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snowdome instructors, how bout rating some

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
There isn't an instructor in the UK worth those crazy prices to ski 'not-on-snow'; when real snow is available .... with instructors at significantly less cost ,,, crazy.

Someone posted the other day that they couldn't afford to ski in the Alps/Americas and have lessons because of the 'cost' and they were 'confined' to UK dry/snow slopes ..... just realised I'm not surprised after 'skiing'/ taking instruction at a 'snowdome' ... Lottery winners only !! Some on here have proven many times that day trips ar possible to 'real' snow ... even in Scotland
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Agenterre wrote:
There isn't an instructor in the UK worth those crazy prices to ski 'not-on-snow'; when real snow is available .... with instructors at significantly less cost ,,, crazy.


Crazy indeed, but there doesn't seem to be a shortage of people who pay that price.
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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?
How much is a non-instructed hour at MK? I'm still amazed by that price, and the willingness of anyone to pay it!

red27, just spoken to Warren, apparently it's £4.50 and his bus fare home. You do have to keep your ankles flexed throughout though
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
The "dry", i.e. plastic, artificial slopes have much more reasonable prices forregular instructed session, hence tend to attract two types of customer: the beginner, who doesn't know any better; and the enthusiast, who reailses he can get a lot more for his £/$/€ than on artifical "snow".

Artificial "snow" slopes might be fine to learn on initially, but their cost means that regular attendance (and hence improvement) all year round is a *big* financial commitment. The number of people who I've coached who started at the SD but couldn't justify cost....

If you can ski well on plastic, you can ski very well on snow. Plastic is far less forgiving!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Spyderman wrote:
skimottaret, It's a bit hard to ask opinions of snowheads about the standard of teaching at snowdomes. The majority of snowHeads are not novice/beginner skiers, so would fall outside a snowdomes target audience. In my experience of seeing lessons at a snowdome, which is only at MK I might add, once a skier can perform basic plough turns from the top of the main slope, they then fall outside of the group lesson structure. Please correct me if I'm wrong on that.


Your probably right in that most snowheads wont be interested in lessons in the snowdomes and just use them for practice..

There are group lessons for levels 5 and 6 (broadly plough parallel and basic parallel) level skiers but not much take up. most at that level will do the coaching sessions or breakfast club type of days where instructors are present to help with tips and coaching and less formality.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
BGA,
Quote:
How much is a non-instructed hour at MK?
Evening £21.
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Tamworth's private lessons are half Xscape's price, at £75, but if you go in summer they're 30% off, and if you buy a year's membership at £65 you get 30% off all year (in summer you get both discounts), so it is far more affordable.

Incidentally Xscape & Tam both do offer tuition beyond their "recreational" level (ie, use lift & be able to turn/stop) but it's not required. I am intending to follow up my week away with such a lesson at Cas to consolidate what I learned.

Instructors who have seemed to me to be good/helpful/conscientious, (but I as a novice can't comment further):
Cas: Alan, Matt
Tam: Stefan.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
So £129 for a hour with an instructor. That has to be the most expensive instruction in the world surely? Anyone know of a higher cost?
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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.
BGA, Xscape charge £150 an hour for 1:1!
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Butterfly, yes, I was just interested in the cost minus the cost of 'lift pass' as it were.

If I was you I'd consider this http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/program/spring_08_snozone.html
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
yeah the private lesson prices are mad... i have taught 5 year olds in private lessons at 150 per hour when they could be in a group and literally pay a 10th that. I think the pricing is crazy but people do pay it. I must add the instructors get the same hourly rate if they are doing a private or a group... wink

on the plus side the fast track lessons at 2 hours (juniors) for £47 and 3 hours (adults) for £72 arent too bad when you consider slope time, equipment rental and instruction. I usually recommend people to take two of these before going away and they really get a lot more from their holiday..

3-6 year old lessons are 15 per hour with usually two or more instructors and small groups.

Advanced lessons/ coaching is 2 hours of slope time with an instructor on hand, equipment hire and coffer for £25, again not bad value IMO
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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.
Quote:

I did have someone ask if she could book a private lesson with me at MK; quite made my day


Nice feeling isnt it Very Happy Toofy Grin and better than any pat on the back i ever got in my old "real jobs"

A couple i really rate at MK (there are others)... Helen, Paul, Rachel (snowboard), Mygatt, Phil
ski holidays
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
BGA wrote:
Butterfly, yes, I was just interested in the cost minus the cost of 'lift pass' as it were.

If I was you I'd consider this http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/program/spring_08_snozone.html


I would, but I don't think I am quite up to the standard required yet. I have just managed to do my first plough/parallel turns and need to consolidate them and move them on towards full parallel. Really that's the Xscape level 5/6 and I am wondering about doing their 3 hr 5/6 combined lesson at £72.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
BGA wrote:
So £129 for a hour with an instructor. That has to be the most expensive instruction in the world surely? Anyone know of a higher cost?

