Storm skiing..... Chasing the snow vs knowing the mountain???

[kingslug]

Thats where the expensive private lesson comes in..like hiring a guide for a few hours. At Revelstoke they have a 2 full day tour for 150.00..deal of the century..here that gets you 2 hours..but may be worth it sometimes.

 

[BenedictGomez]

One of the biggest things "wrong" with the ski industry, IMO, is how expensive lessons are, especially versus the low wages that ski instructors make.

Way too often instructors sit on their hands and don't have lessons filling their slots.

Instead of trying to maximize revenue via lesson rates, IMHO mountains should try to make it up or surpass it in increased lesson volume. The more people progress, theoretically the more money you'll eventually make as they return as paying customers. But $150/hour on top of an $85 lift ticket is ridiculous. Ski lessons should cost no more than Violin or Tennis lessons.

 

[Jcb890]

One of the biggest things "wrong" with the ski industry, IMO, is how expensive lessons are, especially versus the low wages that ski instructors make.

Way too often instructors sit on their hands and don't have lessons filling their slots.

Instead of trying to maximize revenue via lesson rates, IMHO mountains should try to make it up or surpass it in increased lesson volume. The more people progress, theoretically the more money you'll eventually make as they return as paying customers. But $150/hour on top of an $85 lift ticket is ridiculous. Ski lessons should cost no more than Violin or Tennis lessons.

Count me as one of the people who would do a private lesson or 2 to get better if they weren't so damn expensive. I'd do the same for my wife as well, so 2 of us actually.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Count me as one of the people who would do a private lesson or 2 to get better if they weren't so damn expensive. I'd do the same for my wife as well, so 2 of us actually.

Ditto.

There are MANY people like this, which is why it shocks me nobody has taken the lead in reducing lesson prices and driving volume. Hell, after a few years you might even increase localized demand among your base to a point you'd be able to take small price increases and still stay at a solid capacity.

 

[bdfreetuna]

I sure would too. Can always improve on the fundamentals, and that sounds like a good way to spend a couple hours on a day with otherwise crappy conditions.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

there are lots of good beginner lesson programs. a few years ago sugarbush had a $150 program for three days of progressive lessons, lift tickets, and rentals, and then they gave a season pass for free upon completion of the program. the 3 days did not need to be sequential. killington has a similar program and gives you a beginner skis/snowboard set up when you complete. ski vt has the take 3 which is similar.

once you get beyond those learn to ski programs, I agree that more advanced lessons are prohibitively expensive.

I wouldn't ever want to take one, but would be interested in guides and line cutting privileges at gnarly places I haven't been

 

[cdskier]

there are lots of good beginner lesson programs. a few years ago sugarbush had a $150 program for three days of progressive lessons, lift tickets, and rentals, and then they gave a season pass for free upon completion of the program. the 3 days did not need to be sequential. killington has a similar program and gives you a beginner skis/snowboard set up when you complete. ski vt has the take 3 which is similar.

once you get beyond those learn to ski programs, I agree that more advanced lessons are prohibitively expensive.

I wouldn't ever want to take one, but would be interested in guides and line cutting privileges at gnarly places I haven't been

Sugarbush still has that program (First timer to life) but it is $295 now. Still a hell of a deal since you get a season pass after the 3rd lesson. And they now have a 4th lesson add-on to that package for $99 where they give you a free pair of skis (or a board).

As for advance lessons, I would absolutely take one too if they weren't so damn expensive. I still keep saying I want to take one at some point even though they are expensive, but I'd be much more likely to do it if they were cheaper.

 

[kingslug]

JH used to have an all day lesson for 80 bucks..learned to ski moguls that day. Just dont get the huge cost when the instructor makes so little. Thats why i was amazed at the 150 2 day at Revy..he showed places we would never have found..

 

[Oz Von Toco]

Hopefully ski resorts are reading this. I've been riding 4 years sans lessons. Would love to hear from a pro what I can do better, but not for $500 for half a day... can't afford that...


