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Teaching the girlfriend to ski. Where to go for a first timer?

Boxtop Willie

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Sugarbush has a First Time to Life Time program. A series of 3 lessons and once completed you get a free season pass. Add a fourth lesson and you get a free Elan ski package.
 

AdironRider

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4-DAY DISCOVERY PROGRAM, AGES 16+

MORE LEARNING, FREE SKIS OR SNOWBOARD

Diving into a new sport can feel like a big leap of faith. But our Discovery Program for adult first-timers ages 16+ makes it easy and includes a free pair of skis or snowboard upon completion.
The Discovery Program includes a two-hour lesson, rental equipment and lift ticket for four days, all for just $399. Learn on Elan skis or a Burton snowboard and, prior to completing the fourth lesson, receive a brand-new pair of those skis or board mounted with bindings (MSRP $595).

  • The days don’t need to be consecutive but need to be completed by the end of the 2018-19 season.
  • Each day includes a two-hour lesson, rental equipment and lift ticket (which is limited to the learning area on days 1 and 2; days 3 and 4 include full mountain access)
  • On your fourth day, we'll hand over a brand-new pair of Elan skis and bindings or Burton snowboard and bindings - FREE!




https://www.killington.com/plan-your-trip/lessons-rentals/lessons-for-first-timers/adults

This is a pretty killer deal. This would cost almost 3k at Jackson Hole.
 

KustyTheKlown

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ex-girlfriend did the sugarbush's old learn to ski program. 3 progressive lessons with 3 days of rentals and limited lift tickets was $150 and came with a season pass at end of the sequence. that program has been supplanted by the ski-vermont learn to programs. similar ideas. that ex was a total success story. it took her a while, and a mix of group and private lessons and skiing by herself, but she went from a never-skied to a loves-to-ski. since we've broken up, she's graduated from her learner skis to her 85 mm LINEs, and from weekend bus trips to hunter to going to banff lake louise with a few of her girlfriends. if she got anything out of the relationship, it was skiing

current girlfriend (and co-habitator + likely future wife) is a total noobie. late 30s. she is a surfer, so we thought she'd like snowboarding more. she had one lesson last year, on the coldest day of the year, and had fun, but then 3 weeks later went in for (totally pre-planned) hip surgery stemming from a surfing injury. last season she came with a lot when she was laid up from the surgery, and she totally took to the culture and scene, just hanging in lots of base lodge bars all day long.

so its been 11 months, and her doc and physical therapist finally say its ok to try, and suggested trying skiing not snowboarding. she came with this past weekend. she decided to not ski saturday (too cold - drove to woodstock and went antiquing and potterying and had a great day). she took a group lesson on saturday at stratton which ended up being a private lesson with two instructors. she would not allow me to teach her a few things first (which was annoying as i sat there from 8:45 to 9:45 just waiting for her lesson to begin.) i only wanted to show her how to take skis on/off, and how to stand from a fallen position. she wouldnt let me. she did not hate the lesson. said that "i can turn left really well but the right is horrible" (hip surgery was on the right side), and she said she fell a few times but had laughs when she struggled to get back up. baby steps.

she's coming with to colorado dec 23-30 and 18-21. she'll take more lessons, mostly group with maybe one splurge for a private. she won't ski every day - she will take the rental car and her camera and go explore, has a spa day planned, etc.

skiing is my thing. surfing is hers. im terrified of the ocean. and i owe her a BIG ONE. ugh.
 

Edd

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Nov 8, 2006
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Newmarket, NH
Don’t know what state you’d prefer to go to but Cranmore checks a lot of boxes. Small, the ski school has a great reputation, and there’s a lot of other things to do when you’re not skiing.


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prsboogie

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Aug 13, 2014
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Swansea
Peak Discovery Program

ON SALE FOR $139

3 LESSONS, EQUIPMENT RENTALS + LIFT TICKETS

Valid for ages 13+

This new step by step lesson product from Peak Resorts is aimed at giving you the opportunity to “Learn, Practice, & Explore” when you want, where you want, at any Peak Resort in the Northeast. Guests may choose which resort(s) they complete their program at, opting to complete the program at the same property or mixing up resort locations.

