sigmapete1 Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I am taking my girlfriend to Camelback this Saturday for her 2nd day of skiing. Last time she did quite well for her first day ever on skis. She was able to link turns on the beginner trail by using a snowplough to initiate the turns but skiied parallel between turns. She enjoyed it a lot and we got her a seasonal equipment rental because she wants to go often this winter. She wants to be ready for the trip to Okemo that me and my friends take every year. I have convinced her that the best next step would be to take a private lesson. She is excited to learn but very very timid and scared still. Can anyone offer any advice on getting her a good instructor at Camelback, PA? If you could recommend specific individuals, that would be great... but any advice on what to ask them about when scheduling the lesson would be very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papasteeze Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Why are you thinking private lesson? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Sure... we'll pawn your girlfriend off the highest bidding suiter. If thats what you really want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Why are you thinking private lesson? what kind of stupid question is that? one on one instruction is the best way to learn to do anything... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I am taking my girlfriend to Camelback this Saturday for her 2nd day of skiing. Last time she did quite well for her first day ever on skis. She was able to link turns on the beginner trail by using a snowplough to initiate the turns but skiied parallel between turns. She enjoyed it a lot and we got her a seasonal equipment rental because she wants to go often this winter. She wants to be ready for the trip to Okemo that me and my friends take every year. I have convinced her that the best next step would be to take a private lesson. She is excited to learn but very very timid and scared still. Can anyone offer any advice on getting her a good instructor at Camelback, PA? If you could recommend specific individuals, that would be great... but any advice on what to ask them about when scheduling the lesson would be very helpful. Go to the ski school desk and ask for an experienced instructor. If one if free, they'll assign her to him/her. It's a busy weekend, so it's not an ideal time, but you do what you can. A lot of times, private lessons are held by Level II instructors since it's a better gig for them. I'd rather teach a private lesson any day. Funny how the newbie instructors are usually thrown in with big newbie skier groups, when those new skiers would really benefit from experienced instructors. But that's how it's done. Bring her up to Sno some time. She'll probably feel a lot more comfortable with 1/100th the crowd and they have several Level II and Level III instructors that give awesome private lessons. If you do, ask for Art M. He's far and away the best ski instructor I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigmapete1 Posted January 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Go to the ski school desk and ask for an experienced instructor. If one if free, they'll assign her to him/her. It's a busy weekend, so it's not an ideal time, but you do what you can. A lot of times, private lessons are held by Level II instructors since it's a better gig for them. I'd rather teach a private lesson any day. Funny how the newbie instructors are usually thrown in with big newbie skier groups, when those new skiers would really benefit from experienced instructors. But that's how it's done. Bring her up to Sno some time. She'll probably feel a lot more comfortable with 1/100th the crowd and they have several Level II and Level III instructors that give awesome private lessons. If you do, ask for Art M. He's far and away the best ski instructor I know. Do you expect less of a crowd at Sno than CB? I figured everywhere would be jammed this weekend and CB is 30 min closer. But I would go the extra 30 min for less crowd and a better instructor for her. She's at the point right now where she really had fun last time but one bad experience might turn her off to the sport so maybe a less crowded mountain would be better. Plus I probably could use a lesson myself to get to the next level. Why are you thinking private lesson? Because while I am a halfway decent skiier, I am in no way qualified to teach her and would probably give her all my bad habits. Plus I've seen too many times an instructor being followed down the hill by 10 or so beginners who can hardly even hear what they are saying. I am sure the instructor is fully capable of group teaching but a one on one lesson is well worth the increased cost in my opinion. Especially on such a crowded weekend where class sizes are sure to be at their maximum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timeless Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 As someone who's had both my kids in both group and private lessons at CB I would offer the following: 1) this weekend in particular go somewhere other than CB if you want instruction. The system at CB is such that you won't even know if you can have a private lesson (or when) until about 10 minutes before it would start. They fill up their (higher earning) group lessons first and then let the "left over" instructors do private. On a busy day it's very hard to get a private lesson and the chances of being able to pick and instructor are even lower. 