Telluride Ski School

"Awesome, Fantastic, Great!"

Those were the words my kids used to describe our recent trip to Telluride.  My oldest 3 kids are avid skiers but after spending the entire season at Breckenridge, I was curious how they would react to a different mountain, new ski school, and unfamiliar instructors.  Simply put, they loved it and are ready to head back for more.

The Basics:
Ski school runs from 10 – 3:15 (the start time varies with daylight savings time, be sure to check) and is located in Mountain Village by Lift 4.  It is easily accessible from all hotels in Mountain Village or via the Gondola if staying in Telluride.  Gear rental is located inside the ski school and is handled by knowledgeable, patient staff.  Gear storage is available at the ski school if attending multiple days.  Lunch is included.

All ski school kids have a tag on their jacket with name, parents’ names and emergency contact information.  

Drop-off Overview:  
All kids check-in at the ski school by Lift 4.  There is ample space to fill out the necessary paperwork and plenty of staff to assist with questions.  The ski school is divided into 3 age groups, each with their own mascot and meeting spot: 3-4 year old Otters, 5-6 year old Bears, and 7-14 year old Eagles.  With kids ages 4, 5 and 8, we had the opportunity to experience each process.

The Bears meet inside at the same location as the check-in.  No parents are allowed into the back area and the drop-off process is speedy.  Each child is individually greeted by an instructor and taken to a designated table where they have some time to play, get fitted for rental gear (if necessary), drink hot cocoa and get to know their fellow skiers and their instructors.  A few kids were crying at drop-off but stopped quickly when a staff member came over, knelt down with them, and offered comfort (and the promise of hot cocoa).  About 30 minutes after arrival, they gear up and head to the mini-mountain to show off their skills.  Once the basics of stopping and turning are mastered, they head to the green runs aptly named Meadows for lots of practice and fun.

The Otters meet outside at the top of a flight of stairs (an elevator is available if you don’t like doing stairs in ski boots).  Check-in was smooth and the instructor took the time to ask questions about the skier’s ability and personality.  They meet at the bottom of a tiny, fenced-in bunny hill allowing the kids to do a few practice runs (and the instructors to assess their ski level) prior to hitting the slopes.  

The Eagles meet outside in a fenced area near Lift 4.  Plenty of instructors make the process quick but they took time to ask questions about ability, strengths and weaknesses.  Telluride is known for its steep terrain and the instructors ask a lot of questions to make sure a good placement is made.  

Pick-up Overview:
The Otters are picked up inside and the Bears and Eagles are picked up by Lift 4.  We were not required to show id to pick up, which concerned me, especially given that I had dropped-off and my husband and mother picked up.  

Best Experiences:
My 8 year old had the opportunity to visit the video analysis area and loved seeing footage of herself (I wish we could have purchased it but it wasn’t offered).  

My kids loved their instructors.  They were friendly, engaging, and had the ability to push them to achieve their personal bests.

Telluride adjusts its lift/ski school times when the time changes.  It was very nice to have the extra time to get everyone up, fed, and dressed in the morning.

Areas for improvement:
My 4 year old is a very good skier and was upset at having to ski “with the babies” on the first day.  She perked up the second day when they took her on more challenging runs.  She is used to skiing with her 5 year old sister so being separated was something of a shock to her.  I think the ski school handled her lessons appropriately.  The first day was spent on easy greens and they moved her up as soon as they felt comfortable that she was ready.

I would like to see a secure pick-up process, including showing identification to pick up kids.

Tips & Tricks:
Each ski resort has its own skier rating system.  Be sure to spend time talking to the instructors about where your child best fits.  For example, my 8 year old is a level 8 skier at Breckenridge and can ski just about anywhere on the mountain.  In Telluride she is a level 6/7 skier and not ready for the double black extreme terrain.

This is a good resort to allow your kids to take things slow the first day.  Ski down a level the first day and build up to the challenge of the steeper terrain.  

Telluride is a vacation destination so the weekends tend to be less crowded than resorts closer to Denver.  

Allow about 15 minutes to go through the check-in line and make it to the designated meeting spot.  

Bottom Line:
My kids loved Telluride ski school and are ready to head back for more.  In fact, we purchased a second day of lessons at their insistence.  I highly recommend this experience.

Disclosure:
This review is based on 1 day of complimentary lift/lessons and 1 day of purchased lift/lessons for my 3 kids.  I received no other compensation and the business owner did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view.