Example: Take a Day 1 lesson at Mount Snow, then visit Attitash for Day 2 and Crotched Mountain for Day 3. It doesn’t matter.

Our ski & snowboard instructors will teach everything you need to know, from putting on your boots, to using a chairlift, to the art of turning on snow. All at your pace and at the resort(s) of your choosing!

PROGRAM DETAILS:

DAY 1 GROUP – INTRO TO SKIING/RIDING LESSON PACKAGE

A resort specific first-timer lesson

Equipment rental (skis, boots, & poles or boots & snowboard) including a helmet

Lower Mountain Lift Ticket

Access to lower mountain lifts & learning terrain only.

A Peak Discovery Card to use for completing your two future lesson visits to use at any resort, as well as to keep for special benefits you’ll receive upon completion of the program.

DAY 2 GROUP - PRACTICE LESSON PACKAGE

A resort specific next-step lesson

Equipment rental (skis, boots, & poles or boots & snowboard) including a helmet

Lower Mountain Lift Ticket

Access to lower mountain lifts & learning terrain only.

DAY 3 GROUP - EXPLORE LESSON PACKAGE

A resort specific skill & technique lesson focused on enhancing your experience and gearing you to start to explore the other areas of our resorts.

Equipment rental (skis, boots, & poles or boots & snowboard) including a helmet

Full Mountain Lift Ticket

Access to all lifts & all terrain at our resorts​

THE PEAK DISCOVERY PROGRAM IS VALID AT THE FOLLOWING RESORTS:

Attitash Mountain Resort, Barlett, NH
Wildcat Mountain, Pinkham Notch, NH
Crotched Mountain, Bennington, NH
Mount Snow, West Dover, NH
Hunter Mountain, Hunter, NY
Jack Frost, White Haven, PA
Big Boulder, Lake Harmony, PA



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BenedictGomez

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Jan 26, 2011
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Wasatch Back
im terrified of the ocean.

Did you never learn how to swim or are you afraid of deep water? My Mom had a serious phobia of deep water and was afraid to go in the ocean, so she put all of us kids through years of swim lessons because of it. It was a P.I.T.A., every summer, swim lessons.
 

abc

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Big resort vs small bumps: It's a different experience.

Cost for the learn-to-ski package will work out to be similar. But with a package on a bump near home, you don't have to pay for lodging, not much driving. And it's easier for the learner to just pop over to the bump near home for practice the rest of the season. If I were learning, of my own initiative, that's what I would do. In fact, that's what I did.

Some big resort type mountain are offering season pass at the end of the package. That could be very nice IF the learner takes the sport up. Moreover, for the cost of the lodging, you do get other activities on top of just snowplowing down the bunny slope. Not to mention roaming around a mountain (provided there's decent green trails).

Say, you're trying to get your significant other to try skiing, I think the 2nd option of going to a big resort has particular significant. Because once your SO manages to get down some easy slope, do you want to ski with her on some local bump for the rest of the season? Or do you want to have her accompany you to your favorite mountain?
 
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bigbog

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Bangor and the state's woodlands
$.01 for Lessons at Sunday River(Newry, ME)..MID-WEEK!!! Lots of beginner to Intermediate terrain. ALTHOUGH....one doesn't need the excitement of a big mountain social scene at a posh resort to start enjoying skiing, just getting to the outdoors...away from the grit and grime of the city was enough for me...but a big mountain CAN have a lot of the flatter, meadow-type terrain and it's a pretty good chance you'll get some terrific instruction, however there are terrific people who are instructors at the smaller mountains, close to their home.
Bumpsis's mentioning of trying to get her to acquire some initial skills, prior to lessons, is excellent..imo, people will pick up a lot more during a lesson it they have some of the initial skills to begin with, especially balance..
 
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KustyTheKlown

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Did you never learn how to swim or are you afraid of deep water? My Mom had a serious phobia of deep water and was afraid to go in the ocean, so she put all of us kids through years of swim lessons because of it. It was a P.I.T.A., every summer, swim lessons.

i can swim. i actually was a pretty good swimmer as a kid. i'll swim in pools. i used to be comfortable with lakes, but not really anymore. i'm afraid of the vast unknown of the ocean. and sharks. ny area beaches are too close to cape cod area beaches, where there are many large great whites. no thanks.
 
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