Helicopter lessons are from about £275 Hr, but that does include the use of the Helicopter and Instructor.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
BGA, LOL
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Butterfly, at MK the 5/6 lesson groups are usually small and i would guess same holds up your way...
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
skimottaret, yes I was thinking that might be the case Smile

And I had forgotten that on completion of 5 & 6 they give you a voucher for 1 hr recreational which even at off peak rates is worth £16 so that means the lesson's £56 for the 3 hrs really.
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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?
Butterfly, only if you pass wink
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Quote:

Helicopter lessons are from about £275 Hr, but that does include the use of the Helicopter and Instructor

I was just thinking about skiing lessons really, although if you consider that the normal self fly hire costs of something like an R22 are about £200/hr wet then it's still a lot more expensive for ski instruction at MK than it is to learn to fly a helicopter! On a similar note, just comparing what we were paying for heliskiing in NZ, your choice - 4 hours instruction at MK or 18 lifts (about 15000m vertical desent) in a helicopter, with a guide, in the Harris Mountains Puzzled tough call
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Can't really comment on alpine or snowboard instructors as Sypdy rightly said its mainly never evers who are the customers. Richard Parrott though is excellent - making sure he takes the wee wee enough to incentivise.

I've been impressed though by the snowboard instructors I've observed from the lift with their predominantly young charges. The only place I've actually seen falling drills being taught which IMO are very valuable skills.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
fatbob, Richard Parrott, really enjoyed my telemark lesson with him. Very Happy
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Well, if you are a member, off season you can get an hour recreational for £11.50, or two hours for £14.50, or a three hour morning session for £21.50 at Tamworth. It is much cheaper than MK. I think £14.50 is a reasonable price to pay for a morning forgetting it is Summer and to some extent satisfying the cravings for next winter!

Lessons can be expensive, but depends what you want. We got learn to board in a day for £60 last summer - not bad, although a bit crowded as it was a weekend.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
BGA wrote:
just spoken to Warren, apparently it's £4.50 and his bus fare home. You do have to keep your ankles flexed throughout though


Laughing ... Laughing
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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.
Okay the list of recommended instructors so far

MK:

Steve Jordan
Simon Ellis
Dan Gillespie
Steve Cooper
Helen Mercer
Paul Griffiths
Rachel Elliott (snowboard)
Rich Webb (snowboard)
James Mygatt
Phil Freeman
Richard Parrott (telemark)

ChillfactorE: Andrew Lockerbie

Castleford : Alan, Matt

Tamworth: Stefan
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
skimottaret, You not reccomended then? Toofy Grin wink
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
boredsurfin, Sadly no Crying or Very sad but that would entail naming names so probably for the best wink
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 monster77
monster77
Guest
skimottaret wrote:
Okay the list of recommended instructors so far

MK:

Steve Jordan
Simon Ellis
Dan Gillespie
Steve Cooper
Helen Mercer
Paul Griffiths
Rachel Elliott (snowboard)
Rich Webb (snowboard)
James Mygatt
Phil Freeman
Richard Parrott (telemark)

ChillfactorE: Andrew Lockerbie

Castleford : Alan, Matt

Tamworth: Stefan


What no Hemel instructors Puzzled
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
monster77, ummm hemel isnt a snowdome....
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
monster77, The list will need updating next year then Very Happy
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I get the impression that MK doesn't really want private lessons, which occupy the slope and instructors less efficiently than groups - hence ridiculous pricing. It's really a win-win situation, they don't get much of the business that they don't want, but the business they get is very lucrative for them. I've heard of instructors in other sports quoting ridiculous prices to put off people they don't want to teach, without mortally offending them!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:

red 27, MK Snozone 1 Hr Private lesson £150
Hemel Ski Centre 1 hr Private lesson £54


Slighty off topic, but what I like about Hemel was the evaluation thing they did/still do on a Thur eve, for a few quid more than the normal rec skiing price - I only went a couple of times last summer but found it very useful, and really good value for money !
Can't remember the instructor's name, but have it somewhere (probably one of you lot) - he was especially good cos he tipped us off about the Atomic Boot Camp... Laughing
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
phil625sxc, That would have been me then
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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?
Spyderman, a-ha, thanks again ! Smile
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
phil625sxc, |I'm taking the very last Personal Performance session at Hemel on Thursday 13th March, before the slope closes on the 16th. Why not come along.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Spyderman, would love to but will be in Argentiere ! snowHead Toofy Grin Will these continue when the slope re-opens ?
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