5hr resort lesson, or, 3hr resort and 1.5 at Hemel?

A snowHead

Hi

I'm off to St Anton in a few weeks. I'm trying to decide what to do lesson wise. I am early in my skiing life, but can get down blacks like Le Face.

Either,
5hr or 6hr personal lesson in St Anton, or
3hr personal lesson in St Anton and 90mins in Hemel Hempstead.

Option two is more expensive.

I've no idea the quality of the lessons in St Anton I don't know which ski school to use, I've heard good things about Hemel.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
R

A snowHead

I wouldn't go for a 5-6 hour lesson in one go. There is only so much you can take in over that sort of period of time, plus all the drills can leave you pretty drained. Better off splitting out in to 2 x 3 hour or 3 x 2 hour lessons. Gives you chance to ski by yourself and practice/think about some of the things you have covered in your lesson.

The OH and I booked private lessons with the well known Charlotte in L2A (Easiski) who used to be in here a lot. When I initially suggest 3 hours she said that we'd be better off with 1.5-2hrs to avoid fatigue.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Two 3hour lessons are Eur 456. One 6 hour lesson is Eur 354.

I need some money for Apres!

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You'd probably be just as well going for 1 x 2 hour session over 1 x 6 hours. Should save even more for après!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@rossyl, I agree that diminishing returns are likely to set in long before the end of a 6 hour lesson.

I'm sure you can get excellent recommendations here on SHs for an instructor in St Anton - worth getting a personal recommendation. Two lessons from the same instructor would probably be better than having 2 different people. How about two x 2 hour lessons in resort?

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There seems to be a lack of recommendations for St Anton ski schools, maybe that's because there is little option?

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@rossyl,
Maybe ask in BZK or elsewhere with the headline St Anton ski instructor. It is not obvious from your thread title that it is St Anton that you are asking about.

After all it is free

Yes, maybe there's a bit of a cartel. Like for the ski hire. Those lessons certainly seem to be very expensive, @rossyl. You could get 5 x 2 hour private lessons with my local ESF for €300 in January.

It would be a lot more expensive in high season, though still cheaper than St Anton, it seems. . €470 in the peak French school holidays. And that despite the fact that people keep insisting that French instructors are the most highly paid in the world. wink

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I'm late in my ski life and I still won't ski a black. I guess it depends on your definition of 'skiing' wink

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@Fruity, but there are blacks and blacks. And even the same one can be easy one day, really difficult the next. And of course, there's "getting down" and there's "skiing", as you imply. wink

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Indeed but Le Face on an easy day doesn't feel that easy to me. The bottom half is pretty long and sustained steepness.

I got into the top group in St Anton group lessons quite early in my skiing career- we did few drills and several itineraries during the week. You would need to check what they do now.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@rossyl, If you have budgeted Eur 354 for lessons and a 3 hour lesson in St Anton is Eur 228 (half of Eur 456) that leaves you around £100 to spend at Hemel. Would you get a couple of one hour lessons for that?

My experience is that after a 90 minute one to one lesson I am knackered. I can’t imagine doing a 6 hour one! 6 hour group lesson with a lunch break would be OK but if you are skiing black runs already you might struggle to find a group lesson at that standard. I think you would get more out of two shorter lessons anyway.

If you could get two 2 hour lessons in resort that would be my suggestion and I would guess within budget.

A snowHead

Thanks all.

@dogwatch, Thanks. I was incredibly hungover when Le Face (indeed in Val d'Isere) happened I did not even know what run we were on, the Instructor just took the group down it.

Also, @Fruity, and @Mike-H, indeed, i got down. But I got down slowly, though in control. I am far from flying down the mountain.

@DJL, @pam w, the lessons seem incredibly expensive in St Anton. 2 x 2 hr private lessons = 372! http://www.skischool-arlberg.com/en/courses/ski/prices.html

I really want a private lesson, as I feel I'd be constrained in an average group and not good enough for an experienced good group. This is what happened in Val d'Isere. They (TDC) ended up putting me with the experienced group, which I think was the right call, but it meant i lagged quite often at the back and consequently got little instructor time.

@T Bar, I've got a thread in that, it seems rather quiet. I'll give it a bump. Thanks.

A snowHead

I don't and won't 'get down'. I stand at the top, chuck a paddy, cry a bit and then find a bar to have a hot wine. I am such a wimp. There was a black run I fancied at Passo Tonale once... he told me off for contemplating it and now blacks are an issue in my head. Sad

But with my nerves I only just started to feel confident on reds.... I still can't believe I am able to say that!!!

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@Fruity, there's nothing special about skiing black runs though it does lead to some willy waving. Much better to ski a red run and enjoy it. The first I did was with an austrian instructor and we only knew when we stopped for a rest after umpteen careful turns. He told us it was a men's downhill and they took their first turn where we'd stopped. Was an eye opener.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@pam w, thank you. I'm glad you understand. I am so much happier in my comfort zone and a silly willy waving comment can upset my whole holiday Sad

we went to Alpe D'huez last year and I was frightened stiff of a particular blue (no idea what it was called, but it was at Signal; I refused to get close enough to look down, looking up at it was horrible) and had a lot of mickey took out of me by others in the group. Until they tried it. My husband announced it was a revolting steep wall and no fun whatsoever and that I was very wise to have gone off down the blue to the left.

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@Fruity, I had buggerthatthatblackstoosteepitis last year. Cured by following daughter who is (a) better and (b) younger than me. When you are in Hemsedal and got your confidence, try Red 7 - last pitch is proper red but v v wide. Also, try Black 8 - would be a red in some resorts. Nice and wide. Shallowest line is on the left, steepest on the right as you go down. And finishes before you know it. Avoid Black 9 unless you fancy some bumps.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

You just made me smile @dobby, 19 sleeps. Toofy Grin

After all it is free

@Fruity, I was in the intermediate group of lessons last year at Hemsedal and instructor gave me lots of confidence. Said that technique was sound, if a little slow, and said that I could ski all the reds and the easiest black. He was right. This year, time to speed up, start some carving on the greens and shallow blues and do more than one "bump" without adopting "pole-up-the-backside-bunny-in-a-headlight" pose which inevitably results in a comedic fall. 26 sleeps, but who's counting?

LOL... Hubs watched Ski Sunday and saw Ed doing a particular move with his elbow on a snowboard. Says he is 'so going to try that' in Hems. I am anticipating much amounts of comedic falls, bruising and moaning about ripped jacket sleeves. So much so, I may pack his spare jacket.

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@Fruity, didn't Ed say that this trick would go 'orribly wrong for the first few goes.....

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Yes. I can't wait.

Help!!

5hr resort lesson, or, 3hr resort and 1.5 at Hemel?

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