 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi. Looking for some advice / views. I had my first 5 days skiing last year after a 30 year break (55 years old) but had done a few snowboard weeks in those years but only at an average intermediate level (& not dissimilar to the level I was at skiing all those many years ago). The old ski magic definitely instantly return but by the end of a few days I could do blue runs but really didn't enjoy anything steeper! Most of my friends are very good skiers & I'd like to try & get to a level so that I can comfortably do hard reds (slowly would be ok) but leave them to do the the blacks, before meeting them for a coffee. I now have the opportunity to take say a 3 week break sometime (Jan-Mar) & was thinking about hitting the slopes on my own to try & kickstart my skills. I'm working on improving fitness so should be reasonably ok by the new year. A few questions. 1) I'll probably be a solo traveller for most of the 3 weeks so I was hoping to be in a catered chalet for a bit of socialising. I would want my own room. Do companies do this & would there be a discount for staying 3 weeks? 2) I was thinking of having lessons in the mornings a few days each week & then practising in the afternoons. Do you think group or private lessons? Should I need to book these before I go? 3) By taking a continuous 3 weeks, I know I'll need to take plenty of rest breaks but feel that this should help me accelerate more quickly. I really want to improve asap so that I can join my friends more enjoyably on future trips. Do you think this will work??? Thanks so much for any help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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FWIW. My thoughts would be:
1. There are still companies that do Chalet Holidays, but less than there were. I'd be surprised if you got a discount for 3 weeks, as you are occupying a room that someone else would likely be taking. You will almost certainly be hit with an underoccupancy charge unless you can find a single room. I suspect that single rooms in a chalet are like hen's teeth....so if you find one, book early.
2. The success of lessons will be completely down to the quality of the Instruction. For group lessons, try to use a ski school who guarantees small classes. Ideally no more than 6, but certainly no more than 8. The secret is getting in a group of very similar standard and a good Instructor with decent English. The group will give you other people to ski with. If the group doesn't work out, there are always Private lessons, which are a lot more expensive (but more intense, effective and tailored to you). It is also possible to mix the two. Book ASAP
3) Quality instruction combined with practice, should see you make very good progress....especially if you have made the effort to get fit before hand.
If you highlight where you are going, you should get ski school and Instructor recommendations.
BTW. Welcome to 
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sun 8-10-23 22:57; edited 2 times in total
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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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@sssss, welcome to snowHeads!
Have a look at this company, founded by two snowHeads https://www.insideoutskiing.com/
If you can get to Hemel, have some private lessons with them and take it from 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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It's obviously a fairly standard answer but you could do worse than look at sH bashes for at least 2 back to back weeks. Like the Pre BB and and the Birthday Bash double header. Usually possible to arrange tuition with know instructors or recommendations.
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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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@sssss, skiing solo for 3 weeks solid would suck as would staying in a catered chalet.
TBH, I don't get it. You have mates that ski so why not go with them and do some private lessons interspersed with skiing solo and skiing a bit with your mates - who surely tolerate taking it easy for a couple of hours?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@sssss, Welcome to snowHeads 
I would be another one recommending you come on the PreBB and BirthdayBash double. You will meet a lot of great people who are really welcoming and there will always be a good few skiers of your own ability to ski with. Also there is a vast breadth and depth of ski knowledge to draw on and I am sure your skills will come on a lot.
If you were free in early December then the PreSeasonBash in Tignes has some of the highest quality instructors available for group and private lessons.
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As above, join one of the SnowHeads trips.
Always popular.
Been operating for years.
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For you I'd say private lessons are the way to go. Group lessons are great for the first 1 or 2 weeks, where you have more than enough to worry about just learning to ski without having to worry about reading a piste map and working out where you are/where you're going. It sounds like you're well past that and will benefit from more one-on-one coaching/be prefectly capable to spend the rest of your time practicing between lessons.
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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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Just to suggest something different..... I'd enrol for an intensive week's ski coaching and then go from there.
When you're at an early stage the progress you can make "practising on your own" will depend on how disciplined you are practising the drills your instructor has taught you, rather than trying new runs and just getting down them with brute force and ignorance.
Three weeks on your own might well be a bit lonely and miserable.
If you do go for three weeks, I'd find a good ski school (plenty of advice available here) and sign up for a full week's lessons, then you should have enough improved technique under your belt to make more productive use of the rest of the time. Maybe have lessons again for the final week.
The suggestion to go to a private session at Hemel is a very good one - to get an expert assessment of where you are, and how best to progress.
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| Quote: |
I'm working on improving fitness so should be reasonably ok by the new year.
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I've been working on this all my life and never been OK. Sadly, I've concluded that I'd never be fit, only less unfit. But keep trying and keep trying for ever, never stop.
I've watched the advanced group lessons in France for quite a while and particpated myself and to me they look good and very professionally run. And they allow you to meet people and help each other. I've only booked a private lesson once and was very disappointed. It seemed the ski school just put the private instructors on who couldn't be trusted with a class.
As to catered chalets, they are still around but I have no idea how you find them. Some are run by UK (or German) tour operators but many are independent. I think you will have to go deep searching to find them then contact them to ask for a booking.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was looking at joining a group of friends for a ski trip last year and ALL the catered chalets were charging me the same for a single room as two people were paying for a double. I think the idea of a catered chalet is a good one, from the sociable point of view, but likely to be very expensive.
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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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| johnE wrote: |
I've watched the advanced group lessons in France for quite a while and particpated myself and to me they look good and very professionally run. And they allow you to meet people and help each other. I've only booked a private lesson once and was very disappointed. It seemed the ski school just put the private instructors on who couldn't be trusted with a class.
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Group lessons are the bread and butter of the full-time instructors, private ones often making use of part-timers like myself who don't want or need to be working every hour of every day. But that doesn't mean they're not as good, experienced or highly qualified. Au contraire, IME (in Switzerland, not France) you're much more likely to get a more experienced instructor in private rather than in group lessons
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| Do you think group or private lessons? Should I need to book these before I go? |
I'd recommend private, and yes, and try to get them to guarantee the same instructor throughout your 3 week stay. Perhaps a full day to start then a couple of hours in the morning every other day, or perhaps not even that often once you start to pick things up. All else apart group lessons won't allow you to be flexible, whereas even if you've pre-booked private lessons you'll be able to cancel or rearrange once you're out there without any penalty (as long as you tell them the day before and don't just leave them waiting for you).
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Having come to skiing later in life and being introduced to it by a group of people who were all very advanced what worked for me was going off and doing group lessons in the morning and then in the afternoon I would either be skiing with some new friends I met in the ski lessons or else catching up with some of the friends from the group i was travelling with. A few in the group were usually after a quieter afternoon and happy to take it easy on gentler slopes. Having said that I've also travelled solo but usually as part of joining an organised group holiday either specifically designed for solos or where solos would be welcome and not 'out of place'. The snowheads End of Season Bash last year was a case in point - went there knowing no one but had a great time and always had people to ski with and got some good lessons as well (both group and 1-2-1). I am not one who needs to be surrounded by people all the time but I think I would find 3 weeks alone in the alps a bit grim even though i seem to have become somewhat addicted to skiing!
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You know it makes sense.
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After decades of intermittent skiing and lessons of varying quality, what boosted my shaky confidence was a private teaching me how to hockey stop. Properly. Of course I’d known the principle and done it for 20 years already but he refined it so I could stop on a dime halfway down a cliff if necessary. Knowing I could stop when I wanted really helped me in worrying terrain.
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