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Whistler ski lessons

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
On the whistler website, a day's private lesson is 350 quid in March. Seems a bit steep to me. Does anyone know where I can find a cheaper deal?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Somewhere other than Whistler maybe?
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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?
£350 Shocked !
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Tommy4681, what period in MArch as they are running 40% I think in early march
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Unfortunately from March 17 when I think the offer has ended.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Tommy4681, contact them (via email of course, don't want to rack up a phone bill), but I virtually guarantee you that is wrong. If it is right, then my thoughts on Fortress (Intrawest) have plummeted to new lows (especially as the instructor would likely receive little more than £50 of that...)
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
skisimon, I just put the date and single adult, private day lesson into their website and that's what popped up. To be fair, looking at the rates for Lake Louise, Sunshine, etc it doesn't seem too far off the mark. I've sent them an email though and am hoping that since I booked my accommodation and lift passes through the website I'll get some sort of discount....
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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!
Tommy4681, I was in Whistler in 2007 and both my wife and I did a Super Group on Blackcomb (1 instructor to 3, streamed by ability). Seems to be a middle ground between ordinary groups and the expensive private 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.
I can recommend the SuperGroup sessions too, I had an excellent experience a couple of years ago in one of the top classes. There ended up being only two of us, so it was ideal.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
DrE wrote:
£350 Shocked !

To be fair, if it were possible for a ski instructor to work all year and incur no overheads, that £350 per day would give an annual salary of £80K. By the time you take out sales tax and office overheads, and allow for days in darkest January when few punters are paying for lessons, the daily return to the instructor doesn't look anything like as special. Add in equipment costs, insurance, lift passes, training and the cost of living in a mountain community and adjust for the short working year, and £350 per day sounds like a bargain.

I'm speaking purely as a customer of the ski industry. I have no axe to grind at all - but I don't think that the people who teach me and my family to ski should live in poverty.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Jonny Jones, the instructor will likely see less than £50 of that. WB ski school has a starting salary of about $11ph. This goes up according to qualifications/experience. A request private would also get a bonus - though I assume that Tommy4681 won't be requesting a particular instructor. That means, assuming he has a reasonably experienced instructor, that the guy teaching him will probably be receiving about $20ph. Over four hours (which is I think the nominal length of a day private at WB), that makes about $80 - about £45-50. This is a peculiarly North American phenomenon - in Europe instructors are paid better, acknowledging the fact that they are qualified and (usually) experienced professionals, though still not enough to live in the lap of luxury...
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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.
skisimon wrote:
Jonny Jones, the instructor will likely see less than £50 of that...

Shocking Shocked . I recognise that the ski school has fairly heavy overheads, but even so that seems a little extreme.

Do they also receive any or all of subsidised accommodation, lift passes and payment for days where no lessons have been booked, or is that a simple hourly rate? Is it possible to live on £50 a day - before tax, presumably - in a ski resort?

I'm now feeling glad that I've historically been fairly generous with tipping when I've been to Canada.
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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
I emailed Whistler and it was a mistake on their website. It's in fact CDN $650 for a day's private lesson!! I can take 4 friends along too though. The concept of a one-on-one lesson doesn't seem to exist over there (unless you want to pay for 4 other people too). Looks like I'll be doing the supergroup then....
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Tommy4681,
Personally I'd do the supergroup anyway. I've only ever done a private once in Whistler and that was with my wife too so not quite so outrageous per person, and the instructor was (or is now) a friend of ours who we knew was really good.
I'm not sure you benefit all that much more from a one-on-one than you would in a group of 3, it's sometimes a good thing to see what others are trying to do, and with only up to 3 you'll get plenty enough attention and input as to what you want to do.
Incidently what was your motivation for wanting a private lesson? Some of the group lessons/courses/camps at Whistler are outstanding.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
stuarth, I just enjoy the attention really.

Seriously though, it's the first lesson I've had in a while and just wanted to really nail a few things over the course of a day. I assumed a one on one session would be the best way to do this but on the basis of your advice and my lack of funds I'll prob go for a supergroup lesson.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
i was in whistler last year and if you book on the learn to ski or intermediate group lessons they end up splitting the groups up anyway. because the groupings are for levels 1-3, 4-6 you end up with a big mix of abilities so they split it up. i had about 10 days of lessons, the largest group was 8 people on one day, every other day averaged about 4 per group so you're as well just to go for the larger group lessons as it'll save you a lot of money.
the private lessons are a bit hit or miss, you're probably better to go for a couple of groups, find an instructor you like and request them for a private lesson.
i'll be out there 11th-21st if you want to meet up with us for a few refreshments and maybe even some skiing wink
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Though Supergroups are guaranteed not to have more than 3 people and are split not just by people turning up and saying "I'm a level 6 blah blah blah" but by them actually watching you ski for a run or 2.
If you want to do group lessons with a slightly bigger group (depending on your ability) there are better lessons such as Dave Murray Camps (even though the groups are larger I think you'll find if you're a reasonable intermediate or above a Dave Murray Camp to be money really well spent - something a bit different than the normal ski lesson).
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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?
super groups are good, we've used them before and have booked one for when we are out there next
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