Group Ski Lessons Can Be Great Fun...Want a fun and safe environment to learn to ski? Perhaps group ski lessons provide the answer. And they are good for all skiers, not just beginners. Other kinds of group ski lessons include multi-day packages, women-only clinics or season-long weekend classes. See Ski Clinics for more info. With group ski lessons, you can book a class in person, by phone or online. Before the lesson starts, an instructor will ask what level you are and advise you where to wait—usually in front of signs with numbers 1 (for complete beginners) through to 6 (for advanced skiers). Your instructor should ask you questions about your skiing. For example:
Instructors should be able to adapt lessons to fit most students' needs. They may offer general suggestions to help everyone. Or they might have students of slightly different abilities work on different activities. If you are unsure about anything, ask the instructor. Keep in mind, in a 2-hour class with 4 students, you'll actually only have 30 minutes of the instructor's attention. In many cases, this is long enough. You'll get a few suggestions to improve your technique and to continue working on in your own time. If you want more one-on-one attention, then Private Lessons are the way to go.
Tipping? Should you or shouldn't you? Basically, tipping ski instructors should follow the same custom as tipping a hair stylist or wait staff in the country you're in. Some people go skiing for the first time with a friend to guide them. They get on a lift and go to an easy run. The learner looks at the slope thinking, "hmmm, that looks steep." The friend says, "nah, it's easy." The new skier takes 2 hours to get down a slope that takes their friend only 5 minutes. Their confidence is shattered before they've barely started. A word of advice: Don't do this on your first day out...unless you have an extremely patient friend who can explain what to do, rather than just lead the way. I hate to see people struggling with their first ski experience. If you take a lesson only once, then take beginner ski instruction. Especially as it's often the most economical. Read on for details. Learning Packages (Beginners = Free Lessons) Most resorts offer learning packages for complete beginners that include group lessons, equipment rentals and lift passes. These are a great deal and cost in the region of $100 for the day. On your first day, rental equipment and a lift pass alone could cost the price of this package, so you get beginner ski instruction thrown in for FREE. I highly recommend this route. You have someone explaining the basics before you go to the top of that so-called easy run. And you can ask all the questions you want.
If you have a couple of friends who are also beginners, you could hire a private instructor for your group (see Private Lessons) rather than opt for a group lesson. You have control of the lesson time, the class size and how you make use of the instructor 100% of the time. People often don't take lessons once they're off the beginner slopes. They enjoy their skiing but don't progress much and sometimes develop bad habits. Group ski lessons for intermediates are a great way to improve your skiing. You will:
Plus, class sizes for intermediate skiers are likely to be smaller, even on busy days. So you might have a private class for the cost of a group lesson. And lessons go in a 'priority' lift line. Most of us ski on the weekends, which can be busy, so this means less time in line for the chair and more time skiing. It amazes me that more advanced skiers don't take group ski lessons. Why?
Group ski lessons provide a great stimulus for your skiing. You meet people. You learn to ski better. You ski more. And yes, you keep instructors employed—always a good thing in my world. Return from Group Ski Lessons to: General Ski Lessons or Home Page
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