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[Jcb890]

JH used to have an all day lesson for 80 bucks..learned to ski moguls that day. Just dont get the huge cost when the instructor makes so little. Thats why i was amazed at the 150 2 day at Revy..he showed places we would never have found..

Yeah, that's a steal! I tagged along with a guided group at Big Sky my last trip that I saw, just eavesdropped for a minute or two to get some terrain info and thought it was great. I can only imagine what a full day would be like.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Hopefully ski resorts are reading this. I've been riding 4 years sans lessons. Would love to hear from a pro what I can do better, but not for $500 for half a day... can't afford that...


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if you are able to ski weekdays, just sign up for a less expensive group lesson and chances are you'll end up with a private. especially at smaller places.

 

[BenedictGomez]

The responses thus far are proving my point.

Namely that.....

The Intermediate through Advanced lessons market represents significant untapped potential for ski areas through EITHER:

A) Increased volumetric revenue, plus increased customer satisfaction
B) Revenue stasis at par expense, but increased customer satisfaction

Either way, it's a win for the ski areas.

Maybe I need to take my message to management.

 

[Jcb890]

if you are able to ski weekdays, just sign up for a less expensive group lesson and chances are you'll end up with a private. especially at smaller places.

The thought of having an advanced lesson with someone at a different skill level/needing different work is what worries me. I would think very rarely do people's areas of need align when it comes to advanced skills. Otherwise, I think it would be a cool idea to organize some type of group advanced lesson among ourselves.

The responses thus far are proving my point.

Namely that.....

The Intermediate through Advanced lessons market represents significant untapped potential for ski areas through EITHER:

A) Increased volumetric revenue, plus increased customer satisfaction
B) Revenue stasis at par expense, but increased customer satisfaction

Either way, it's a win for the ski areas.

Maybe I need to take my message to management.

Got any good ideas? Perhaps we could write something to the different passholder/ownership companies like Ikon/Alterra/Peak/etc. with a bunch of signatures, etc.

 

[kingslug]

My plan which usually works out west where its cheaper is to line up at a 9 level slot. This worked one year at JH as we ended up with 3 of us with equal ability. The teacher laughed when he asked me what I liked to ski..I said whadda ya got...oh..really...no no just kidding.
It was like a guided tour for the whole day with a few tips thrown in. In the end he said just keep doing what your doing..its working.
Now I have a dilemma. MRG Sunday for the first time and would like to have a bit of a tour. A 2 hour private is 120..I can swing that or a 4 hour mogul lesson for 150. Since I'm always trying to get better in the bumps, especially the insane steep ones where trees are involved this might be the way to go..rather than flounder around the toughest place in the east. I have to up my tree skiing as now we are part time slugs at Stowe.

 

[BenedictGomez]

MRG Sunday for the first time and would like to have a bit of a tour. A 2 hour private is 120..I can swing that or a 4 hour mogul lesson for 150. Since I'm always trying to get better in the bumps, especially the insane steep ones where trees are involved this might be the way to go..rather than flounder around the toughest place in the east. I have to up my tree skiing as now we are part time slugs at Stowe.

In the pantheon of expensive ski lessons we're discussing, $150 for 4 hours is quite reasonable, that breaks out at $37.50/hour. Now, it's a group lesson of course, so we cant compare that to private, but there are only 4 skiers in a group. I think that's great value. If MRG is still open in early April, I might just do their 2 hour mogul course for $80. I need to learn how to pole plant in moguls.

 

[Oz Von Toco]

if you are able to ski weekdays, just sign up for a less expensive group lesson and chances are you'll end up with a private. especially at smaller places.

That's a great idea ! Thanks


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[kingslug]

MRG is getting rid of the 4 hour mogul camp..had to get the 2 hour private..funny..just as we were talking about it..guess it was too good a deal..to deal with

 

[BenedictGomez]

MRG is getting rid of the 4 hour mogul camp..had to get the 2 hour private..funny..just as we were talking about it..guess it was too good a deal..to deal with

Do they still do the 2 hour mogul camp? It might be a staffing issue since it's end of year.

 

[kingslug]

Thonk they want to go with private..120 vs 80. More money for the till