2) private lessons at CB are much better than group lessons if you can get one. 3) My son's favorite instructor (of 4 tried) was a lady called Toni. 4) CB will be horribly crowded this weekend anyway so not a good place to learn anything other than how to stand in a lift line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formercbemployee Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Take it from me, Adam Dikmann (not sure of last name spelling) is the best private lesson isntructor the mountain's got. He trains the instructors to be instructors. Toni is great but she teaches kids, not sure if that's the direction for you. If Adam isn't available, I would ask for Eric, who also trains the instructors. Either one will be able to give a quality lesson. Get there early and request either of those two instructors. Going to the ski school desk and asking for a good instructor gets you no where. The person at the desk doesn't know who will get the lesson unless you ask for someone specific. Make certain at the point you book your lesson that they guarantee you that Adam or Erik will be YOUR instructor. This holiday weekend they will be pulling any instructor with a heartbeat and giving them a private lesson. You do not want someone who has been catching little kids at the bottom of the Children's learning Center. If no one else is available, don't waste your money, get her a group lesson. It'll be the same quality. But this is just my opinion, from what I learned over several years being there. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigmapete1 Posted January 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Are the crowds really gonna be THAT bad this weekend? How long do the lift lines get? I am not that familiar with CB...I usually confine my skiing to weekends in VT. I would consider Sno Mt. but it looks like more than half their trails are closed right now. I'd rather wait in lines for a mountain with all their trails opened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Are the crowds really gonna be THAT bad this weekend? How long do the lift lines get? I am not that familiar with CB...I usually confine my skiing to weekends in VT. I would consider Sno Mt. but it looks like more than half their trails are closed right now. I'd rather wait in lines for a mountain with all their trails opened. MLK weekend is one of the busiest of the year. It's been my experience that if you ask for a particular instructor---or request a Level II certified instructor---you'll get them if they are available. Sure, their first reaction might be to 'yes' you and then tell you how they are all very good instructors. Personally, I'd take a newbie to Sno on a busy weekend like this...not trying to drum up business, but CB might be miserable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schif Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I'm going to have to agree with GrilledSteeze and ski on this one. MLK is going to be crowded everywhere, but Sno will have the least. While you may be looking at liftlines as a problem, the real negative would be the amount of people on the trails. Its not going to help a beginner at all to have a million people in front of, behind, to the sides, and falling in front of you. Also, trail conditions will deteriorate much faster at CB than Sno. The sharp turn on Birches (the main beginner trail from the top of the sullivan quad) will be a sheet of boilerplate ice by noon of not earlier. The trails at Sno don't have many narrow forced turns which will ice up. When you say that you would rather wait in line for a mountain with all of its trails open rather than go someplace that is only half open I can understand where you're coming from, but I'll have to say your logic (in this particular situation) is wrong. Most of the open trails at camelback are going to be above her skill level anyway. At CB you're going to be looking at about between 3 and 5 routes from the top that she'll be using. At Sno, all the beginner terrain is open and right in front of the lodge. Sure there are some closed trails, but she wouldn't be going over there anyway. If you're looking for a good on snow experience, then Sno is going to be the place. Smaller crowds, better conditions for learning on, and a better shot at a private lesson. Plus, I don't know how good you are sigmapete, but if you want to ditch her for a while during the lesson, there are no better diamonds/doubles for lapping than the North Face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papasteeze Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Are the crowds really gonna be THAT bad this weekend? How long do the lift lines get? I am not that familiar with CB...I usually confine my skiing to weekends in VT. I would consider Sno Mt. but it looks like more than half their trails are closed right now. I'd rather wait in lines for a mountain with all their trails opened. With everything considered and while the formerCBskiguy is giving great references, I would take my friend to SNO for that lesson this weekend. With the new snow and holiday weekend, everywhere else is going to be a total zoo and Ski's reference for an instructor at Sno is gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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