 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
New to snowheads, I'm a 33 year old who has severely caught the ski bug over the last couple of years! I'm a full time teacher so limited to school holidays and was due to attend my first UCPA course this April midterm in Val Thorens. I was really looking forward to it for the coaching and getting to know new people as I'd be travelling solo. I've done about 4 weeks and would rate myself around intermediate level. Because I will be off for almost 3 months, June, July and half of August, I've started to think about just packing up and heading to South America or New Zealand for the summer and getting an extended period of skiing in. As I would be travelling solo I would love to find something along the lines of the UCPA centers where you would get to know other people, however, I think this is wishful thinking. I have seen a few companies offer ski instructor courses (such as SIA Austria) in Argentina for 4/ 6 weeks. They seem to cater for intermediate level skiers too but are quite expensive and I don't really intend on packing in the full time job just (yet!) but some aspects of these are quite appealing.
Does anyone have any recent experience of skiing in South America or New Zealand and now of anything that would suit what I'm looking for? Am I mad to be looking at the ski instructor courses if I don't intend to become a full time ski instructor?
Greatly appreciate any advice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome.
Skiing in the Southern Hemisphere is much flatter and smaller than the Northern Hemisphere.
Perisher, Australia, is the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere, and it is -80% smaller than Val Thorens.
Paying good money to be trained as an instructor, to not become an instructor, is a waste of cash.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Whitegold wrote: |
Welcome.
Skiing in the Southern Hemisphere is much flatter than the Northern Hemisphere.
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But we had some steep skiing in Chile when we went there... 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks Whitegold. Didn't know that about the Southern Hemisphere, when you read reviews they make it out to sound brilliant! Absolute sense about the instructor course too.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Chile - Portillo is pretty cool. Direct flights into Santiago and 2 hr transfer. They do different levels of accommodation and a few different residential courses there so you might find something to fit your budget/needs.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks Chamboy, I will have a look into that and see if there is anything affordable.
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@Gar, I would look at Bariloche in Argentina, cheaper accom + food + riding+ tuition etc plus great craic.
Most of the other SA resorts won't have programmes for instructors because they want to keep these jobs for locals.
Downside of Bariloche is the snow has been poor in the last few years. Portillo and Santiago resorts also had low snow in 2019.
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@dbeatski, was this no snow or poor snow. Given winter for me was a washout, all options are on the board for a summer slide
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@efsefs, Argentina have cancelled all international flights until 1st September unfortunately and Chile is in lockdown too. I have flights booked for Chile in August since December. Im hoping that with still three months to go they can loosen restrictions.
As to your question, Bariloche Catedral mountain would typically be no snow at base, icy patches in the mid section and only refreeze/crusty ice at the top. Some Chile resorts had low base/patches and no fresh for weeks on end, but Nevados de Chillan and the southern resorts were fine.
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I guess the trick is going to be to wait until lock-down status both in UK and Chilie is good, then ensure there's snow somewhere out there, then rush at it whilst it's there to be taken.
Intermediates taking instructor courses always seems to be putting things in the wrong order to me.
Paying to learn how to teach snow-sports to novices without any intention of doing it? Strange.
I think those courses exist so kids can get their rich parents to fund gap year holidays whilst feeling that there may be some purpose to it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| philwig wrote: |
Intermediates taking instructor courses always seems to be putting things in the wrong order to me. |
do they pass?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
Direct flights into Santiago and 2 hr transfer.
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Really? We had to change in Paris.
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Intermediates taking instructor courses always seems to be putting things in the wrong order to me.
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Oddly this is where you get the best instruction and feedback. Most recreational skiers are not prepared to read the books or attend the evening classes. The science and mechanics is usually explained better too.
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