Snowshoe Ski School

"Who can resist a guarantee?"

     Who can resist a guarantee?  Snowshoe is so confident in their programs that they guarantee that your child will learn to ski in two days.  Their confidence is well placed!  Both of my children were able to ski on their own after just one day with Snowshoe’s instructors.  My daughter is 13 so she enjoyed a 2 hour adult lesson while my 9 year old son went to a half day kids program.  It was the first time either had been skiing and they both felt really confident after their lessons.

Ski School Areas and Facilities:
     The ski school area is right beside Expedition Station which is one of Snowshoe resort’s four ski rental locations.  A big plus for us was being able to pick up our equipment and walk right out to the lesson area.  The lessons for all age groups begin about the same time (kids @ 8:45, adults at 9:00).  The drop off process was a little chaotic.  We were told to go to the flag for your lesson and check in with the instructor there.  The problem is that the flags were divided by color and there was no explanation as to which color was for which age group.  The wording on the flags only divided the kids from the adults so we had to ask around a little to make sure we were at the right areas.  Once we found the right area though, we felt very comfortable with the instructors.  They seemed knowledgeable and friendly.  It is obvious that safety is important to the ski school staff. Snowshoe requires helmets for all kids under 12 while participating in lessons.  The helmet was included in the rental pricing.  Because of the layout, it is hard to watch from the sidelines but we did catch a few minutes before they went off over the hill.  The instructors started off teaching the kids how to put the skis on and taught them how to walk with the skis.  Once the kids had mastered a few basics like stopping and turning, they learned how to get on and off the lift and tried out the big hill.  

Kids Ski Instructors:
     Both kids really liked their instructors. The instructors were very approachable and used frequent positive reinforcements.  My 13 year old commented that her instructor rode the ski lift with her twice because she was nervous.  I really like that she was sensitive to my daughter’s apprehension and encouraged her to try it again.  By the end of the lesson, my daughter was much more confident on the lift.  After his lesson, my 9 year old said that he “wanted to ski again the next day and the day after that and the day after that!”  His instructor took the time when we were picking him up to let us know how he did which was nice because it showed that he had been paying particular attention to my son.  Although it was a group lesson, there were only 8 kids so the instructor was really able to to give some individualized attention

Reservations and Pricing:
     Prior reservations are recommended to save wait time.  Reservations can be made by phone either before your trip or while at the resort.  Equipment rentals are not included but reservations for equipment can be made at the same time.  Kids’ lessons are available for children from ages 4 to 12.  They are divided into two groups:  4 to 6 and 7 to 12.  Kids over age 13 must attend adult lessons.  Snowshoe offers full and half day programs for kids and 2 hour lessons for adults.  Full day programs include lunch.  They also offer adaptive lessons for individuals with disabilities.  Pricing is very expensive compared to other resorts in the area and is not all inclusive.  Rentals and lift tickets must be purchased separately.  However, it was worth it to us because of the emphasis on safety.  Our kids also learned a lot and had a great time.  While I can’t compare the quality of their service since we haven’t tried any other ski resorts, it seems worthwhile to pay more to start the kids out with enthusiastic instructors who spend the necessary time to teach them the basics.  

Noteworthy:
*Make sure to pack warm layers, gloves, and goggles.  They can be purchased at Expedition Station but the prices there were much higher than what they cost away from the resort.  Also make sure to use sunscreen and send lip balm.  
*Snowshoe has daycare available for kids ages 3 months to 12 years old.  Reservations are required for daycare.

*This review is based on 2 complimentary lessons at Snowshoe Ski School.  I received no other compensation and the business owner did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view.