 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
whilst Im off doing my own thing, my girlfriend will be having ski school.
So far we have come up with the Club Ski, 3 days, 1 day at each of the areas in Banff, I did read somewhere that this was more of a guided ski day than lessons.
The other is ski school at Sunshine Village, its still 3 days, with start times and length of day the same as Club ski with the addittion of lunch included.
The Sunshine option is $39 a day more, Im thinking this could be just a very expensive lunch or may be a combination of lunch and a better lesson?
Hopefully some of you will have experienced one or more of the above options or may have an even better suggestion for ski lessons in the tri area.
Thanks
Mark
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Club Ski is good. It's instruction but visits each of the three areas over consecutive days.
Typically you have a smallish group that usually bonds pretty well over the 3 days. They do a wind-up dinner at the end in which the programme director recounts all the embarrassing moments reported by the various instructors.
I've done this programme about half-a-dozen times over the years, and thoroughly recommend it.
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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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Acacia, That's good to hear as I have Booked this for me and my other half in January.
Mark Handford, I have read that they also do free Guiding at each of the Big 3 resorts splitting people into groups of similar ability.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Thu 9-10-08 19:45; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Club Ski is the best, you get to see all 3 resorts. You get the same instructor for all 3 days, and you get a really full day of tuition.
We did find the 2nd year that is was more guiding/coaching than teaching.
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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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mark handford, when are you going? What ability? You are asked to rate your skiing on an ability level from 1 (never seen a ski) to 7 (double black bagging). It can be busy at peak times but depending on when you are going it will be great.
Rookiemark, will be sweet in January! Generally quiet (and cold) so groups will be small!!
stevev, did you have Don?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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i never saw it busy in banff, the slopes were empty
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stevev, you obviously haven't spent a season in Banff then 
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arv, Yeah, so I hear, so upgrading some of our gear to cope with sub-30c temperatures. Neoprene masks etc.
Thank's its nice to hear we may get some personal tuition. 
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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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Rookiemark, blahhhh pm sent. Careful with the masks, can cause certain problems. If you can still feel it it's not frost bite!
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arv, Thanks reply sent.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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mark handford, IMO if your girlfriend is after pure tuition to improve her skiing she's better off with Sunshine Village. Club Ski is more geared up to showing you round the 3 ski areas with some tuition and quite nice and sociable.
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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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mark handford, IMO if your girlfriend is after pure tuition to improve her skiing she's better off with Sunshine Village. Club Ski is more geared up to showing you round the 3 ski areas with some tuition and quite nice and sociable.
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I agree with that except for the level 1 stuff. In our first year it was pure tuition. We could hardly stay on our feet at the start. By the 2nd year we were doing blues and it was more coaching and guiding.
As a total novice louise was easier than sunshine as it had the gentle tow bar slope, whereas the easiest stuff off sunshine was off the strawberry lift and definately harder than than the louise tow bar
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Thanks for the replies so far, my girlfriend is still undecided 
Rookiemark, I have skied with the "ski friends" when i spent a season in Banff a long time ago, and I will be joining up with them again in 2009 as its a great way to meet new friends and explore with a group of like minded people with a similar ability level.
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You know it makes sense.
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I used Club Ski (with Neil Trevis) a couple of years ago - it was an excellent few days. My group was of just five skiers, so we had free reign on what we wanted to do. Whether it's "guiding" or "tuition" is up to the group, I guess. We were asked what we wanted to focus on at the start of each session (6 - 3 mornings, 3 afternoons), so the terrain was chosen to suit us.
The dinner at the chateau is excellent value, and is, as Acacia mentions, a bit of a laugh.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I took some lessons at Sunshine last year. I assume it was the normal ski school used in that area.
I had a three hour private lesson with Jake and also took a one day group lesson with Andy. This actually turned out to be one to one as well because it was a Saturday and because most people arrive and leave on a Saturday, no-one else had booked in. (We were there for 10 days). Both instructors were excellent and really nice guys.
The whole day lesson included lunch which was pretty good. They have reserved places in the restaurant at the top of the Ski Lodge building and so it's one of those hot and cold buffets like you get in hotels - ie salads, pasta salad, hot pasta, hot and cold meats, potatoes etc. Also includes pudding and soft drinks/tea/coffee. I'd say the only problem with the lunch was stopping yourself from eating too much and then going out for the afternoon on a full stomach!
Also the whole day lesson included some video analysis when Andy sneakily waited at the bottom of a run with a camcorder. We went into a little classroom type hut on the mountain that had a TV to watch the playback.
PS Sunshine has the best snow ever - more powdery and silky that the stuff at Norquay or Lake Louise.
I've not used the other ski school mentioned so can't compare.
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Poster: A snowHead
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mark handford, Thanks for that, I think we'll use the ski friends service for a couple of days after we have done the club ski.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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curry-queen, welcome to 
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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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Hi,
We are all ski beginners and are not really sure which ski lesson & lift pass package to go for, we are arriving in Banff on the 18th Feb. Can anyone tell me how to get in touch with Club Ski?
Also is it better to book lessons etc before we leave the UK or wait until we get there, is it cheaper to wait or better to book before?
Can someone also give me advice on learning to ski v snowboarding, 2 of my sons want to do snowboarding not skiing and some people have told me its best to learn to ski first?
We are only there for a week, so max 6 days skiiing, is it realistic to expect to ski evry day or will we be too sore?? us being beginners etc??
Any help or advice from some of you experts would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Chezzi
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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chezzi, I skiied with club ski last week and the week before when I was in Banff.I can highly reccomend them my skiing improved no end. You can get in touch with them via the website www.SkiBig3.com. They did mention that they were doing some discounts due to a quiet season due to the credit crunch so it would be worth an ask. I also have the email address as I happened to meet the director of club ski snowschool, Paul Thrasher, in the pub one night. snowschool@SkiBig3.com
Regards,
Mark
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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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Ho Rookiemark, many thanks for the contact details, have whizzed off an email asking for their best prices for us lot! I am looking forward to returning to Banff in the Winter, i went there in the summer 7 years ago and loved it then, but it will be fab in the snow.
Someone mentioned problems with the neoprene masks, what problems can they give/cause, we have bought some. I am terrible in the cold and am really worried about being too cold!
what is the "in thing" to wear as footwear when not skiing? My sons are telling me they aonly intend to wear trainers?? is that normal, or do they need something more substantial?
Many thanks for your help.
Chezzi
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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chezzi, I wore a neoprene mask when skiing In low temperatures(-25 or less) and found it Invauable it made me much more comfortable especially on the chairlifts and long runs. I had no problems with it .As to footwear when not skiing I would reccomend wearing good boots or get some snowboots they can be found quite cheaply at decathon if you have a branch near you. like these http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/arpenaz-snow-100-26329645/
Regards
Mark
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