming.

 

[Rod9301]

Squaw private 450 for 3 hours, at least this was a few years ago.

France, 50 dollars an hour private

 

[teejaywhy]

I took my first ever lesson last season at Purgatory. $60 for a 2-hour group. They asked my skill level and if I wanted to do bumps? Powder? I said I just wanted an instructor to evaluate and improve my basic technique on intermediate groomers. Ended up a two person group. A very good value I thought and I was able to learn something. (intro to carving).

This year I will be visiting Telluride and I see the 2 hour group lessons are $105. Wow, a bit of difference. Still hoping to get help with the foundational stuff.

 

[pchewn]

I'm not picturing this unless your ski is flat. In a carve and doing railroad tracks at speed I'd be surprised AND wigged out if my skis were swimming.

Yeah, exactly why I want an instructor to see this and evaluate....

 

[VickieH]

Go into lesson #2 and state what you need (again). If you are outvoted and don't cover your needs for a lesson, go to the ski school. The school has the option -- and responsibility -- to split up the group and send out additional instructors as needed.

 

[pchewn]

Go into lesson #2 and state what you need (again). If you are outvoted and don't cover your needs for a lesson, go to the ski school. The school has the option -- and responsibility -- to split up the group and send out additional instructors as needed.

Yep, that will be the plan. I'll take next lesson when the snow is firm, not powder ... That should help.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

You can't blame them for skiing powder on a powder day. Some days that's just what's on the menu.

 

[pchewn]

You can't blame them for skiing powder on a powder day. Some days that's just what's on the menu.

Absolutely! No blame at all. I need to work on some firm snow technique and I scheduled on a powder day. Glad to follow along with the rest of the students and ski powder...

 

[dbostedo]

Squaw private 450 for 3 hours, at least this was a few years ago.

France, 50 dollars an hour private

Hmm... I suspect that the instructors in those two scenarios are making very roughly about the same amount of money. (i.e. it's not like the Squaw instructor is making several times more.)

 

[Coach13]

I was just looking at lesson packages at Vail owned resorts. For adult group lessons it’s around $480 for 3 days. About 10 years ago I could get my wife 5 days of group lessons at Vail for about $200 which was more than reasonable. I’m not sure how the sell a lesson these days.

 

[Rod9301]

Hmm... I suspect that the instructors in those two scenarios are making very roughly about the same amount of money. (i.e. it's not like the Squaw instructor is making several times more.)

Yes, the French instructor is making 45 an hour.

 

[teejaywhy]

Yes, the French instructor is making 45 an hour.

"Bend ze knees pleeze"

 

[fatbob]

"Bend ze knees pleeze"

Bit harsh. French ski instruction has moved on a bit and there are clearly some decent younger instructors and the worst leathery tan, fag hanging, pastised up mountain men of the "follow me" school have largely retired. So it's no longer mandatory to clench a 10 Euro bill between your buttocks while skiing.

Having said that they've never found a crocodile they can resist adding more kids to. I've no idea what the kids at the back ever learn given they are as least 2 bends behind the instructor - self sufficiency and a zen like meditation on the neglect of their parents perhaps?